THE VIENNA THEATRE TRAGEDY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2423, 11 January 1882, Page 4

THE VIENNA THEATRE TRAGEDY.

[Bi TBiaaaAPH.] [Per s.b. Zealandia at Auckland.^ VIENNA, December 10. On the arrival of the fire brigade upon the scene, it was found impossible to penetrate beyond the first tier of the theatre, the rush of suffocating smoke and air extinguishing the lamps and torches. The firemen retired momentarily, under the impression that because their shouts were not answered that there were not more people in the theatre besides those who escaped on the first alarm. An attempt was then made to penetrate parts of the theatre which were not actually blaring. In the narrow passage between the second and third galleries mosses of corpses were discovered, some so closely interlooated that it was hardly possible to part them. The first man discovered was M. Got alive, but all the rest wore dead. These were persons who had lost their way in consequence of the turning off of the gas, which it is now ascertained 1 was done by some irresponsible person, with a view to prevent an explosion. Some men wore found grasping each other’s throats. A subsequent investigation showed in some oases that persons finding escape hopeless committed suicide. It is stated by survivors that

women were seen to throw their children from the galleries into the pit at the time of the outbreak of flames. About ton o'clock the gasometer exploded, the roof fell, and the whole place we* reduced to a wreck. The Vienna fire department proved itself supremely inefficient. There was only one fire engine giving a stream scarcely larger than a finger, and it could not roach the upper portion of the house. Toe hand engines were only fed from watorbutt.s filled from barrels driven into the ground. There was no fire escape, and the ladders came late on the ground, and when they arrived much time was lost in planting them. There was a great display of military, who kept order, but of efficient firemen and apparatus there was a lamentable lack. The gallery especially allotted to ladies was full, and in one passage of tho theatre without an outlet forty persons lost their way, and being unable to return, wore suffocated. Tho sight of wives searching for their husbands, children looking for parents, and parents for children, was heartrending. The immense crowd stood silent as death watching tho flames. Tho telegraph office, only two minutes’ walk from tho fire, was crowded by persons who had escaped from tho fire, and who informed their friends and relatives of their s safety to allay fears. Many Americans cabled home that they were among the living. Among tho missing are young Count Stgismund and several other students from tho private Military College. The generally accepted theory of the origin of tho fire is the accidental upsetting of a small spirit lamp. The first act of_ “ Count Hoffman” represents a student in a beer house, in which the lamp is used. This set fire to one side of the scene, and the flames extended in a moment to the flies. Three of the Grand Dukes were present last night at the scene of tho disaster, watching the finding of tho dead. The Emperor telegraphed for full particulars to be aont to him. Count Tafe, President of tho Austrian Ministry, and several Archdukes assisted the sufferers at the fire. The theatre an hour before the performance commenced was thoroughly examined to sco that all proper precautions had been taken to guard against fire The theatre was capable of holding 1760, but come portions were empty. At one o’clock this afternoon tho staircase on the loft side collapsed, and tho fire broke out again this evening at the comer of the Eing, close to the theatre ruins, but was quickly subdued. Subscriptions have been opened by all the Vienna papers for the relief of the sufferers. The Emperor Francis Joseph subscribed 25,000 florins. Many places of business were closed all day. Among tho victims is one entire family of seven. The father arrived home on Thursday after six months’ absence, and celebrated his birthday by taking all to the theatre. Many bodies lack hands or feet which wore torn off in the struggle for life. One boantiful young lady lost both arms. A cable despatch from Vienna says: “Last night I telegraphed you that tho number of victims of the theatre would bo found to amount to 1000. Some of tho papers this afternoon admit that a list of the missing will roach 900. I am only afraid that my statement of last night will prove inexact, and that the loos of life will bo even more than this. It is gradually dawning upon those who witnessed the beginning of the firo that only a very few persons were seen to emerge from tho building. There was a sudden rush of people into the lobby lasting scarcely a minute. Then there was silence. No more oame, and it was assumed that all had escaped. At five minutes after seven the police sergeant being asked jby one of the archdukes if the people had escaped, replied, "Not a soul has been injured.” The sergeant has resigned his position. Not until twenty minutes had elapsed did tho police officials dream of even examining the auditorium of the theatre, and then when they endeavored to make a search they could not roach tho parquette, one storey above the ground, because of ladies blocking up the narrow staircase. They had no idea of the exact catastrophe until the people themselves reported the absence of relations and friends next morning. Death oame so quickly that only a few, at most, from tho second gallery (where it was computed that there wore six hundred people) effected their escape. A young man thus tells the story of his escape from tho theatre : —On Thursday afternoon I met my sister at the station. She was returning home from Vienna. I greeted her with the words, “ I have a surprise for you. I have two seats for tho Eing Theatre.” At half-past six we took our seats in tho first row of the gallery. When tho firo oamo out through the curtains I felt a fearful heat in my face. My sister, leaning her head on my breast, robbing, said, “Moritz, we must die now!” Quick as thought I grasped her, trembling os she was in every limb, and dragged her with me. In spite of the smoke, we reached the stairs and escaped; but wo were almost alone.” Further inquiries as to the origin of the fire established tho fact that the people entrusted with tho duties of firemen on the stage ran from fright at the first blaze. Ono even tumbled headlong from the gallery to the stage floor, and another who had charge of the gas, thinking that an explosion had occurred or would occur, turned off the gas at the meter, thus plunging the theatre into total darkness until it became illuminated with the blaze of the conflagration. A number of petroleum lamps that had been placed in the theatre six months before by order of the police had not been lighted on this occasion, and probably had never been lighted after tho first month of the order, Thera was a wire gauze curtain ready to bo let down in each wing in ease of emergency, and it was supposed to bo attended by a special mechanic, well drilled in his duties. Had this curtain been lowered it is probable that every person in the theatre would have escaped, but either the attendant could not find the key to the apparatus box, or was also seized with panic. At all events, he saved his own life at the expense oi five or six hundred or more lives, for whom Vienna is mourning to-day. Herr Foster, who built this death trap, styled the Eing Theatre, says that had this curtain been lowered the fi.-e would sot have extended beyond the stage.