The evening world., 1903-07-09
Destruction Of Pompeii at Man
haitian Beach, as Seen from
Behind the Scenes, Looks
Like Destruction Indeed.
ONE BUSY LITTLE MAN.
He Is the Ono on Whom pevolves
the Work Of Pushing Levers Iha'
Set OF the Thunderous Exp'o-
sIves Just at the Right Moment

AZ nrst glance Mr.. John Craig seemed
like an extremely quiet little man Hie
moved about almost noiseIessiy' thous"
ou,ckly. and when he spoke 1t was IN
NV tone. as IL he feared he might frisht-
en- the fireworks.
Rut IL wasn't many minutes oetore ah
Evening World reporter who visited tne
back ward of Pains "PompeiF' at Man
haitian Beach last nisht became con-
yinced that Mr.. Craig was the noisiest
man he had ever met.
Before the eruption of the paper mache
mountain an omlnous quiet pervaded the
mysterious precincts Of the flimsy fac
sin,ile of the city Vesuvlus destroyed.
The hundreds OF performers who picked
their way cautiously over raised, creak-
Ing planks. across which squirmed sig
n!ficant coils of electric wires. made
their way silently to the entrances and
waited. with hardly a word, for the sig
nal to run upon the long, wide stage.
Every one seemed to feel and dread the
explosions which were to follow. Most
nervous of oil was the small Mr.. Craig.
He was never still. One minute he stole
like a cat along the rude, bomb planted
platforms; the next found him squeez-
Ing through lines Of hushed chorus girls
and peerins anx!ously at the set pieces
rtgsed up in front of the stage. Oc-
caslonally he thoughfully stroked his
short-crop2ed beard. He never spoke,
except to give an order to his attentive
assistants.
The Chief Noise-Maker.
L.
pered the guide. He knows he can't be
too careful. His grandfather and father
were killed in this kind of work"
This was comforting. almost as reas-
suring as the warning of the guide to
''look out for the live wires"
Pompeii, on close acquaintance. wasn't
nearly as funny as when viewed from a
safe distance in front. There YVES always
danger. explained the guide. Of prema-
ture explosions. Such an accident meant
almost certain loss OF life.
Pleasant again. The visitors were so
glad they had como. Possibilities Of the
unexpected were always interesting
Out in front. on the brilliantly-lighted
stage, a long line OF attractive, graceful
girls danced I'm. swinging rhythm. Pres
emily they ceased their gyrations ana fell
back to either side OF the stage. Some
how everything seemed so serious that
one didn't smile even at the sight Of
mosquitoes Teasing off their shapely
limbs.
Those same mosquitoes didn't have hong
to live.
The mimic worship of the Golden Bull
began Glaucus refused to kneel.
The Noise Begins.
"Christian! Christian!" cried the ex-
cited populace.
With the inception of the make-be-
lIeve combat. small and silent Mr.. Craig
said to -bloused men who stood be-
side him:
Get ready!'
A woman in street dress who stood
in tho entrance caught the hand OF a
little girl and breathlessly said:
Come. dear!'
The woman and the child hurried along
the wooden walk toward tho dressing
buts in the rear Of the inclosure. Just
as vivid fash gave warning of tho I'm
pending eruption.
Scores Of frightened dancing women,
their fiimsy draperies gathered up about