The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1878-01-20
rxMrHRANoE HALL.
The DENSE crowds that 4asher There
Is there Danger9

The ID enss Crowds that father There
Is there Danger4
CAIRO, Ills, Jan. 10. 1878.
DEAR BULLETIN Among the hum
dreds Of men, women and children who
crowded Into the hall of the Reform
Club, Friday evening last, was one timid
individual upon whom the president,
pro tenn, warning to the audience mot to
cheer by stamping, for fear Of ursErTINo
the lamps
IN TaE HEADING ROOM BELOW"
had rather depressing effect. Imparting
her uneas ness In q hurried whisper OF
what II there should be hrei" must
confess that the bare suggestion sent q
whole avalanche Of cold chills racing up
and down my spiasl column. I'll, suffling
az the air really was, the temperature IN
that room SEEMED suddenly to have fallen
IS degrees below Zero, ana Inexperienced
the sensation OF mau sitting on the top
OF Pixies Peak IN linen duster. Giving
what comforting ASSURANCE could TO the
poor little sufferer, | tried " turn my
attention to the speaker. but found my
self
CALCULATING THE CHANCES,
II, indeed, lire should break our, Or even
all alarm OF Dire be given: What would
be- the chances % rescue had observed,
rs catered the narrow, closed Staircase
the small window. aud the very low cell
ing, and Gould hut picture To myself the
CONSERVATION thst would depict every
cOuntenance. and the horror that would
strike every heart at the FIRST note VI
alarm. and 10 wonder. II 1t were possible
uud sucn circum tances,
to SAVE ONk-HALP
the women and children there. Should
a lamp be turned oyer, IL must happen
directly beneath the most densely packed
portion Oi the hall packed with wins
and mOthsrs and helpless little ones
every avenue blOckaued by men whose
only power TO save themselves would be
by dsshiDg into aud through the
SMOKE AND FLAMES
in the room below, and to save
these .hrleking, fainting wo-
men they had none. 10 rush
to the staircase would only be to rush
into the mouth OF roaring funnel that
grew narrower the farther you advanced;
to remain beneath that low roof was to
be sutfocated, and In any case an almost
certain chance Of being trampled to
death. have been In situations where |
knew
DANGER EXISTED
and have deliberately laid my plans for
rescue tor my charges or for preserva-
ton for myself, and have never until
then felt myself powerless to believe l
could aid no one. II should say felt
like was caught in trap and had un>
Willingly brought my dearest friend In
with me, 1t would be because can think
Of nothing that 60 nearly describes my
sensations as sat there, and not because
would disparage the room with q
small audience In it) or the association.
Is there, dear BULLETIN, no ar
rangemeAt that could be made by which
this great danger need not be incurred ?
You who know so much about 30 many
things are surely able to suggest ways
and means by which no such fearful risk
need DO run. Well as you enjoy
chroniclirg startling" Affairs, l know
you would shrink from Withholding your
counsel even with so rich harvest in
prospective. These
CRUSHED, MASGLED AND CHARRED RB.
MAINS"
would be tour people," you know; and
these smothered, blackened heaps OF
dead and dying" "our citihens;" and
there Is no exultation In the heart of the
dear old BULLETIN, when 1t has to tell OF
the "cloud OF sorrow that has fallen like
a pail over our little CITY,"
attended the meeting on Friday
evening for the express purpose of listen
ing to Col. Lowery and Mr.Lineger. They
spoke, but il your reporter can give your
readers no clearer idea Of what those gen.
tleman said than can, 1t will be well to
attribute bis Obtuseness to his solicitude
for the safety Of that packed audience.
My enjoy ment OF the good things st out
was spoiled, assure you, by the situa.
ton, and Iappeal to our old reliable, the
BULLETIN, 10 make our paths in lite less
hazardous and less fearful to contem>
plate. r. r. W.
------------------~-------