Year: 1876




,,s and Of the crowd who at the first alarm had
gathered about it, that few lives had been lost and
N ignorance of the wretches still within the burn
zoo walls their attention was directed to the pres
srystion of surrounding property. The roof OF
tbe tbeater was so completely destroyed that it did
ot fall in upon the floor as a whole, but was
.cattered in small fragments within and without
che walls At midnight those who had watched the
nrogress of the flames saw that the rear wall on
Johnson-st must fall, and soon afterward, vita
resounding crash it tumbled inward upon the alidi-
toyuIp sending aloft broad sheet of fame. During
Ali this time the greatest uncertainty prcvsiled
among those separated in the struggle for life from
their companions who had been with them IN the
theater Anxious inquiry failed TO show where and
how the mulEtudc had escaped, and all night friends
were looking for each other in the streets and adj
ioining buildings. 1t was not even known who OF
the actors had been saved, and at one time it was
reuorted that several of them had perished Several
of the company gathered at a neghboring res
tsurant and related the manner OF their escape.
Some made their way out through the theater to tho
WashngtOn-st. entrance and others left the build
ing by the door On Johnson-st.


Such in brief is the story of the disaster made
ND from the varying statements Of those who were
in4he theater Many other incidents and explana-
tions we're offered which might seem to contradct
this story in some of its particulars One person
sitting in the orchestra affirmed that there was no
unusual noise behind the scenes previous to the st
alarm. bnt that suddenly without premOnitiOn, the
flames burst forth above the stage Another eye
witness who occupied seat In the dress
circle on the second floor, attempted 10
escape by the Johnson-st. passage, but the
throng which had preceded him III that di-
rection shouted to those who were pressing
forward that the escape was closed. He then re-
treated and made his wav back to themain entrance,
through which he passed out nharDed. Another
man. who was one of the last to leave the parquet
saw number OF men dropping over the galleries to
the floors below. lie is convinced that with the e2-
cepon of those who thus escaped from the galleries
barely dozen of their occupants were saved No
comment was more common yesterday than that
the actors displayed the greatest selfcontrol and
that If their Injunction to the audience to remain
ouiet had been followed far fewer lives would have
been sacrificed. Said Of the ushers " l6
was the panic which e;Hsed the loss OF life.
There was time for all to have escaped
if order and reason had heen preserved
In support of this view it was stated by gentle
man Who with his wife, was sitting only few seats
from the front, that they remained quietly III thelr
seats until nearly all Of those in the parquet had
forced their way out. On the other hand, man
who attempted in vain to make his way out from
the gallery by the regular p&ssage-way and event
uelly escaped by dropping the railing into the
parcuet asserted that rlany who sat near him must,
under any circumstances have peTished. Women
could not make their way ont as ne did, and the
staircases were utterly Inadequate as a means OF
exit.


Few persons. however, felt inclined yesterday to
fttribute blame to others. Tire panic, though DIS
astrous was altogether natural. The theatcT. too,
bad doubtless, it was said, been regarded by the
owners and lessees as well and safely built and ar
ranged. One of the company said that any state
ment that the scenery faulty set up, and the
stage lights carelessly managed was altogether
false The border lights, from ono of which the fire
originated were of the latest pattern and had been
regarded entirely safe. The strictest rules were
enforced with regard to smoking and indeed every
precaution was taken TO avoid even the possibility
Of danger. After the IRE caught in the scenery,
every effort vas made 10 cXtingIish 1t without
creating alarm and in looking back ii was hard to
see what more could have been done.