The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1904-01-06
Hundreds Die In Fire.
Flames Sweep Theatre Killing and
Woundiug One. .Third-of the Au'
dience.

dienee.
Chicago, Dec 81 Amid scenes OF
the most awful horror, great num-
Der of people, estimated at 6oO, many
Of them women and children, were
burned or suffocated or trampled to
death late this afternoon in a fire
which destroyed the new lrcquols
Theatre.
More than one hundred bodies,
cha red and mangled. were taken
from the blszing ruins within an
hour from the time the fire was un-
der control. Inside the theatre the
dead we're corded and piled up
through seats and aisles like logs
of wood.
Hundreds were injured, many
OF them fatally, in the fright
sul panic-strickeu rush for safety
when hvsterical screams and shouts
of sire" rang through the theatre,
and the dimsy draperies of the flies
fsred and blszed up during the sec'
ond act of the afternoon performance
of "Mr. Bluebeard."
According to the fremen, the
bodies were piled FIVE, feet deep IN
the pit, where the balconies COL
lspsed while the frantic, msddened
rush of men, women and children
for the doors was on, sll fighting like
demons under the swirl of fame for
safety. The fire broke forth in the
scenery of the second act OF the mat
inee. In the mad struggle to reach
the doors, men, women and children
we're struck down. trampled and
crushed. Half faint, bleeding from
wounds and carried along in the
crowd, scores received irjuries which
proved fatal.
All the buildings and stores in the
neighborhood of the fire were turned
into temporary hospitals aud are
filed with the injured.
Flames from the calcium lights
caught the fimsy curtains On the
stage. In q fash all the stage
draperies were in flames, and the
fire had eaten it's way to the audi
torium.
Men, with their clothing torn off
in the crush, aided in caring for the
wounded and placing them on boards
that had been laid as cots in stores
and other establishments.
The capacity of the theatre was
$500. About, 200 persons we're
standing in thS aisles when the per-
formance began, and when the cry
of Fire" was sounded seventeen
hundred people as one man, began
the desperate struggle to gain the
exits.
Chicago, Dec. s1.-The list of
dead continues, ss it was given out
last night, in the neighborhood of
$50 1t is belle we'd, however, that
the total number of dead will not
exceed SIS. Iocluding the missing,
it is estimated that the total mum
Der of casualties at the present time
is approximately 1000
For the first time since Chicago
mas possessed bells to peal, whistles
TO shrek and horns to blow, the old
year was allowed silently to take it's
place in history and the New year
permitted to come with no evidence
Of joy at it's birth.
Ia an official proclamation issued
By Mayor Carter 81. Harrison he
made the suggestion that the usual
New Years eve celebration for this
time be omitted. The idea found a
ready response in the hearts of the
people and the mayors words in
fact only gave uttersnce to the ex.
pressed thoughts that has filed them
all. Ordinarily on New Years eve
the streets of the city are filled with
merrymakers, but this year the only
throngs to be found were those
around the morgue.