The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-05-04
CRUSHED in THE CROWD
"a PANIC AT THE
ssSs WORLDS FAIR. .g
Many Women and Children Are
Overcome During the Pro-
ceedings Attending the
Opening of the Ex-
9s s hibitiOn 81" 2
.A Few People Present,

Chcago, May mo sooner had the
opening ceremonies at the fair yesterday
commenced than the bad police arrange
ments We're shown in an unfortunate
manner Tor 1asSny people. A handful of
Column bia1l' guards had been detailed for
duty to- keep the inside border of the
mass OF humanity from encroaching on
the, press seats whirh were arranged be
low the grand. stand GU either side. Not
|. even a rope was, strung :slong the line. Of
|, the. grand stttndi to- Keep Il passageway
j clear f0r the newspaper men and ann
bulance CORPSE. The,pushing and crowding
att the northeast end of the administration
building SOON became SO severe that many
women fainted. while. others became SO
sick that they mad to- be lifted bodily
over the railing into; the press seats until
the arrival of, the Red Cross corps with
the wheel chairs.
While the poem was being. read 1t
looked us though a. panic with fatal
consequences could. uoti be averted. The
| guards We're almost pewerless. Women
| tainted: by weakness. and others were
| getting in a fainting condition and had
| to be lifted over the heads of the crowd
| by guards and newspaper men into the
| press seats and grand stand reserved for
| SuCSlS. OltS pOlASC AhiAhe'SN
with the guards and endeayored to quiet
the excited, swaying. mass within bounds
of personal: safety The crowd in attend
| ance was variously. estimated at 10000
to 175,OOO. Before the ceremonies were
half over twenty women and half as
many men had been removed unconscious
to the hospital. Here a corps of physl-
! clans were in waiting. Most of the help
less ones had simply tainted, but a num-
Der were suffering from internal injuries
received in the jam, and it was feared
that a fatal termination might ensue.
| President Higinbotham realized the
gravity of the situation, and while the Or
chestra was playing he arose from his
seat advanced to the edge OF the plat
form and raised his hands above his head
in a mute appeal to the assembled thou
sands. He cried out at the top OF ms
voice. For Gods sake keep cool" but
| his words were not heard far. his ap-
peal had a statutory effect. however, as
the center and rear portions or the
wedged in mass refrailied from pushing
towards the frail barriers. Yet the nos
pital chairs continued to be forced through
the almost blocked passage to carry ou'
sick women and children. -,
Others drawer and stronger 1ougn'
against the physical strain and were aple
I'd hold their ground with the AID OF np-
eral doses of brandy supplied by the heu
Cross corps. For several minutes II
looked as though a terrible catastrophe
could not be ayerted. The multitude con-
tinued to sway to and fro, and tie an
was filled with the shrieks of the women
The hoarse shouts of the men, the cries
| of little children. of whom there were
MANY hundreds if not thousands, ano
the warning yells of the occupa hts OF
the grand stand With the view Of
facilitating the disposal Of the throne
President Higinbotham escorted MI
: Cleveland and the ducal party from the
! platform with all possible haste. but thu:
| did not suit the temper of the spectators
and they yelled Come back. we win
to see more of the president Finally
by breaking into the throng from a hal
dozen points the Columbian guards sue
ceeded in turning into half as man!
channels, but not before a section OF tn
platform occupied few moments befor'
by the president and his party had peer
] turned into Il harbor of refuge for NJ
less than twenty-siX sick or unconsclou
l women and children. Fortunately, how
: ever. no one was seriously hurt. "
course it was big crowd to handle, TO
, Director of Works Burnham declared tina
/ 100000 people had passed the turnstlle
. since daylight. a number tar IN eXceS
Of the most sanguine expectations :!
take care of such multitude WIN ON:
S one accident which could be called SER
n ous--for all the other casualties OF tn
day were trivial-wls therefore a matte
| for qualification amongst the officers O
= | the exposition.