The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-31
PANIC Nv CHURCH.
How n sunday school Festival ~ Utica wn.
interrupted.


Last evening. Mt the German MOravan
Church, corner Of Cooper and tornela streets,
an alarm OF fire was raised. ana the result was
panic, which, but for the GOODNESS Of a few indi-
viduals. might have been rs disastrous as the
BROOKLYN cat strOphe.
The children VI the snnday school we're gath.
cred In the church eni wing Christmas testiv-
ties. Two large Handsomely. decorated ever.
green trees had boon put IN place near the altar.
aud the Cnurch, which Will accommodate from
40 90 800 persona, WIS densplv packed. The cN-
ercises were proceeding pleasantly wnen. At
at abOutS L. NJ. tue audience was startled by
the cry OF " FIRE ~ Oy some one near the door.
Inc cry was taken IN and repeated by some OF
the ladies', who were frightened. and in an in
slant all was unrodr and confusion, the people
making rush Tor the doors. me cries OF the
children added to the confusion. and spread the
alarm. No hre or smoke was visible. and super
iptendent Beitz and number Of the teachers
endeavOred to quiet the audience by assur
ing them there was no danger hut Few needed
them.
The churca Is a large wooden structure and
has recently been reno ielled. the BUILDING hhv-
ing been raised and Sund ~ school room put
In the basement The audience room OF the
church Is ABOUT twelve feet above the level OF
church from the sidewalk by wide. large, out
side stairway ON each side OF the door. The
vesttbule h. very small Two narrow doors lead
from the vestbule into the church. The gal
lery, which extends across the front OF the
building, ts reached by very narrow stairway.
All the doors open toward the inside. The
church was IN the worst possible shape to lessen
the danger from accidents In case OF IRE. the
outside stairway being dangerous ON ordinary
occasions.
number OF bows AMI some excited individu-
ais OF larger growth. rushed for the windows.
kicked them out, and jumped to the ground.
To escape by the door was very slow work. as
everybody WIS excited and panic stricken. The
cries Of the women and children aud the shouts
OF the men could be heard for some distance.
Officer Latham was present, and. together with
Ed ward GeOhardt, did good work at the door,
by getting out those nearest the door and quiet
ina those within. The members OF the nre de-
paItment at the hose depot were also promptly
on hand, and placed ladders to the windows, by
which means many left the building. Several
ladies and some OF the children tainted or
went into cunvulsions, and had 10 he
dragged out. Hats, overcoats, overshOes, uffs,
scarfs, etc were forgotten OF Lost IN the rush to
get out. Dresses were badly torn. A boy had
his ankle sprained, and several had their hands
cut In Jumping through the windows. All were
badly frightened. outside the building the
scene was a. tumutuous as within. People
crowded around ;he foot Of the stairways and
on the sidewalk in front OF the churcn, retard-
ing egfese. Frantic p srents whose children were
inside the buiding or who were believed to be
there, made desperate efforts TO enter the build
ing, causing olly DELAY. IL took fuzzy half an
hour to get all the people out Of tho building.
while on ordinary occasions the church can BIZ
emptieu In i've minutes.