Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-30
TRAPPED IN FLAMES
STORY OF AMERICAS FIRST GREAT
THEATER HOLOCAUST.

ful Struggle to Escape the Mercl-
less Rush of Fire.
The following graphic description of
the first great theater disaster in this
country is taken from u volume of ad-
dresses to children and youth, as the
title page has ii, by the Rev. Robert
May, an English clergyman, who visit
ed in America from December, 1910,
to early in the spring of 1872, when lie
left for India. He made the burning
of the Richmond theater, where 200
lives were lost, the occasion for
strong TRADE against the evils of the
theater and beSought his hearers to
''Shun the theater; avoid the EauntS of
Satan, the destroyer of your souls;
seek for real pleasure; do not pursue
the phantom of imaginary happiness"
The clergy all through the country took
up the cry, and for years the destruc-
ton of the theater was proclaimed
from many pulpits as the direct act of
God, intended as an example TO those
who persisted in the sin of theater 60
ing
The fire took place on the night of
the Goth of December, 1911. The thea
ter, which was built entirely of wood
and otherwise badly constructed, stood
upon the brow of ShockhOe hill and up
on the very spot which is now the site
of what is called the Monumental
church. On this night particularly
new play and pantomime had been got
up, and Il large and brilliant crowd of
gentlemen and ladies' of the very flow
er of the population, embracing the
newly elected governor of the common
wealth and many citizens of wealth
and fashion, were assembled at an ear
~ hour to enjoy the entertainments of
the evening.
1T was truly brilliant display, and
for some time all went on gayly and
happily enough. The play was over
the first act of the pantOmime had
passed blythe second and last was
now begun-and all eyes were intently
fixed upon the actor who had come
forward on the stage toward the lights
and was moving to the music of the |
orchestra. when suddenly bustling
noise was heard from behind the |
scenes toward the rear of the building. |
This, it seems, was occasioned by the |
dered to hoist up chandelier in doing |
so had got the rope entangled and, |
jerking to clear ii, had swung it |
against one of the painted scenes, |
which instantly caught fire and sent |
up q sheet of flame to the roof. This |
was not plastcrcd, but, consisting only |
Of raftcrs covered with light pine |
boards and shingles. very dry, it kin
died at once, and the actors, with their
assistants were trying to tear down
the scenes TO put out the fire. This
however. was not immedi-
ately seen by the spectators, being hid
den from their view by the interposing
scene and they were still watching the
progress of the piece when they saw Il
shower of sparks and burning matter
fall upon the actor before them. At
this some were startled, while others
thought that it might be
only q part of the show. \ moment
lfterward some one exclaimed. There
IS no danger and only forced the
sense of it more strongly upon their
fears when one of the performers
-ushed forward to the front of the
stage and cried, The house is on fire.
ng, where the fire was now seen run
ling like lightning along the roof In
itantly all was horror and dismay.
rhe cry of Fire. Fire" rang through
he building, mingled with the shriekS
# women and children in frantic con-
,ternation. Husbands looked for
for their children
While some. almost frenzied by the
ense of danger, thought only of them
elves.
There was, of course, q general rush
III at once to escape out of the house
Is fast as possible by the nearest way.
Those in the pit easily got TO the outer
loOr. which was not far off. Those in
he galleries also, or most of them, fly
ng down the stairs, soon passed to the
treet. But the spectators in the boxes
we're not so fortunate. Some few OF |
hem indeed had leaped 10 the pit and
.ot out with the rest from that part, !
nd n few others had been helped on
o the stage and hurried off the back n
way, while small number still brave
Y kept their seats. only TO meet the
ate which they hoped TO avoid, but the
reat mass of them, crOwding tumultu-
widest disorder. stopped each others
rogrcss toward the door, while the
smoke, which soon filled
he house. eXtinguished the lights and
titled its victims and the flames, which
ow flashed in lurid sheets as they ran
long the light wooden work of the
oXes. caught the clothes of the fugi-
ives in the rear and wrapped them at
nee in pals of fire and death. Happy
ow were those who had reached the
where n stream of fresh air
rom without revived their failing
anses and enabled them TO hurry on
Or their lives or escape perhaps to the
round. for by this time many Of
nose who had got out from the pit and
alleries were seen gathered in crowds
Glow. stretching out their arms and
llling on those within TO leap into
lem for safety Some did so from the