The daily gazette., 1880-03-22
a Floor Gsves Way.

TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AT A SCHOOL Ex-
HlBITIoN-Two HUNDRED PERSONS
PRECIPITATED TO THE STORY BE
Low.
EPHRATA, Lancaster county, Pa,
March 2l.-The little village of Lincoln,
about two miles from this town, situated
In Lancaster county, was thrown into
q terrible state Of excitement about ten
O'Clock last night by the sound OF tel
rife crash, accompanied by cries, groans
and yells and an alarm of fire. The in
habitants rushed from their houses and
found the sounds proceeded from the
Lincoln Public Hall, where the schol-
ars Of that place were giving an enter
tainment. Between five and six hun
dred persons were present.
DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT.
As the entertainment approached its
close that part Of the floor at the rear
end Of the hall gave way with terrific
crash precipitating about two hundred
persons TO the floor below, q distance Of
fifteen feet. Many persons escaped by
jumping out Of the windows, which are
about fourteen feet from the ground,
Six persons are supposed 10 be SO much
injured that their recovery is doubtful.
About thirty others are also injured
more er less seriously.
SERIOUSLY INJURED.
The names Of those the most serious
ly injured are -
Miss Ada Sprecher, Mrs. j. Koenig-
macher, Miss Alice Bowman, Miss
Laura Erb, Miss A. Miller, Miss c.
Bingaman.
AN ADDITIONAL HORROR.
In the terrible confusion and alarm
caused by the crash the scholars rushed
on the stage, and In their excitement
overturned three coal oil lamps, which
exploded, setting the carpet on fire.
This added TO the already narrowing
nature Of the scene, and the screams and
cries were redoubled, and many expect
ed the whole number Of persons in the
building would be roasted alive; but
this terrible calamity was'happily averted
by tie presence Of mind displayed by
two persons named J. j. Faust and Miss
kaffIoth, who, At the risk of their own
lives, stamped out the flames. Had q
conhagration occurred the greater por-
tion OF those in the hall must have per-
ished, as the building is frame struc-
ture closely surrounded by wooden
buildings.
The scene Of this sad accident is be-
ing visited to-day by thousands from
the surrounding country, both in carri
ages and on foot, and intense excite
ment prevails throughout the neighbor-
hood, as 1t is not yet known how many
Of the injured will survive.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
Further reports from the scene of the
accident show that more people were in
jured than was at first thought, but the
correct number cannot be ascertained
at present. The misses Bowman,
Sprecher aid Bingaman have recovered
CONSCIOUSNESS, and there is some hope of
their recovery. All the physicians in
the vicinity have been summoned TO at
tend on the wounded, the full extent of
whose injuries will not be ascertsined
for some days. The opinion among the
residents of the vicinity is that the ac-
cident is due to the fact that the build-
ing was lily constructed and of such
weak material that no large audience
should have been permitted to gather in
it. An investigation will be made at
once by the authorities.
THE LATEST.
Further reports from the accident at
Lincoln last night state that Ms.
koenismacher, Misses Bowman, Sprech-
er and Bingaman are slowly recovering
Miss Erb remains unconscious.