The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-31

learned everybody OH tic first floor. OK
eept three escaped, although some gus
ltuined bruises nhd other minor injuries.
The great loss OF life was III the first
and second balconies
'tlgeinent Of tho theatre that the fire
was not caused by tho grounding Of Al
ieleutrc vile or to any defect III the
equipments Of tho theatre. II started
they claim, by tho bursting Of cal
clltn, Hight apparatus. The concttssloil
whs 50 gtaht That 1t blew out the sky-
lights over the stage and auditorium.
This statement of}ftlie theatre inahage-
1wno p,erey !n&tho theatre, and who lie A
,el.,,s. that Lefora tho Sht,:sDn oteii
4. ~. tteyH snwf FLAMES II y. i,t,!'t,M stf'fk
Ct ct u II 8 nlt)gg tho wall nenr, the ubrerE
part Of tia drop ,c,ta ~. s,i.5..
CURTAIN HUNG. z
William e Sellers. the house fireman,
WHO WAS severely burned IL trying 70
lDwar tile asbestos curtain. describes the
rccre upon the stage and tho causa}o OF
tile fire as follows:
&&''r was standing HI tho wings when
nAarrl The explosion. and then Immediate
-lytntLerwar6 Ii cry Of fire from tho stage
and al$toverst tho thcntre Looking up !
saw that thePc,lrtnlh was nblnze and AT
once II ran for tho fire curtnln.gWs BOT !
,lt haif- way downs when the wind, rush. 4
Inc IN, from, tho broken skylights, bellied
1T out SO thut It caught and VIC could
not Fudge IL. With the stage hands. !
climbed to whercflt was suspended, and.
together, we tried to push 1t down. Our
efforts werc futile, and, seeing TINT no
human power could move that fire cur
tain and that stage WIS 81 q mass Oh
Flames, turned my attention to warn
Ing the actors and trying to save those
who wcro in trouble. N s5 J.,
Matters and cooks from Thompson's
The east, rescued fifteen people by -nls-
M, q ladder from the roof TO n window
i the rcar oil tho.o lt.d ~ around " Nh
~ Il: IS of scream ,is 81 mon nh:! ehi' 4
c,cn were congregatcd. i.lA 5ira'tS3+
4s HEROIC r ESCuES.s
little, tho head cook, mounted 70 the
TOP OF the ladder and told them to ijumps
into his arms Fifteen women and chill Z
dren did tllis, and were passed by Little
down to other me;,y on the ladder below
them, a tx7o woman attempted to Jump
into lis arms before he was ready to take
hold Of her and she fell to the ollcy,
fi;cturinE her skill, dying Instantly 5s
One of tx, marvellous escapes was Chat@
made by the members Of a theatre party
given By Miss Charlotte l'lamondon,. OF
Chicago. The party was made up OF .
OF prominent society people 9"
this city, Miss Elsie Gilmore. OF Astoria,
Oreror1: Miss Mary Peters, OF Columbus
Olno and Miss aJosebhlncE Eddy, VI OF
evanston, Ill. Miss Iolamondon was the
first of her party to notice the fire.
witch crcpt along the top Of the drop
curtain She called the attention OF oth-
er mem bcrs of Hthe party to tine pia2f
and they all watched It.
+ Miss Plalaohdont said
ar could SCI little girls and boys M the
orchestra Glars pointing upward to the
slo,yly NOV inr line OF flame Ono of&the
stare hands, wearing overalls, appeared
before the fcotllghts and requested the
audience to keep their seats as there was
no danger. Eddie: Foy then hurried 10 lhe
front OF the stage and commandment
pc0,le to rcmant calm;A suyln g nat ~
thay would keep their seats the ua1lserf
would be avorted. The curtain, now
ever, still burned pieces OF the smouldet-
Ing cloth falling into the orchestra PIT.
An effort vas made by the stage hands
to arrange the curtain SO that the blazing
+: nrments would not drop into tho pit.
3.S CRY OF FIRE.
az 7yl ooked Z over the faces OF the au-
dence and remarked how many children
vera, present. I could SEQ their faces
filled with Interest and their eyes wide
open as they Watched Tho burning cur
tam, l1tSOlAS 80
cory rose stos theY iser anil HcroWhedFIpE-&
ward to obtain a better,view Of the IRE.
Eddie 10y .rushed,,to athe center ot#the
stage again and waved his arms IN
gesture h meaning for the people TO pc
seated At that instant q woman N me
rear OF the place screamed Fire! ERE!
and the entire audience RofIWoHlen ana
cli;1rcn rose to their feet. filled with I'M
controllnblc terror In another instant
. Z LII f,,- = ar
thousand people as they rushed madly
from, the impending danger.
son the stage the chorus girls who had
aroused my admiration because o. gthcil
exhibition OF presence OF mind, turned
to flee, but many OF them We're overcome
before they could take a step. Severhi
of them fell to the floor, and saw the
mon in the cast and the stage henas
carry them off the stage, M'ss Elsle
Elmorc was the first to leave our box.
Tho upholsterng on the rating was then
on riro and we were compelled to brush
fragments or the burning curtain from
our clothing in order to prevent them
catching fire. Then there camo a great
roar and q great draft OF air, ana the
flames shot out over the parquette OF the
theatre until 1t seemed To me as though
they must reach the very front walls of
tho building. sa[ 81 /. st a K 7. sli
mere were UuL ICNs lI!StA liltb IabS
dlencc, but I saw several Of them pulling
and pushing women and children aside
as they fought like mantacs to reach the
exits. ] saw a number OF little children
trampled under foot and none Of them
arose again. In the balcony tho scene
was beyond my power to describe. There
was a big, black crush of human beings,
each one apparently fighting everybody
else The balcony was SO steep that
many fell before they had left the first
four rows Of seats Tho exits to the fire
escapes We're choked. and those IN the
rear rushed with all the strength they
possessed upon those who were. nearer
to the doorway, Hill. 4s X gt3
INCREDIBLE SPEED.
ut was almost Incredible the speed with
which the flames ran through tEe scene y,
and although ] was but second nt or
Miss Gilmore In jumping over tho raj n5
of our box to the aisle lrl front. the, atlge
was a mass OF flames. &AsI starred upon
tho aisle Il man rushed into me ana
Knocked me down. l was so terror
stricken that grew weak, and sank lnto
one OF the orchestra chairs, and Of err that
! hardly remember anything. Il In sone
way ] reached the main entrance, where
men were Kicking against the doors md
shnttering the glass and panels In their
oft "a of a la G