Evening journal., 1905-01-16
TRAPPED In FLAMES
STORY OF AMERICAS FIRST GREAT
THEATER HOLOCAUST.

dred Lives Were Lost In a Fright
ful Struggle 10 Escape the Merei-
less Rush of Fire.
The following graphic description Of
the first great theater disaster in this
country is taken from volume of adj
dresses to children and youth, as the
title page has 1t, by the Rev. Robert
May, an English clergyman, who visit
cd in America from December, 1910,
to early in the spring of 1912, when he
left for India He made the burning
of the Richmond theater, where 200
lives were lost, the occasion for a
strong TRADE against the evils Of the
theater and besought his hearers TO
"shun the theater; avoid the haunts 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, aud 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 GO
ing.
1.-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 a
new play and pantomime had been got
up. and a large and brilliant crowd Of
gentlemen and ladies, of the very flow
e. 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 cujoy the entertainments Of
the evening.
1T was truly brilliant display and
Cor some time an went ON gayly and
happily enough. The play was over
thc first act of the pantomme had
passed hy-the second and last was
low begun aud al eyes were intently
liked nnCu Dee ac,9r who had come
forward on ;ho Stage toward the lights
.tne "as moving 10 me music o. tAe
orchestra. M-'h sCaaeAiy " pea'huS
noise was arard from behind the
scenes toward tbs rear OF the buudlng.
IRIS IL seems. was olcasioheu 10y lhe
fact that q servant WHO hau neeh or
lerod go hos, 10 chandelier In doing
20 lad got tho rope enlansled and
9rEus 20 c.'W H. had swung il
gains, OBI" ot iLF panied scenes
wA'ch WS"H'y caught .'o ana sem
'p ssert 'mt 10 tLe f"oi. MS
was not @. r.ia n' cut CONSISTING only
If @tt"r o'nfd WitA hslt pine
loar,,' tt 'rfy dry, il Kin
died at on ila tA' ari0fs' Win tAeil
assistants W'rt trying 90 tear eowI
The seems 10 pdJ out the IRE. lnii
movement AoWeVer' was not lmmedl
: atcly seen by the spectators DelnS ma
den from their view by the ln'erposins
scene, and they were stlll watching In
progress OF the piece when they saw
shower Of sparks ana burning matte
fall upon the actor before them. A
this some were startled While other
. apparently thought that 1t might d.
, only q part OF the show. \ momen
, nfterward some one exclaimed 'Iher
! Is no danger and only forced IN
} sense Of 1t more strongly upon thei
/ fears when one OF the performer
> rushed forward TO the front Oh IN
, stage and cried 'Ihe mousse Is on hre
: pointing at the same TINE TO the eel
t ing, where the nre was now seen rui
I ming like lightning along the ROOF. II
Z stantly all was horror ana disma9
, The cry of Fire! FIRE. rang throug
{ the building mingled WIN tlle shrleh
! OF women ana children III irahuc col
sternation, husbands looked 10
! wives-mothers Tor ther chliureh-
r while some, almost lreh1ieu Dy u
E sense OF danger thought only OF then
! selves.
4 "Ihere was OF COURSE General rus
= all at once 10 escape OUT Oh tle nous
2 as tast as possible ug 'le nearest wa
+ lhose IN the plt easily GOT 10 tue ouu.
door, when was not lar on. Ihose
l the galleries. aiso, Ut must ol 'nen' u
I. ing down the STAIRS soon passed 10 u
= street but 'ne Spectators III 'ne uoA'