The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-05-02
NEARLY A CATASTROPHE.
Many Women tainted In the Crush
mt the Worlds Fair Opening.

Many Women tainted In the Crush
q the Worlds Fair Opening.
CHICAGO, May 2.-No soone had the
opening ceremonies at the worlds fair
grounds commenced than the bad police
arrangements were shown in an unfor-
tunate name for many people. A
handful Of Columbian guards had been
detailed for duty to keep the inside Dor
der of the mass of humanity from en-
~croaching OF the press seats which were
arranged below the grand stand on
either side. Not even a rope was strung
along the line Of the grand stand to
keep Il passageway clear for the news
paper men and ambulance corps.
The. pushing and crowding at the
northeast end of the Administration
building soon became so severe that
many women tainted while others be-
came SO sick that they had to be lifted
bodily over the railing into the press
seats until the arrival of the Red Cross
corps with the wheel chairs.
Almost q Panic.
While the poem vas being read it
looked as though a panic with fatal
consequences ceuld not be averted. Fhe
guards were almost powerless. Women
tainted by weakness. and others were
getting in a fain:ing condition and had
to be lifted over the heads of the crowds
by guards and newspaper men into the
press seats and grand stand reserved
for distinguished guests. City police
mingled with the guards and en-
deavored to quiet the excited. swaying
mass within bounds of personal safety.
The crowd in attendance was vari-
ously estimated at $50, 900 to It's, 600.
Before tie ceremonies We're half over
20 women and hall as many men had
been removed unconscious to the hos
pital. where a corps OF physicians were
in waiting. Most Of the helpless ones
had simply ~faintel, but a number were
suffering from Internal injuries re
ceived in the jam. and it was feared
tina a fatal te~r.liaa5ion might ensue.
President Higinbotham's Appeal.
President Higfnbotham realized the
gravity of the situation and while the
orchestra 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
thousands. He cried out at the top Of
his voice For Gods sake keep COOL"
but his words were not heard far. His
appeal had a Statutory effect, however,
as the centre and real portions of the
wedged in mass refrained from pushing
towards the frail barriers. Yet the
hospital chairs continued to be forced
through the almost blocked passage to
carry out sick women and children.
Others drawer and stronger, fought
against the physical strain and were
able to hold their ground with the aid
of liberal doses of brandy supplied by
the Red Cross corps. For several
minutes it looked as though
A Terrible Catastrophe.
could not be averted. The multitude
continued to sway to and fro, and the
air 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 il not thou
ES8E H.
sands. and the warning yells of the oc-
cupants of the grand stand. With the
view OF facilitating the disposal Of the
throng President H~iginbotham es-
corted Mr.. Cleveland and the ducal
party from the platform with all posi-
BILE haste, but this did not suit the
temper Of the spectators and they yelled
Come back, we want to see more Of
the president" Finally by breaking
into the throng from = half dozen
points the Columbian guards succeeded
in turning into half as many channels,
but not before a section Of the platform
occupied a few moments before by the
president and his party, had been turned
into q harbor Of refuge for no less than
81 sick Of unconscious women and