The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-09-12
TEN PERSONS INJURED.
A GREAT CRASH AT " NEYADA NED,Sv
INDIAN VILLAGE.

Five Hundred People Fall with Rot
ten rter Of Seats at Last Night .
show = Many Legs Broken m the
Crash-Active Work by the Police.
What might have proved catastrophe
involving the loss of hundred human
lives was averted last night at the Indian
Village at Oakland Park by what might ap-
propriately be termed "a mighty uprising
of the people" AS it was, however, a
dozen people were more or less injured,
some of them manned for life, while the
next few days may develop death. To
give an intelligent ides of the surround
ings It is necessary to describe the lay Of
the land and the appurtenances of the vii
lage Oakland Park is situated on the
corner of Oakland and Hohoken aven ues
1t is surrounded on all sides by high
board fence. As one enters the park at
the present time, if he looks to the right
his eyes meet rough board beer saloon,
while to the left the six boat soups which
adorned the village on Bergen avenue are
kept continually busy. Walk hundred
feet straight ahead and you encounter two
huge circus platforms made of rough
centre. These are located Immediately in
front of the stage where the performance
is held To the right of the stage
is q canvas tent with q big sign
over the entrance, doctors Office"
To its right are a dozen or more
neatly-constructed tents-which are the
village; while away off to the left is huge
shed, where drinks are dispensed without
fear or favor, but not without the price. It
had been previously announced that the
proceeds of the performance would be de-
voted to the argus fund for the relief of
the Charleston sufferers, and the conse-
euence was that thousands-it is variously
estimated that from 5000 to 10, 600 were on
the grounds, but safe number would be
about 6,000-of people swarmed on the
grounds and platforms. The show com.
menced promptly at s o'clock before
seated audience of fully thousand peo-
pie, who had each paid their ten cents for
seat, which was all the two platforms
would accommodate. A half hour later
some boys were frolicking on the front row
of seats of the platform to the righnt of
the le-stamping lightly on the foot
board in trout of them-when suddenly
the board was heard to snap. Only few
people heard this, however, and no acci-
dent would have occurred, had not some
foolish person raised the cry, ssThe plat
forms coming down." A second later and
the 500 and odd people on the platform
rose as if by impulse and made break to
reach the ground. The next instant there
was mighty crash and down the platform
came to the ground with slow, swaying
motion, while the frightened mass of hu
mainly scattered pell NELL, heller SHELTER
ever each other in their frantic efforts to
reach terra Ji77na. The whole thing occurred
slow as it was--in much less time than it
takes to tell it, and when the more COM
posed of the surging mass that had now
congregated about the scene of the disaster
looked about them q moment later, the
entire platform was seen to have been
RACED to the ground as if it had been
moved down like SO much grass. 1t was
complete wreck, and many of the much
seasoned boards were split and not few
snapped completely asunder. Immediately
the rumor spread all over the city that
several people had been killed and fifty
seriously injured. The first man in the
police department outside of the officers
on duty on the grounds who heard of
the accident was Captain Nose New.
ton of the Third Precinct, and as he
supposed-to say the least-that many
people have been seriously injured, his
first act was to pull fre-alarm box No. 36.
Meantime police headquartershad been mott
fed Of the accident and Chief Murphy sent
calls for ambulances to Christ, st Francis
and the City Hospitals, besides all the re-
serves available from the different police
precincts. all of which got On tie
grounds as quickly as possible. The chief
also betook himself to the village and rem
dered active service in common with his
men.
s.The necessity for patrol wagon SER
vice" said the chief last night, twas never
before so severely felt.
After the excitement of the crash had
somewhat subsidized, Nevada Ned climbed
up on his stage of gaudy Indian scenery
and very facetiously remarked:
ssAs you are all doubtless aware, ladies
and gentlemen, the proceeds of the enter
tainment this evening are to go to the
earthquake sufferers but, from the
experlerce we have had in the last
five minutes, I'm not sure that we
are not earthquake sufferers ourselves:
In view of this there will be no
more show Lere tonight" Then the lights
on the stage were extinguished and the
man of the plains and his cowboys from
the slums of this and other cities set them
selves to work clearing the enclosure of
people The Indians and genuine cowboys
meantime retired to their respective tents,
wrapped their blankets about their swarthy
frames and retired for the night.
The list of the injured, SO far as is
known, 10 given below:
Patrick Nolan, aged A, laborer, 81 Con-
gress street, injured about both feet.
Rudolph KeIlmer, 376 Palisade avenue,
right leg broken below the knee.
Elizabeth Schoppe, Weehawken, left
foot injured.
Annie Coyne, aged Is, 623 Summit ave-
nue., injured about the right leg.
Arthur McCune, 81 Beacon avenue, right
leg slightly hurt.
Minnie BoleD, aged IS, 277 Railroad
avenue, left leg broken just below the
knee