Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-11
FIRE ROUTS DANCERS
Hundreds, ThinIy Clad, Rush
Out Into Streets.
POLICE STOP WILD PANIC
Pitiful Scenes in East Side Section
of New York.
AVERT TROUBLE IN THEATER
Proprietor Announces Performer
Has Been Taken Ill and Audi
ence Quietly Departs.
AVERT TROUBLE IN THEATER

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, February 1O.-Hundreds
Of dancers, lightly clad, ned In panic
into the narrow confines Of Christie street
late tonight, when the building at 19o
began to burn over their heads. This
was the start of pitiful exodus into the
cold of men, women and Children only
half or thinly clad. and driven before the
spread Of the flames.
Thousands, all told. were homeless In
the streets a few minutes after the nre
leaped up like a giant torch In the heart
of one OF the most thickly populated
neighborhoods Of the city. and their cries
and walls for the fancied or real loss OF
their little and all as they were driven
from danger by lines Of policemen sound
ed above the roar Of the flames and the
throb Of engines.
Fra which had evidently smoldered
for q long time In the basement OF III
1873 Christie street. suddenly was re-
leased and swept up the air shaft. mush-
rooming at every door. In the space OF
a few seconds the whole building was
aiight.
Adjoining, at Nos 1861 Christie street.
was a seven-story loft building. with the
ground floor turned into one large nan.
Hall. In this hall 600 men and women
were dancing at q ball. ALI the women
were in light evening dresses ana tneir
cioaks and wraps were In checkroom.
Mad Rush for Doors.
Tho glare through the windows from
the burning building caused . mad rush
for the doors. Most Of the dancers soon
stood. frightened and shivering. In the
cold. They were persuaded to return TOT
their wraps, but a cry that the building
was on fire was raised. Blind. frightful
panic followed The police. by main
strength. kept the entrances from becom-
ing blocked, and dragged many women
from the crush to save them from being
trampled to death. Again in the streets,
the nghtly-clad women were hurried
away to shelter.
BY this time the seven-story building
was ablaze from the roof half way down
and. under the driving OF the wind. the
flames were leaping across the narrow
streets and licking the walls OF tene-
ments on the opposite side. Tenants OF
these houses were routed out with barely
enough time to dress and wrap them
selves and to seize what valuables were
at hand
Panic Averted In London.
It was about half-past ten when the
fire got under way. An audience of
1.5Oo was attending a performance at the
IAtzen Theater. the old London Music
Hall. on the Bowery. which backs up
close to the burning building
The proprietor of the theater announced
that his wife, who is the principal per-
former, had suddenly become Ill, and that
the performance would close. The au-
dience was gotten out without any sign
OF panic.
Luhrs new ten-story hotel. also In the
danger zone, was emptied OF 500 men.
and 800 women In the Salvation Army
Hotel for women. at 245 Bowery, also
were aroused.
II was estimated that 1900 persons had
been turned into the streets by the fire.
The loss will be more than 100000