The Washington times., 1907-02-24
Alice Nelson's Song
Stops the Mad
Flight.
Men Fight at Doors
And Trample
Girls.

CHICAGO. Feb. 23.-The lives of
1000 people II the Auditorium The
ater were endangered tonight by a
mad panic caused by a fire which
broke out on the stage in the mid
die of the second act of the opera
Lucia" Miss Alice Nielsen, the
prima donna, was the heroine Of the
occasion and by her presence Of
mind prevented what might have
been a second Iroquois disaster.
When the smoke from the blaze
in the wings poured across the foot
lights, a panic swept over the audi
cnce and a wild rush for the exits
began. Screams resounded through
the house and many women tainted
At a signal from the stage man
ager the steel curtain was quickly
dropped. shutting off the fire from
the auditorium
Alice Nielsen Appears.
As the curtain fell Miss Nielsen. who
was on the stage, ran out in front OF
the drop and began singing The Star
Spangled Banner" The orchestra.
which stuck 70 its post, soon Joined
the singer. and as the familiar tones Of
the national air rang out through the
theater many in the audience caught
the spirit OF the prima dOnna's act and
joined In the refrain.
The effect was almost instantaneous.
Many who were running down the aisles
toward tire exits stopped and returaed
10 their seats While the IRE crew
fought the flames on the stage The vast
theater re-echoed with the patriotic air.
Mss Nielsen,s voice ringing out IN the
Half Audience Quiet
Neariy one-half OF the audience Lest
the theater. many screaming and dis
playing a mad frenzy. but those that re-
mained sat quietly and continued 10
sing the song again and again. Finally,
Il was announced that the flames had
been extlnguished and the danger was
over.
Then quietly without show OF excite
ment. those who had remained in tia
theatpr filed into the street
The audience which was stampeded
/ included hundreds of fashionable per
were seen on the ceiling and a cry Of
/ fire was raised. women tainted and men
made a frantic rush for the exits. Im-
mediately there was an awful crush at
/ the door. and the aisles became jammed.
Painting women were carried out of
I the crush 10 places Of safety. while
/ others ADDED TO the panic with their
I terrified screams Men battled with
/ each other az the doors to get out first
In the galleries. where there WAS the
/ most danger. the panic was even
/ greater The spectators rushed head
/ long down the steep floors. although in
| imminent danger Of gOing over the rails
/ into the pit Two big policemen seeing
I the danger through sheer force beat
! back the oncoming crowd and blocked
! the passage of the leaders, this alone
/ preventing many fatalities. At the
same time they called or the people 10
{ sit down
Girls Trampled.
/ One boy fell over the back Of his seat
in the gallery and rolled down the in
clined floor. He was caught by a man
just as his body was about 20 be hurled
over the railing Two young girls were
knocked down and trampIed.
AS the panic was at its height. Miss
! Nielsen stepped to the front Of the stage
and with great caimness began 10 sing
- AAA'N A--l fo-~s Ate@SAAS-A D-AL9 tite AlSl
few rows above the roar on the theater,
but il had an Immediate calming effect.
Gradually her voice penetrated farther.
! As the notes OF THE Star-Spangled
! Banner" rose above the din the crowd
/ began to grow quiet. Persons returned
20 their seats and order was restored.
I Investigation showed that many fine
/ costumes had been ruined in the crush.
and many persons We're bruised, but
only few had received anything like
serious injuries Doctors attended
these.
I II was a narrow escape from a ter
/ Tible catastrophe. however, as nothing
could have stopped the crowd had smoke
I