A Frightful Fall

[From the Sacramente Record.] The overture had been piayed, a few solos sung, and an interval of silenoe had been reached, when suddenly the floor gave way, and the whole maas of poople, thrown violently towards its center, were preoipitated into the steble below, a distance of some sixteen or eighteen feet. The floor seemed to sway down s'.ightly in the middle, the stage saiik, the joista drew out of the walls, the floor broke off at the room partitione on the east end, the rowa of boxes careened toward each other, cluug an instant to the walla aa they feil, and then pitched over upon the struggling mass of human beings below. Tne scène which foilowed beggars description. One cry of horror went up from the stricken audience ; then it rose en masse ; the next instant it waa tossed in a broken and eonfused heap, and a second afterward was pluuged downward and cniahed beneath the broken timbers and the f:dling boxes, entaugled in tho wreek of furriture and stage fixtures, and wedged in bptween and broken npou the Imcks, earriages, and other vehicles, and the heavy stall portitions below. The walls trembled with the shock, the roof wavered, the floor beneath groaned with the mighty shock, but fortunately the walls stood, the roof elung to its fasteiiinga, and the stable flooi', supported from below by post?, bore up uoder its new burden. The thunder of the fall resoimded throughout tilo bloek, a great cloud of dust burst from the doors and windows, somo of the brokeu gas pipes blazed forth in long strearas of flame, the light trappings of the wrecked stage ignited, the cry of fire was given on the outsido, and before the real nature of the calamity was known the bells boomed forth the signal for rescue. Meanwhile, within I the doomed building rang with the shrioks of the wounded, the groans of the dying, and the cries of the maaa of the terriíied midtitudfl, struggling with itself in frantic endeavora to escape from the inelosure of the walls, and made desperate by fear tbat the threatening tiers of brick would fall in npon and ciush it again. Men sprang upou each other, dashed over prostrato bodies, clambered upoa tho heads of the seething mass, fought lite devoted beings with but one chance for life left, tho sole dominant idea of self-preservation overriding the roason, and giving mercy no restingplace. Forttmatoly the way was now broad for speedy clearance, aud in a vory few momenta the tuoánjnréd had fought their way through wreek and ruin to opea air. Then came the firemen and pólice and hundreds of strong men to the reseñe. Chief Engineer Lee took charge of his force aud of all the workers, and, aided by willing volunteers, the rescue went on with the speed of desperation, and wiis urged forvrard with all the power men were capable of who naw their bleeding, dying fellows before them crushed and helplcss, and heara their despairing ories beat the air fer " help ! help ! for God 's sake, help !" The bells stili rang, and the news of the terrible disaster spread with lightning-like velocity thronghont the city. As it was Satnrday night, the streots were tinusually full, and as the nows went abroad the people floeked by thonsancia to the scone. Hundreds of hands soon laid bare tho trnth, the dead wero tuken up, and ftheir contorted limbs decently composed for the long silence of the grave ; the wonnded were borne to tho nearest offices, enginohowses, drug-stores, and hotels. Every physician of tho city was on hand, and a hundred willing and experienoed nurses proffercd with eager sympatby all needed aid. In an hoar's time the weck was lite3ally torn up, aud the fact made a certainty to the senses that no mortal was loft benoath t)jO ruins. Kllloil 7 Belleved to )o íatally Injured 4 S riously woiiudcil ■ 16 Cau batlly liurt 20 Bllgbtl} Iviiisedond butt 1)2 Total known 79 It is known that fully tifty persons, who can bo classed as slightly hui-t, were taken to their homes before their namos eould be secured. Wbrkmen in the ruina place this class as high as 100. At tho lowest estímate not less than 130 persons were injured. Fannie Peak, the tickot-soller, was cast down with her box, but it kept well abont her, and sho was unharmed. Her money-box was broken, and several hnndred dollars cast into the wreek. Most of it was recovcred last night. lx is announced for tho thirteenth time that New York hotels have again reduced their prioes. One can now get very good board at 84 per day. - Detroit Free .Press. '