Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-01-06

was Huu4e 4 oy, cnleI comedian OF the
company, the clown, but the only man
who kept his head.
Before he reached the center of the
stage ne had called out to a stage hand:
Take my boy. Bryan, there! Get him
out! There by the stage way!'
The stage hand grabbed the little chap.
toy saw him dart with him to safety as
he turned his head.
Freed of parental anxiety he faced the
| audience.
Keep quiet!' he shouted. Quiet"
Go out in order" he shouted. Don't
get excited!'
Between EXPLANATIONS he bent over to-
ward the orchestra leader.
Orchestra Plays in Face of Death
Start an overture" he commanded
Start anything. For Gods sake, play,
play, play, and keep on playing"
The brave words were as bravely an
swered. Gillea raised his wand, and the
musicians began to play. Better than
anyone IN the theater they knew their
peril. They could look slantingly up and
see that the 300 sets of the ':Bluebeard"
scenery all were ablaze. Their faces
were white, their hands trembIed, but
they played, and played
Toy. still stood there, alternately urg-
ing the frightened people to avoid Il
panic and squirting the orchestra on.
One by one the musicians dropped fiddle,
morn anu Olner instruments ana stole
away.
Finally the leader and Foy were left
alone. Foy gave one glance upward and
saw the scenery all ahame Dropping
brands fell around him, and then he fled
Just in time to save his own life. Tie
clown" had proved himself hero.
The curtain started to come down. 1t
stopped, it swayed as from heavy
wind, and then it ''buckled" near the
center
All Hope Lost for Gallery.
From that moment no power short OF
omnipotent could have saved the occu-
pants Of the upper gallery.
The GOODNESS of Foy, of the orchestra
leader, and Of other players, who begged
the audience TO hold itself in check, how
ever, probably saved many lives on the
parquet floor. Tumultuous panic pre-
vailed, but the maddest of it-saye in
the doomed gallery-WaS at the outskirts
Of the ground floor crowd
Those in greatest danger through
proximity to the stage did not throw
their weight against the mass ahead.
Not many died on the first floor. proof of
the contention that some restraint exist
ed in this section of the audience.
Women were trod under foot near the
rear; some were injured. The most at
tins point, however, were rescued by the
determined rush of the policeman at the
assistants.
Lights Go Out
The lights went out in the theater
with the destruction of the switchboard
and all stage connections. One column
OF flame rose and swished along the cell
ing Of the theater. Then this awful il
lumlnatlon also was swallowed up
standing that which took place in that
pit of fame-lit darkness. None lives to
tell it.
To those still caught in the structure
the light Of life went out when the cleo
trio globes grew dark.
In spite of the terrible form Of their de-
struction, It came swiftly enough to short
eli pain. This at least was true of those
who died IN the second balcony, striving
to reach the alley exits abreast of them
Dead Piled Six Feet Deep.
Six and seven feet deep they were
found, not packed in layers but jumbled
and twisted IN the struggle with one an
other.
Opposite the westernmost exit Of the
balcOny-oR the alley-was a room in the
Northwestern University building (the old
fremont house,, where painters were
working, wiping out the traces Of another
fire.
They heard the sound Of the defamation
Of the fuse; they heard the rush of feet
toward the exit across the way. Out on
the iron stairway came man, pushed by
a power behind, himself crazy with fear
lie would have run down the iron fire
escape, but flames burst out of the exit
beneath and wrapped itself around the
iron ladder
Bridge the Alley with Planks.
"A LADDER shouted one of the paint
ers Run it OUT It was run out The
man started to cross. The ladder slipped
on the frosty window casing. Its burden
was precipitated down on the icy ground.
The first of the arriving firemen picked
up the broken form. The body was the
first taken to a morgue.
Women prepared to jump from the
platform.
Wait" cried the painters 1--WE have
planks." Three wide planks were thrust
across the alley. The painters sank TO
their knees to anchor them. Come ON
just twelve persons escaped across the
plankway. The twelfth was pursued by
a pillar OF fire which dashed itself against
the wall of the university building
The steel platform was packed with
women al and children. They died right
there. The bodies of some fell over into
the alley. From within the bodies Of
others fell part way out of the aperture.
The helpless watchers, pecring through
the smoke, could see the heaps Of the
dead between the seats and along the
outside aisle Of the gallery.
Firemen crossed the gangway as soon
as the tongue of flame drew back and
climbed over the CHASTITY wall to direct
the streams Of water inward and down
ward.
"Anybody Alive Here?" No Answer.
They entered too soon. The tongue
again licked upwards. The fighters and
rescuers retreated stubbornly, but they
were driven back.
Marshal Campion was in command CT
the tiremen. He saw that the gallery
must be for time abandoned. The
forms of women and children were all
about him and his men. No movement
was perceptible, but he knew that the
living might be buried under the dead.
rs there any living person here?" the
marshal shouted again and again.
The Cry echoed through the silent place
and no voice answered.
Once more he shouted. IF any one
here is alive, groan or make some sound.
Well take you out"
Not Moan Is Heard.
Not an arm moved in the mounds
l L