Evening journal., 1902-02-28
FLORODORA MAIDENS
WERE FIRE FIGHTERS
Showed The Effect Of Their Terrible
Experience in Wreck in Perform
ancO Last Night

II is probable that a theatrical COM
pany never gave a performance under
more adverse circumstances than did
the "FlorodOra" Company in the Opera
House last night. Nearly every mem
Der Of the big company was suffering
from bruises, jars or shocks sustained
in the wreck at Eastville, ON the n. y,
~. & n. railroad, sixteen miles from
Cape Charles, yesterday morning. Two
of the principals were unable to fll
their roles, and the whole company
lshOwed the effect of the experience.
The Opera House was crowded with
one Of the largest and most fashionable
audiences of the season at the hour
when the curtain usually goes up, but
II was just 9.35 when the performance
began, the manager previously making
apology for the delay. This was partly
due to the late arrival of the company
in this city, at 720 o'clock but there
were other reasons. The stage hands
of the Opera House worked with such
q good will. that so far as the stage
was concerned, the curtain might have
gone up at S.35 o'clock. The difficulty
was in pursuading a man TO take the
part of w. T. Carleton, who WAS so
badly hurt that he was unable to go
on. Charles II. Bowers, underEtudy fbr
Mr.. Carleton, also was unable to go on,
land the result was THAT Mr.. Hoke, a
member of the chorus and understudy
for Mr.. Bowers, was Obliged 10 take
Mr.. Cartoons place. He was not at
lall familiar with the role, and was re-
luctant to take it, but was finally pre-
vailed upon to do so. But IL took an
hour to accomplish it,
! 1t was just IL o'clock when the final
lcurtain went down. The performance
did not come up to expectations, for the
treason that the players were still suf-
lfering from the effects of the accident
ITlhey seemed half dazed, and their
voices sounded tired and worn. At the
end of the first act Miss Frances Cor
don, vino played the role of Angela,
tainted. but was revived and went
on with her part. Miss Gordon. iu
speaking of her experience, said: u
was In the midst OF a fearful dream
about failing over a precipice when the
crash came"
The engineer of the theatrical trair
was pinned under the wreck, wlhicl
lcaught fire. and Andrew A. Cahill, whC
plays the part of LeandrO. the overseer
plunged into the mass of smoke ant
Flames and cut him out with an axe
Anthony Rooney. an electrician will
lbhe company, had his leg badly CASH
led, and after arriving here Manager III
IT. Herr was seized with hemorrhage
attributed to internal injury. Tit
wrecked baggage cars caught fire ant
ltlhe womn. as we'll as the men in tn
company, carried pals OF water to ex
tinguish the flames.
Upon the arrival of the company il
this city. Mr.. Carleton was taken to tn
lClayton House in a cab, and DR. Drape
lsent for. He was taken to a hospita
lin Philadelphia this mOrninfg. W. T
.Carleton. Of the FlorodOra Compan
: lplaying in Philadelphia, the son of Nh
lCarleton. came here last night in re
lspouse to a telegram to see his father
The company will play in Lancaster
Pa. this evening.
Il was found that Mr.. Carleton /
suffering with concussion Of the spin
and partial paralysis.