The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-09
Famous Theatre Francois at
Paris Burned.
ONE ACTRESS PERISHES
MAGNIFICENT PLAYHOUSE rs a
TOTAL WRECK.
World Renowned Paintings and In
valuable Library of Manuscript
Goes Up in Smoke-Frightfu
Holocaust Is Narrowly Averted-
Work of an Incendiary.

CdlSef the historical play mouse OF Paris
and the home of the Yg5rld-famed Com
ediee Franoaise. is tonight a mass of
smoking ruins. Only the mere outside
she'll remains standing. The dome has
collapsed ana the interior is an utter
wreck. The magnificent ceiling, bear
ing tae categorical painting by Maze
role, the ceiling painting by De Beuf,
the younger; of Truth Enlightening
the World" which adorned the foyer,
and a number OF other tabieaux and
WORKS Of art, together with a portion
OF tie invaluable library of manuscript,
perlahed in the flames.
Practically all the sculpture how
ever, was saved, and removed to the
ministry of finance, which faces the site
OF rte theatre on the Rue de Rivoli.
The priceless statute of Voltaire. by
HoUden. one of the chief beauties OF the
foyer. escaped by being enYelOped in a
pile Of mattresses.
The only victim Of the fire, so far as
is known. was Nile. Henriot, a Deauti-
ful young actress Of 10. whose photo
graph has been displayed in the shop
windows along the bOuleVards as a type
of beauty. She came of a theatrical
family ard her mother has been filing
an important role at the Theatre An
tome.
lust Before the Matinee.
It was, however, only a matter of an
hour that saved Paris a repetition of
the Opera Comique catastrophe. as a
crowd Of women and children had al
ready gathered at the doors. awaiting
the opening for the matinee when the
alarm was raised. Had the perform
ance begun few probably would have
escaped owing to the rapidity with
which the flames spread. settling the
fare Of the building before the firemen
could even get to work.
The staff of the theatre and several
actors and actresses had arrived and
the s. ene shutters were busy preparing
the stage for the matinee, when pass
eIs DF perceived smoke curling up from
the Windows near the room. An alarm
was sven and men rushed inside the
Duldilg shouting fire. 4 general scram-
bic for the door ensued among the stafE
and II was AT first thought that all had
escapee- But it was found out after
ward 9st several persons in the upper
stfrsf J Includins Miles. Herlriat and
Dadlay.s had been forgotten.
Firemen Were DELAYED.
Meanwhile the fire brigade had been
-'NA---A-~-AINf anu 0AL LMEutN minutes
elapsed before the first detachment ar
rived. and then only hand pumps were
brought Finally steam pumps came.
but then it was found that no water
VAS 70 be had. 1t was 12:45 p. m, near
~ tnPee-quarters of an hour after the
alarm was raised before an ADEQUATE
stream of water was poured into the
burning building. which by that time
was quite beyond help. The smoke
which rose and formed a heavy pail
over the theatre acted as a magnet to
the Parisians, who fiocked to the scene
in crowds.
lie Franchise is in fIamesl', spread
from mouth TO mouth until the news
mad reached every quarter, and moth
ing else was discussed. as the home of
the French classical drama has heen
as familiar to Frenchmen as is the can
ltol at Washington to Americans.
An immense concourse soon assem-
bed at every point from which a view
OF the f1re could be obtained The DO
ice endeaVored to clear spaces around
the theatre for the firemen, but event
ualIy tn troops had to be summoned to
keep the crowds back and to assist in
the work of saving the sculpture, paint
ings, library and other treasures. which
were being hastily lowered from the
windows and heaped in the square or
carried into the stores nearby.
Thieves at Work.
During the confusion thieves cut sew
eral paintings out Of the frames and
got clear away. In one case the police
actually assisted them, under the i'm
preston that the thieves were work
men from the Coincide Franchise.
Mics Dudlay and HenrOit were on
the sixth floor, preparing for the mat
NEE. Nile. Dudlay says: 7 was near
ly dressed when I smelled smoke.
which entered under the door. 1 flung
the door wide open and found utter
darkness The corridor was filed with
smoke, which chOked me. / rushed
along the corridor and reached a win
COW. where l shouted for help. NV
cries were heard below and a fireman
a ladder, tied a rope around
me and lowered me to the ground lust
IN time, as could feel was about to
faint"
Mile. Dudlay was dressed in the COS
tune of the play. and great excitement
prevailed in the throng below as she
was gradually brought to the ground
How Mile. Henriot Died.
Mile. Henriot's dresser relates that
she left the dressing room with her
mistress. but that the latter complete
~ lost her head. and instead of de-
scendlng, ran upstairs and sought ref
uge in another room. where, presum-
ably, she was asphyxiated.
The firemen found Nile, Henriot w
ing on the floor. Only her face had
been burned. The body was carried
out and placed in an ambulance car.
dozen of which were drawn up in
front of the door. AS her face was so
much burned that she was unrecogniz-
able, the body was taken to the mOrgue.
where it was identified by NJ. Coquelin
and other members of the Comedy
Francois by the clothing
Meanwhile the mother Of Mile. Hem
riot had hurried to the scene bare
headed. and crying wildly for her
daughter. The truth was concealed
from her as long as possible. and swhen
It was finally told TO her she was dis
Lracted with grief.
Mile. Herriot's dresser was badly
burned, hut not dangerously A num-
Der or the firemen were slightly in
ured, chiefly by the sitting fumes.
Work OF Ineendiaries.
In the chamber Of deputies today, NJ.
Deschanei. president of the house. an
the destruction of the Theatre
Francois by fire. and praised the ef-
OrtS Of the firemen, who, he said, were
hard to save the art treasures
1t is now asserted that the fire was
Tue 10 incendiaries- NJ Girard, chief
# the municipal laboratory. has made
inquiry into the matter and is con-
- =