The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-11-15
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TIIE DAILY GAZETTE.
,ppAIIINC ACCIDENT IN THE
quRREY GARDENS, LONDON.
7wrSlY- FIVE THOUSAND PERSONS Assem-
g,rn---ALARM OF FIRE RE--TERKIFIc
srgNE--aAEY PERSONS KIIxEp.

srrNE~-aAEY PERSONS Kill xEp.
Prom the London Tines
On Sunday night 10000 persons
| wont 70 an immense Music hall in
81 gbat were lately the Sury biological
~ Gardens. to hear great preacher. -
81 The ball was new, and the preacher
was voung--they say only twenty five.
~ hearers have outgrown his own
81 chapel and outgrown Exter Hall, till
~ he Strand was all in commotion
W every Sunday evening, with crowds
8looRipg wistfully Mt notice which
"a told them in large letters that the place
~ wopld hold no more. So they are
Building him place somewhere to
8 Mold $4,000, and meanwhile they took
"a The Sary Music hall for four Sundays.
H If il g building with two or three tiers
S. Of galleries galleries inside and bal
ID comics outside, and all sorts Of devices
a oy hearers, whether sitting or stand
~ no. Il vas built for 10, 900, but on
% thfs occasion It is said that IL 900, or
# even I4.0Q0, crammed into it, while
81 A large crowd beseiged the doors, and
al q still larger one the entrance TO the
M gardens. Woald not any reasonable
81 being have some misgiying as to the
II c9nsequencesi Indeed it appears as II
Everybody had, and the misgiving it
sell produced the consequences.
Before the service commenced, the
III enthusiasm within, and even without,
b the building was intense. After the
a preacher had proceeded ior some min
ii rtes, On a sudden the hysterical scream
q aal subsequent fainting Of a female in
n he gallery to the left OF Mr.. Spurgeon,
81 ana al tue further end Of the building,
8 ygaasioned commotion. Presently
4 lie people ut the doors cried, "Fire!
4 uhere really had been n strong smell
y gi ire a few minutes previously y
4 nhers called ont, The buildingl the
n ullding ia falling" and then, from
4 above. in the galleries, in the hall,
q and from all sides, rose volley OF
i creams aud shrieks, which were fol-
1 wed by terrific rush to the doors.
The preacher paused in terror
4 ewed from the orchestra, the body
| s the hall presented scene of dire
j confusion and agonized excitement
4 The people tossed and tore each other
III error. Fortunately from the floor
u Je ~ incumbered by seats, a moments
4 traction was given TO the rush
1 Tint moment saved the lives OF many
/ wa) would have been overwhelmed
j iu the tremendous onset towards the
i Joor, and gave time for more tranquil
gOsei walton. The preacher, recover
4 Ing imself, implored silence, assured
n 'e people of safety, and then, while
a .he sArieks and screams still resound'
\ ell. S nd terriblesgroans were beginning
10 Ja heard, even at that moment set
uga hymn, which, at first loudly
chant ei from the orchestra, soon
Dreaa itself over the troubled congre-
cation in the body of the hall, who
DOW Sc, ,ing the root still above them.
and the galleries still crowded with
listeners, stricken, yet eagerly
aauging VI the preachers words, thus
encourage, 1. Joined in the hymn OF
i praise and faith.
Not so in the galleries, There was
@ rush made to the circular staircase
pn the right 81 de, facing the entrance.
Down this a str cam Of frightened men,
women and CHI ldren poured, rushing
on in terror. and impelled from behind
Jy crowds in ST III greater alarm
Turning upon the stairs OF the second
gallery. slight CT I'VE is made by the
Lalustrades. The re, unfortunately
rom the overwhelm ing pressure, the
mahogany hand .rail broke, and the
6alHstTades. thus loos ened, gave way
one after the other kor about three
ards Urged on, dnven, pushed
down BY the surging C rowd above
those below came on, as it were, with
certain death before the II eyes--and
ere they could restrainth' hmselves, fell
over the sides, down the ell stair case
On the stone floor beneath. The first
who fell over was a we'll dressed wo.
man, who struck upon her head and
died without groan; the St scond, an
other respectfully dressed fen 1ale, who
tell scr.aning in an agony with a
child clasped in her arms; til, IN came
another womau---then two men,
cia.cbing eagerly at each othtM as
they sank into the abyss; othe RS fol.
lowed topping over each,other while
above, fight, fierce fight, was iurl-
gasLy raging for life between bose
"on above and those below; the First
ilsull striving to come down, the OF, hers
'mggling to stand still, or get up
wards, Meantime the crowd fir ON
the end Of the hall below We're rushi pg
round the passage, forcing their why
"otwards over the dead and dying. =
ihe groan3 and screams were such AZ
might be tancied OF Pandemonium.-r
AT last there was a pause in the rush
and then moment, ifnot otsilence
and order, Of better disposition and
les5!iearfuI seltishness. Yet, above all
rose the hymn Of praise. And now,
as some of the dead bodies are borne
along through the crowd, through the
tees and along the paths thronged
with we'll dressed people, it was ghast
" TO see the festive Wrsathed pillars
ol light and the garlanded lamps, rs
81 81, 'an&hall, shining at such moment
IKE mlstimed merriment at funeral,
where death and mourning, and the
terrible uncertainty and agony Of
thoae who had friends known to be in
Tie building, We're now assuming a
painful aseendancy.
Those who had rushed first from
The hall made their way in panic to