The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-21
TELL EXPERIENCES
SINGERS OF THE METROPOLITAN
 OPERA COMPANY.
Awakened by Earthquake Shock, Al Made Frantic Efforts to Reach Streets, No Thought Being
 Given to Dress.

 pany of New York, all victims of the great disaster, are leaving today for the East A number of principals in- clude Nine Selbrich, Signors Caruso. Campanari, Dippel and Conductor Hertz, started at II o'clock this morn ing on the Southern Pacific overland train via Ogen and Chicago. The other part of the company. including the chorus and musicians, will travel by a special train via New Orleans. With this party are Scotti Miss Walker. Mme. Rappold, Plancon Reiss, Press Representative Meltzer and Conductor Francois Conductor Vigla left last night and some of the principals not named are travelling apart from the company.
 All splendid scenery, stage fittings. costumes and musical instruments were lost in the fire which destroyed the Grand Opera House, where their season had just opened to splendid audiences. No one of the company was injured, but nearly all of them lost their per- sona1 effects. Mime. Sembrich placed the loss by the destruction of her ele- gant costumes at $20,000. She was fortunate enough to save her valuable pearls. The total loss to the organiza- tion may reach s150,00o.
 For the past two days the singers and musicians have been living with
 
 on the hill sides of San Francisco Some were quartered at the Chutes.
 When they were seen by an Asso- ciated Press representative in their special cars today the operatic stars gave an interesting account of their experiences.
 On the morning of the earthquake the members of the company were dis tributed among the different hotels. Caruso, Scotti. Miss Wilker, Miss Ab- bolt, Miss Jacoby and other principals we're at the Palace, Plancon and Dippel and Mime. Seubric hwere at the St. Francis, and the musicians and the chorus at the Oakes. Mme Flames, Miss Fremstadt and several others were at private hotels or residences. The sudden shock brought all out of their bed rooms in all kinds of attire. The women were in their night dresses, the men in pajamas. none considering dress, being convinced their last hour had come. Ten minutes later Caruso was seen seated on his valise in the middle of the street. Many others had rushed to open squares, or other plac- es of supposed safety. Even then 1t was difficult to avoid the debris fall ing from the crumbling walls.
 few had time and presence of mind to pack up some necessary articles be- fore the outbreak of fires in all direc-
 
 their rooms, but very few saved any thing except what they had stood in. Several of these at the Oaks were awakened by plaster from the ceilings falling on their beds and had barely time to flee for their lives One singer was seen standing in the street bare foot and clad only in his underwear, but clutching a favorite violin.
 The first impulse of many was to rush for their trains which, however. happened to be across the bay. Rossi, a favorite basso, though almost in tears, was heard trying his voice at d corner near the Palace Hotel. Grad ually calm was restored and taking a lesson from the coolness of the Ca1ifor- nians, the artists began to regard their plight as less serious than it might have been.
 Nearly all suffered more or less from the sudden cutting off from the food supply. A rush was made for the near est grocery stores and baskets were quickly filled with provisions and what wine could be secured before the clos ing of the liquor establishments. The next day many were reduced to diet of bread, chocolate and sardines.
 Alfred Hertz, the Wagnerian con- :. ductor, was one of those quartered at %the Chutes. He was given a place to sleep near the Zoo. He said today:
 ITO my dying day will never for get my experience when I was dWdk- ened by the roaring of lions. I knew not that was in a jungle or in a den of wild beasts"
 Resembled an EmIgrant.
 Campanari, the baritone, resembIed an emigrant when he boarded the Over land train. He carried his kit tied in a gay colored blanket on his shoulder but was in good spirits.
 Tt is such a change" was all he said.
 Another one of the party wore the flowing garb of an Arab chief and all were more or less picturesquely cos tuned A chaming contralto had been compelled to don some very necessary articles of attire which had originally been designed for man.
 M Parvis, M. Duffriche, the bari tone and stage manager and Mime. Duffriche, the harpist, narrowly es- capped death when the Oaks collapsed. Mime. Duffriche lost her precious Arard harp in the fire at the opera house.
 The courage displayed by some of the artists, notably Miss Walker and Bes- sic Abbott, helped largely to quiet the fears of their comrades and their kind ness to the chorus was highly appreci- ated.
 After the earthquake. Mime. Flames and Mime. Sembrich found refuge at the home of Dr. Harry Tevis, but this was burned and they were cared for sy other friends
 Miss Femsta1, who had apartments Ut the St. Dunstan, was fortunate lnouKh to escape with her life, the