The Republican journal., 1874-07-02

ms So 1'''r'tso no. >'a1-'H1'''
Inc leIonlng account Is 2Iven OF t.5
terrible calamity which occurred nj Svra-
Use =. \ "Wednesday night bv -he fai!
.ryc .hc door OF the Baptist ilurch. w
which fourteen PERSONS were Rille.l. and
flfF cae anur.d lnjnfed @.a, 81 thcn
,ioaslr:
The ccc2-.-u 81 dive gathering Ia7r Iigat
was . festival. g,ven ~ the ladies ot The
.6.r.1, acl h scnc-r Jv the Little cil
l.--a.r 4I4..e.rays oil tho church are the
.ssGa+- 7.h-a, rooms. occupying the tirsp
ry... ana ,',- church pallore ocgupyiln the
-ccad 1y0l
Ills palL II ,au Jdinte was IN G1r lor
rio festival and conccl Al the time Of
41o accident supper wa beng served l0
:te central pa lOr which had been we
Dared !or the occasion with tables. &C.
Line room, which was iorty ieet square.
was filed with people, the session room
below being deserted save BIZ l. Jew
persons The number in the supper room
is raY!oQslv estimated 3t from d+C to -A7.
.-oselv grown persons
~ tie time the Ioor rave way The
children Of the CONGREGATION were in one
# the urteroonls being prepared for the
ancient concert" But for this feet the
list Of dead must have been yelv much
larger, as many Of the helpless little ones
would have been crushed TO death in the
mass Of humanity crowded into a y shaped
vortex formed bv the falling floor
AT the moment OF the falling Of tho floor
ms scene within The parlor was one Of
happy eaiCvment Without sion OF
-rayning the floor suddenly sa.k beneath.
2ud il an instant the happy fhr0no found
themselves buried In mass Of strugglinm
huI3a litT-, iat2rmixed with falirgtimberS.
furniture, etc, and in utter darkness. the
m3s having been extingushod by breaking
f the Gas pipes
The descent Of the floor was accompanied
"ith q terrible crashing Of limbers and
.rom tue endangered human beings went
ny horrible cries for mid. An instant after
he fearful descent had been made all wa7
hi. IS the grave, but immediately after
Lcar1 ra4ding appeals for help were to be
aerd from hundreds OF those in agony
ID.mediately after persons Were seen
Ssung from the doors and windows,
which were smashed out by the frightened
people, aNd an alarm was sounded The
')riaiured within the church who We're
able 20 free themselves from the mas
began al once to assist in Tescuino other
The fYemen and police were quickly on
12nd and iabOred noblT in the work Of
rescue. Entrance to the church was al
once stopped and none allowed 10 enter it
except those engaged in taking out the IN
mates,
The scene within the building was terri
bic and that without the edtice was heart
r3nding indeed--fatheT7 and mothers
SEARCHING for their children, husbands
5oAing tor their wives, wives inquiring
r1r husbands, brothers for sisters and
children ior their parents, Of whose fate
At! wera uncertain ana IN dread Quietly
but rapidly the work OF cxtricatine the
people vas carried on by the aid OF Ian
corUs g large number Of which were
occurred, while some busted themselves
vita s..c.iag ~ tie s,anting sections Of
cia A5Or
-larv others Were aitting the men.
-"-oeL and children to free themselves
Ind as last as the living and dead were
sescued thew were passed out through the
windows aid doors, when ready hands
assisted to convev the d2ngerouslT injured
and dead 10 tile physicians offices and
uc;qaboriag houses The work was WIG
or9rslv bpt slowly prosecuted, and before
m;tl:aght the last Of the living and dead
had bean taken out.
The excit .nent without tie church was
terrible, and as each body either dead or
s7-pre,y i71j1~ed was heinz Carried m tho