, 1889-12-12
Another Shocking Disaster
at Johnstown.
A MAD PANIC IN A THEATER
At Least Twelve People Were
Instantly Killed,
AND HALF A HUNDRED WERE INJURED
A Cry of Fire Caused the Mad
Stampede Down Marrow
Stairway.

JoHYsTowN, Dec. 10.--Again has this
i'll fated town been visited by disaster.
This time instead of water II was the
cry of fire in a theator that sent nearly
score of lives to eternity, and manned
fully seveniy-iive other persons, several
OF whom, it is feared, are fatally injured.
Parke's opera-house, where the:catas-
trophe occurred, Is three. story build
ing on Main street. The building has
for long time been considered unsafe.
There were about six hundred persons,
principally women and children, in the
house tonight to witness an "Uncle
Toms Cabin" show.
About 1890 there was an alarm of fire
sounded by the fireman stationed on the
corner near the opera house, caused by
the discovery of fire in Kernville. The
alarm being sounded close, greatly ex-
cited the audience, and they imme-
diateiy rushed for the street. They were
met at tho entrance by crowd from
the on tside. who thought the fire was IN
the opcra-house. The two crowds COM
ing together on one close stairway. not
over SIX feet wide, the frantic efforts of
those In the rearof the outgoing crowd
caused q terrible jam, which was made
still worse by persons jumping from
the galleries OH to the heads Of those
on the stairs. The firemen had to be
their hose on those on the outside to ease
the jam, and when the injured could be
gotten at, the stairway was found to be
piled almost to the level of the upper
fioor with dead and injured.
The following We're taken out dead:
LIzztE CLAyBAUGH,
ISAAC FoLER,
A. FLEIsHNER,
john MILLER,
JOHN CARL,
GEORGE SToNAKER,
CHARLES FRIANT,
GEORGE HoRNER,
Mrs. n ESTER,
Miss CLARA BURNS.
II. BIGLER,
And two unknown women. thirteen
In ALL
The following persons were seriously
injured:
RICHARD WoRTHINeroN,
Mrs. PLATT,
Mrs. LESTER,
ALBERT OWENS,
JOHN winner,
CHARLES VAUGHN.
The number OF others who were pain
fully injured will probably reach seven
ty. five.
Coroner Evans was summoned and
Immediately impannelled jury of six
men who rendered verdict IN accord
with the facts To make the sad duties of
mnistering to the dead and injured
more arduous, a heavy rain set in shortly
after the accident, and has continued
since. The excite ment is SO great that
II Is almost impossible TO gather clear
history of the accident, as every person
has his own view of the matter.
When the jam occurred, large num-
ber of persons, thinking the fire was in
the opera'house, tried to get into the
theater, making another jam, and it was
necessary for the hremen to turn tho
hose on the crowd to get them away
from the door. The screams were terri
BILE, and it was shocking to see
small children knocked down bybig men
and trampled upon. This theatre has al
ways been noted as a death trap, and
was condemned twelve years ago but
the other one was washed away In the
flood, and this one has been in use
since.
The manager tried to quiet the crowd,
but II was useless. One man jumped
from the thirrl-story window. and was
seriously hurt.
Women and men alike were mad, and
there was fighting on the main street,
while those inside were being killed.
II was over two hours al fter the jam be-
fore the hall was fully cleared and the
injured and dead rem owed. The ex-
citement here is so intense that IL Is al
most impossible 10 get at the particulars
Of the matter.