BURNING OF A THEATRE.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 54, 23 January 1877, Page 3

BURNING OF A THEATRE.

250 BODIES RECOVERED,

New York, December s.—The Brooklyn Theatre was burned to-night. The fire originated at 11.30 p.m., Avhen the company A#as about half through with the last oct of " The _ Two Orphans." The fire spread with lightning rapidity, and the confusion among the audience Avas terrible. The fire was caused by the gas setting fire to the Avood Avork in the flies, which blazing, fell on top of the scenery. One of the actresses came to the front of the stage and said : " A small accident has occurred, but don't be alarmed : only a piece of the flies is on fire. 1 ' On this mention of fire the audience arose to their feet and made a Avild rush for the doors. The smoke became suffocating, and Avomen fell fainting in the aisles, and were trampled over. Numbers jumped out of the windows and and Avere seA'erely injured. A young man who jumped out of the window says another man Avas Avith him and got to the window, and, while holding on with his hands became overpoAvered with the smoke, and fell back, and must have been consumed in the flames. Dresses were torn *£rom ladies while lying in the aisles and on the side walk outside. A large pile of dresses, so torn from their backs and picked up by the police, Avere in the police-station next dooT to the theatre. •All the company got out excepting a fly-man named Cumberson, Avho Avas badly burned, and threw himself out of the windoAV. He will die. An actor named Murdoch has not been seen in Brooklyn since the fire. It is feared that he Avas burned to death. Total loss, about 300,000d01.

NeAV York, December 6.—The fire in the Brooklyn Theatre last night was attended by an appalling loss of life. It is thought that not less than 100 persons were killed in the rush to the doors or burned to death. The fire broke out during the performance of the last scene, and in five minutes more the audience Avould have been dismissed. The house Avas about two-thirds filled, those beloAV sitting well forward tOAvards the stage. For those in the family circle, dress-circle, and galleries there Avas no way of escape, except by Washington-street. The panic-stricken people rushed pell-mell tOAvards and doAvn the stairways. The *main exit became immediately chocked up, and a scene of terror, confusion and distress ensued which beggars description. Just above a woman in the crush had her knocked between the bannisters and * fell. The crowd behind, forced forward by terrified people still further behind, fell over her and piled on top of each other four and five deep. The police from the station-house next door were promptly at the scene but owing to the manner in which the people Avere piled up on top of each other and massed together, they ■could extricate comparatively few,_ and these Avere all bruised, bleeding and maimed. The firemen got to Avork on the ruins, and shortly after daylight this morning they succeeded in getting as far as the wall of the dress-circle, Avhere they found a great number of bodies, and immediately began the work of removal. Up to eleven o'clock €5 bodies had been recovered, and what appears to be 20 or 30 more Avere seen in in the basement, into Avhich they had been precipitated by the falling of the burning floors. At the police station adjoining the burned theatre, the names of 86 persons missing from their homes have been registered. * Kate Claxton, at a preliminary enquiry of the Fire Marshal said : " At the beginning of the last act, just as the curtain went up, I heard a rumbling noise on the stage, and tAVO minutes after saAV flames. The "*fire seemed to be all on the stage. Mr. Warren, myself, Mr. Studley, and Mr. Murdoch, on the stage at the time. We four remained there, and endeavoured, as best Aye could, to quiet the audience, and prevent a panic. I said to the people, ' Be quiet ; Aye are betAveen you and the fire. The front door is open, and the passages are clear.' Not one of the audience jumped on the stage. The flames Avere then coming down onus. I ran out and jumped over several people. Mr. Murdoch, after endeavouring to calm the fears of the panic-stricken people,went to his dressing-room to get his clothing, and must have been suffocated." SEVENTY-FIVE BODIES RECOVERED. Brooklyn, December 6.—The number of bodies thus far recovered from the ruins is about 7&' It is believed that as many more are'still in the ruins. DIFFICUJ/TJIN IDENTIFYING THE DEAD. NeAV York, December 6.—The Avork of Identifying the dead will be difficult for most of them are burned beyond recognition. Bodies are being taken from the ruins to the morgue as fast as possible. ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.—I2S LIVES LOST. y The origin of the fire was that the drop * was ignited from the bordor light by some means inexplicable, as one Avas guarded from the other. The stage carpenter, Weaver, and two supers endeavoured to extinguish the flames, but the difficulty was to reach the part on fire. The stage carpenter, with the supernumeraries, attempted to effect their object by loAvering the drop, and, in doing so, added fuel to the flames. It is now believed that the numder of dead Avill be 125. The Courts adjourned ; this morning without transacting any business, and there is intense excitement in the city, and business is partially suspended. "The Park Theatre has been closed for a week. A meeting of the theatrical profession is called for Thursday, to concert measuresf or relief. 130 BODIES RECOVERED. Brooklyn, December 6.—At 2.40 this Afternoon 130 bodies had been removed, and others are still in the ruins. Some persons assert that no one in the upper gallery escaped. The last man that left the stairs before they fell says that behind him Avas a' helpless, half-suffocated crowd. The actors themselves had a great difficulty in effecting their escape. Going to the back of the stage their advance was cut oft by names that played around the usual place of egress, and struggled from beyond to burst open the doors. Miss Claxton and . another lady, Mr. Matthews and another gentleman, succeeded in entering the dark underground passageway to the box office, and saved themselves with difficulty. Stuart Campbell, reporter on the Commercial Advertiser, is among the victims.

Thus far only three bodies have been identified. The morgue is completely filled* and bodies are now earned to the old market building on Adams-street. They cannot be recognised.

TERRIBLE SCENES. NeAV York, December 6 —Waggonloadsof rough boxes are arriving in front of the theatre, and corpses aie placed in them and covered and carried to th« morgue. _ The scene grows more terrible every minute. Men and Avomen are crowding around the station-house and theatre entrance, making inquiries for missing friends. Arms and legs are bent and twisted in every way ; hands are clenched and reach out as if grasping for help. ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE VICTIMS — RUINS STILL BURNING. Brooklyn, 4 p.m.—One hundred and seventy-five bodies have been taken from the ruins of the theatre. The ruins are still burning, making the work of removing the bodies very difficult. Flags are at half-mast throughout the city. The theatres are draped in mourning. New York, Dec. 6, 430 p.m.—A dispatch from Brooklyn states that up to this hour 195 bodies have been moved from the debris. 5 p. m .—Over two hundred bodies have been taken thus far from the ruins of the burned theatre. It is thought the number will reach many more. 5 30 p.m. —Two hundred and fifty bodies have been removed up, to this hour.