The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-10
SOME THEATRE FIRES
TN PAST TIMES

stream Of people flowed on swiftly, crush si,
nv some. carrying others out on Shout.
tcrs from, the dress circle, until q stout
lady caught her foot ut the iahulhS III
lie stair rail and FOL. The way was
blocked Crushed ard nlnlmed, men were
,ilcd one above the other. Three ponce
men, one Of them stripping off MS coat,
cStricated the Indy and opened tlto way
again. The actress, Miss Claxton. who
rried 10 the people, .Bc quiet: we nre
between YOU and tho fire; tho front doors
u,o open and the passages are clear,
showed a noble courage and one IS
sre cinlly gratfied to know that she es-
cared. She probably owed this to tff
very GOODNESS which rendered her UNI
tecdcd rcmonstrance possilr Tho extra
doors In Tho Brooklyn Theatre were
rclted and the bolts rustcd. By mere
pic CT Of fortune one Of the employees hap
rnned to have an iron bar In his pocket,
with which he forced the bolts; otherwise
the loss OF life would have boon stu
larger. ESD
RICHMOND DISASTER
On Thursday night about 10 o'clock.
December &c, 1911, dhe night after Christ
mas. the Richmond Theatre was attend
cd by an unusual number of people. The
fatal night had been, set apart for the
benefit of Mr.. Placide. Gather of the
famous actors Of that nance. and
pantomlmc entitled agnes and Ray
mond. or the Bleeding. Nun" translated
BY Mr.. Grnrdin. was to have closed the
amusement Of the evening.
THE house was crowded, not only with
the taste and fashion Of the whole city
but with the Governor and the most dis
tnguishcd fllnctionarles Of the SrateI The
last scene Of the pantommc WAS on
ohor tho ho n ball
room to street, they drew UP Il chand">
licr. without having eXtingushed the
lights, and observed that they set fire
10 the scenery above. Several sparks fell
on the stage, Il battle took place behind
the scenes, but the audience imagined
that 1t was part If the play. until ono
OF the actors, named Robinson, rushed OH
tho stage cSclumin The house Is on
rirc An indcscrlbable confusion ensurd.
The theatre was so constructed that TO es-
cape from the fire was impossible. All
was confusion and dlsmay Shrieks from
women and children we're frightful and
added 10 the horror; black smoke and
flames curled over the house, extingu sh-
Ing the lights. The destruction OF human
life was greatest at the box doors. Whlch
being closed. they were all blocked IN.
and consumed by the flames, ahrl KS.
groans, agony and death, IN It's most
terrific form. closed the tragic scene!
The Imagination may better paint, than
the pen describe, the unutterable anguish
OF the gay assembly. In one moment.
hilarity and Joy were exchanged for the
most agonizing sorrow and distress. and
a multitude Of precious and immortal
souls. a, time they little expec ed. wer'
plunged into the world OF spirits On.
heavens! what horrible revolution did
one minute produce. a whole theatre
wrapt In fiame,-a gay and aEinaton
assembly suddenly thrown into the widest
despair The number Of lives lost on tbs
lsmertacle occasion was a bout So Among
the unhappy victims was the then Gov
erno- Ut Virginia. George ". smith
Fifty ladies Of the best old Virginia taml'
srisheH