Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-12-12
4 pANIo ~ ~ opnnA HoUsE.

The Audience Rushed Down "a Mars
row stairway, auG a. Great Crowd
From the street Crashed Them
| Gsssck-Over EIgsy injured, SOIie of
Whom wiz Probably DIe = rhe
| Cause Of tho rcr-lbic panIc.
Associated Press Dispatch by Special Wires.
JoHNsTowE, Pa, Deo. Il.-Ae the per-
| formancs OF tue Uncle Toms Cabin"
troupe was drawing to an end in the
Main Street Opera House last night, the
FIRE bell was run2, causing frantic
scramble fos the exit.
There were 500 or GOO men, women
and children in the hall, aud to gain the
street it was necessary to pass down O
narrow, wslled.up staircase and through
very narrow dooE. The peope from
the streets rushed into the door from the
outside and many were crushed before
they could be forced out.
TWELVE pEnsoNs KILLED.
| II was necessary TO turn the hose on
| the crowd at the door before the rescuers
could get OF the dead and wounded.
| When the crowd was driven away the
| following persons were found dead upon
the stairs; Miss CLARA Burns, Mrs.
hester, George Horner, Charles Fiant,
John Carr, Mra. Lister, John Miller, A.
Weiss, John Wymap, Richard Worthing-
ton, Isaac Tolsr, and ON unknown
| woman.
NINE SERIOUSLY INJURED.
Tne seriously injured are: Charles
Vaughn, John Weiner, CLARA Engbert,
Lewis BundY, John Devine, Albert
Clemens, Mrs. Llster, Mrs. Worthington
and Mrs, Plat. Some OF them will die
of their injuries. Besides these there are
so or more slightly hurt.
AN APPALLING PANIC.
The members of the opera house tried
ia vain to quiet the crowd aud check the
panic, but the crush only became worse.
One man leaped from third story win
dow and was probably fatally hurt. The
police came and tried to restore order
and break the jam and there was @
rumor unconfrmed last night that sew
eral persons were dubbed to death.
The entire town turned out to watch
the work of recovering the dead and
reasoning the injured. The panic was of
comparatively short duration, but appsl-
ling while it lasted.
The alarm OF fire was caused by q
burning stable in Kernville. The alarm
was sounded about 10 80 O'Clock, and
though the fire was over mile away, it
was Impossible to hold the audience who
crowded the theatre.
FEARS OF FIRE.
Since the food the town has been
largely built up of frame and the oiti-
zsps havs baen in constant tremor lest
fire should sweep away the rude homes
and business houses left in the stricken
city. When, therefore. an alarm came
tonight the people arose with wild
scream and made frantic rush for the
single door
THE FATAL CRUSH FROM TIE OUTSIDE.
The crowd outside seemed to think the
FIRE was in the Opera House and made q
rush to gat in. This resulted in col
ltsion and the Jam which no human being
could stag. Little children ald weak
women were trsmped under foot by
desperate men who struggled TO save
themselves alone. The fire department,
which FOR months past has been stationed
on the street corners, came to the scene
from NIL directions and found it necessary
to turn the hose upon the shrieking,
struggling mass of human beings to clear
the blocked passageway.
WHERE THE FLOOD VICTIMS LAID.
The dead were borne TO Henderson's
morgue, where, since the flood, over 900
unknown victims of that awful disaster
have been taken and prepared for burial.
Here all were promptly identified. The
coroner vas hunted up four miles away,
and, upon viewing the remains, rendered
the decision that deceased had come to
their deaths by being crushed at Parks
Opera House, and the bodies were turned
over to relatives.
THE BUILDING A DEATH TRAP.
The theatres of tine town had been d.
stroyed by the food of last May and
since then theatrical performances have
been given in dilapidated building that
had been condemned long ago as unsafe.
The shows have chiefly been burlesque
and farce comedies and the houses have
been usually packed to the utmost. There
was only one exit and it has frequently
been said that disaster was certain to re.
suit if the practice was continued.
|