DISASTER AT SACRAMENTO.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 792, 4 January 1877, Page 3

DISASTER AT SACRAMENTO.

Sacramento, November 18. 12 Midnight. At 8.15 to-night, Moore’s Opera House, on Second street, between K and L. in this city, was the scene of a most frightful accident, resulting in the death and injury of nearly one hundred persona. The occasion was the opening night, the place having been opened for the first time. The Peak Family, a vaudeville troupe, occupied the boards, the house having been fitted up for them, Mrs Peak is proprietress. The house has been known as Olympic Hall, and was at one time used as the State Armory. It is over the large livery stable of J. W. Wilson, and was converted into a theatre by seating the floor with chairs and erecting a hallway between the ceiling and floor, and dress circle and boxes. The hall is 40 by 85 feet inside the walls, and the floor was selfsupporting, being without columns or pillars, When in use as the State Armory, it supported 100 tons, and was considered safe. TUe dress circle and boxes were erected upon the floor. The place would seat 1200 people. An immense crowd filled the hall, The performance was in progress, when, simultaneously, THE ENTIRE FLOOR FELL, carrying down stage, dress circle, and boxes, The walls stood unharmed, and the floor back of thehall being held up, pitched the audience toward the stage. All the lights were immediately extinguished, leaving the straggling, shrieking mass in darkness. The news spread, creating the utmost consternation in the city, heightened by the anxiety of friends as to the safety of persons supposed to be in the fallen building, The fire alarm sounded, and the fire department was at once on the ground, and took charge, in connection with the police, of the wreck, Hundreds unhurt, crawled from the fallen timberf, and

at once the removal of the debris commenced. By this time many thousands of peonle assembled, anxious for information as to friends, The building is owned by Magee, a nonresident of the city. J. W. Wilson, proprietor of the livery stable under the theatre was lessee of the stable only. He is pecuniarily damaged in a large sum by the smashing of hacks and carriages, A hearse costing lOOOd.ils, is among the crushed pro perty. The damage to the building is some SOOOdols. The roof remains. The number ascertained to be dead is seven. A large number of the seriously wounded were able to reach their homes without assistance, and many, whoso names are not ascertained, were carried away by friends, Many of the injured were transient guests at the hotels. The accident created great excitement, and the scene of the disaster is still thronged. Sacramento, November 19. The ruins of the fallen Concert Hall are all cleared away now. No more victims have died, but four are yet in a dangerous condition. Over 150 persons are now known to have been more or less hurt, and over twenty are confined to their beds. The walls of the wrecked hall are declared dangerous, and will be pulled down. The excitement all day has been intense, and thousands have visited the scene of the disaster during the day.