The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-04-22
A Drop to Death.

The village of Lincoln, about two
miles north of Ephratah, Lancaster
county, was tho scene of frightful ca
tastrophc on the night of March Dist,
which carries death and destruction to
many homes in that community. Where
but a few hours before all was happi-
ness, misery now roigns. The accident
happened between the hours Of and 10
o'clock, and even at this hour only few
of the names of the killed and wounded
can be had, on account of the excite
mcnt attending the affair. The occasion
was an entertainment given by the ~
ceum of the village, composed of young
men and ladies, together with the chill
dren attending the public school. The
audience gathered to witness the enter
tainment was very large, some AGO or
500 persons being in attendance from
all sections of the surrounding country.
1t was held in the village hall, a two
story structure, the upper floor being
the hail. Everything being in readi-
ness the exercises began about 1880, and
continued with nothing to mar the plea
sure of the occasion until about o'clock.
A loud report was then heard in the
back part of the room, which was dense
ly crowded, and in a few minutes the
whole rear end of the audience dropped
out of sight to the floor below, dis
lance of about twenty feet. Immediate
ly thereafter everything was confusion
the screams of the wounded and dy
ing being painful to hear. Many
rushed from the floor upon the platform
while others jumped from the windows
to the ground, distance Of twenty feet,
sustaining severe injuries thereby. AS
quickly as possible aid was summoned,
and the work of extricsting the dead and
wounded from the debris began.
AS fast as extricated they were taken in
charge by their friends. Word was at
once sent out for all the medical aid in
that section to be brought into service,
and Drs Atlee, Brubake, Spohn, Gar
rett, Mercer, Killinger and others
reached the scene about IL o'clock, and
at once rendered good service. AT one
time it seemed as if holocaust was to
be added to the terrors of the scene.
Some of the little children in their
flight rushing over the stage, overturned
two oil lamps, and the burning fluid ig-
hitting some table cloths and carpets, it
bid fair to remove all vestige of the ac-
cident by the flames. Through the
presence of mind of Miss Elmira Crofoth
and John Faust, who smothered the fire
with carpets, this trouble was overcome
and something like order was restored.
On examination it was found that five
persons were killed and between twenty
and twenty-five more or less severely in
jured. Owing to the people being taken
away by their friends, the names Of all
the killed could not be learned. The
following is list as near as could be had
tonight:
Killed-Mrs. Annie Haas, aged %
years, neck broken leaves a husband
and three children. Kate Brubaker,
aged % years, neck and back broken.
Seriously Wounded-Mrs Jacob
Koenigmacher, Mrs. Alice Bowman, Ida
Sprecher, Ada Miller, Laura Erb, Chris
tiana Finlabone, Sarah Campbell, both
legs broken; Albert Hicks, both legs
broken Mrs. Stuart, one leg and arm
broken; Julia Mercer, arm broken
Cyrus Derr, one arm and leg broken !;
Agnes Brockert, aged Is years, both
arms broken and head badly fractured,
will die; Susan Hughes, aged l6 years,
arm broken; Annie Hynneman, arm
broken and head fractured, will not re-
cover; Sarah Boyer, ankle broken and
spine injured Rose Duberry, arm and
ankle broken; Daniel Miller, aged %
years, back and lcg broken, will hardly
recover; Annie Yoke, aged % years,
foot and arm broken.
The greatest excitement prevails in
the community over the terrible affair,
and to-day hundreds of people visited
the scene. The building in which the
accident happened is miserable affair
to crowd SO many people into, and shows
criminal negligence on the part of those
having the affair in charge.