The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-21
OPERA SINGERS
IN BAD PLIGHT
&any of Them Narrowly Es-
capped With Their Lives From
Wrecked Frisco Hotels.
PERSONAL EFFECTS GONE
BASsO TRIED HIS VOICE UNDER
TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES.

Oakland, Cal. April 2O.-The MEM
oers of the Metropolitan Opera com
psny Of New York. all victims of the
great disaster, are leaving today for
the east. A number of the principals,
including Madame Sembrich. Signor
Caruso, Campanari, Dtppel, Conductors
Hertz and Bars, started at IL o'clock
this morning on the Southern Paclnc
overland train via Ogden and Chicago.
The greater part Of the company, IN
Gliding the chorus and musicians, Will
travel by a special train via New Or
leans. With this party are Scott, Miss
Walker. Mime. Rappold. Plancon, Reiss,
Press Representative MeltZer and Con-
ductor Frankie. Conductor Vignal left
last night, and some Of the principals
rot named are travelling apart from
the company. All of the splendid
scenery. stage fittings, costumes and
fire which destroyed the Grand opera
house, where their season had just
opened to splendid audiences No one
of the company was injured, but near
~ all lost most Of their personal eff
fects Nine. Sembrich placed the loss
by the destruction Of her elegant cos
tunes at $50, 900. She was fortunate
enough to save her valuable pearls
The total loss to the organization may
reach S150,000.
Singers Were Scattered.
For the past two days the singers
and musicians have been living with
friends or camping out in the parks
and on the hillsides of San Francisco.
Some were quartered at the ChuteS-
When seen by an Associated Press
representative in their special cars to-
day the operate stars gave an interest
ing account of their experiences.
On the morning of the earthquake
the members of the company were dis
tributed among the different hotels,
most of them being at the Palace, ST.
Francis and the Oaks. Caruso. Scott,
Miss Walker Miss ABBOTT, Miss JacOby
and other principals were at the Pal
ace. PlancOn and DIPPED and Nine.
Sembrich were at the st. Francis, and
the musicians and chorus at the Oaks.
Nine Games, Miss Fremstad and sew
eraI others were at private hotels or
residences. The sudden shock brought
them out of their bedrooms in all kinds
of attire. The women were in their
night dresses, the men in pajamas.
none pausing to dress. all convinced
that their last hour had come. Ten
IrIuutCs Later CarusO was seen seated
ON mis- valSe IN the middle of the
Street t-aUy others had rushed to
per sGuE~es pE- other places Of sup
l.rsfd safety. even then il was diff
Cac 10 avoid the debris falling from
u cruHlr p walls
Ros5i Tied His Voice.
~ A few had the me and the presence
ticles before the outbreak of fires in
al directions barred them from re-
turning 10 their rooms. but very few
saFcI anything except what they stood
in. Several of those stopping 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 barefoOted and clad only in his
underwear, but Clutching a faVOrite
violin which he had carried with him
IN his fight. The first impulse of
many was 10 rush for their trains,
which, however, happened to be across
the bay. ROssi. Il favorite basso,
though almost in tears. was heard try
Ing his voice at corner near the Pal
ace hotel. Gradually calm was re-
stored, and taking a lesson from the
GOODNESS of the CaIifornians. the artists
began to regard their plight as less
serious than # might have been.
Hustled for EatabIes.
Nearly all suffered more or less
from the sudden cutting off of the food
supply. A rush was made for the
nearest grocery stores, and baskets
were quickly filled with provisions
and what wine could be secured before
the closing of the liquor establish
ments- The next day many were re-
duced to a diet Of bread, chocolate and
sardines-
As an indication of the optimism OF
Mr.. GOrlitz. general manager Of the
company. il may be stated that until
the Grand opera house was actually
reached by the flames. he had hoped to
give the proposed matinee performance
OF THE Marriage of Figaro He and
few others thought the play house
was fTe-pTOOf. and not ten minutes
before the building went up in smoke
some Of the musicians were dissuaded
from trying to save their instruments
Personal Experiences.
Mr.. Alfred Hertz the well known
Wagnerian conductor. was one Of those