Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-05-21
A NARROW ESCAPE
From a very Serious Accident at she
woman's Congress-several Severely
Hurt


great Congress OF Women. A section
Of flooring 20 by 30 feet in extent form
| ing an entrance to Washing Hall In the
Art Institute suddenly gave way and
| fell to the ground distance OF - feet
Seventy-fve panic stricten women fell
In mass of struggling humanity and
the cries OF thousands Of women already
assembled contributed 10 the excite
ment that followed.
Cries Of pain and terror arose from
the collapsed section OF the building,
came the most exaggerated reports OF
many persons killed or injured. After
scores Of people rushed 10 the rescue
and nearly four score OF women had
been extricated, 1t was found that eight
persons had been seriously injured, bat
none OF them fatally.
The most seriously injured are: Mrs.
Ada Jack, 42nd and Michigan Ave,
Chicago, left leg dislocated; Mrs. a. G.
Briggs, Aagyle Park, Illinois, ankle
sprained: Mrs. c. Greelock, Michigan
avenue, Chicago, side and thigh injured;
Miss Minerva Greelock, Michigan ave
| nue., Chicago, bruised; Mrs. Emil Pat
terson, SIT Forty-third street, Chicago,
bruised; Mrs. Geo. A bennett, Rock
ford, Illinois, ankle strained; Mr.. w.
Townsend, Grand Rapids, Michigan,
back hurt; Mrs. A. G. Northrup. Auburn
Park, Illinois, ankle hurt; Mrs. j. K.
Long, SO Vincennes avenue, Chicago,
left leg bruised.
or the injured, Mrs. Jack suffered
the greatest pain. When the floor gave
way she was in the centre OF crowd
and fell under the struggling throng.
Her left leg was doubled under, and
when the rescuers pulled her out the
member hung limp and useless.
Mrs. Briggs, OF Argyle Park, was
suffering from an injury OF the same
kind. though not so serious.
Luckily the majority of the women
composing thd six dozen who fell were
strong, young or middle aged. and were
soon able TO take care OF themselves.
They quickly scattered through the
building, unwilling toi alarm friends at
home by appearing in the list OF In
| jured. These named above were re-
moved Ia carriages.
| Washington hall, In which the floor
gave way, had offered an attractive
programme for the morning and the
throng OF women were anxious TO Sc
cure seats. The session was TO be pre-
sided over by Mrs. Ward Dix, and the
ethics Of dress was TO be the subject OF
an address by Alice TImmons Toomey,
| Of CALIFORNIA, with discussions by Mar
garet Windeyer, representative
| OF the WOmanhood Suffrage League OF
New South Wales; Antoinette Brown
Blackwell Of New Jersey, Julia Ward
Howe, President OF the Woman's Con-
serence and the Advancement OF
Women: Laura Ormiston, representa-
| tive OF the Central National Society ioT
Woman Suffrage. the British section OF
the orld's w. c. 7. U. and OF the
Woman's Anti-Option Urgency Commit
| tee.
The cause OF the accident. appar-
emily, was the fact that weakened by
the continual passing of thousands, the
supports OF the floor failed. Warning
OF the accident was given by slight
creaking. There was no crash. Slowly
| the platform sank until its timbers were
mingled with shrieking women on the
solid foundation - feet lower.
II. II. Carpenter, superintendent OF
the building, Secretary Young, police
men and the available force OF ushers
and workmen were soon at work rescu-
ing victims from their painful positions.
Ladders were lowered, and with the
aid Of ropes the women were extricated.
For half an hour after the accident the
Art Institute was an emergency hospi-
tai. When confidence was restored,
however, and the hall continued TO I'll
with women interested In the proceed
ings. The main entrance was, OF
course, useless, and heavy cloth hung
across the stairway leading to IL pro-
claimed that fact. An usher directed
the course OF visitors to the gallery's
stairs, and they found their way to the
main floor by the inside stairway. No
abatement OF the crowd was noticeable.
Immediate steps were taken to have
all the floors and supports examined,
and no repetition OF the dlsa ster is
feared by the officials OF the Congress.
Notwithstanding the accident, the
programme, not only In the hall near
which the floor gave way, but through
out the many other sections OF the Con-
gress were carried out as arrang-
ed, the discussions ranging from
dress to sociology. Perhaps
the most interesting speaker was
Mrs. Ormiston Chant, OF England.
Her address was an appeal for sense In
dress. She told Of fashionable colors
which caused death 10 those who man
ufactured them. ''Do not wear black,
she said, "and particularly, mothers,
do not cast q gloom over your children
by black garb. Color exercises vast
influence over people, animals too"
She claimed that immortality Of the
shop girls and seamstresses was partl J
caused by the women who wanted 10
buy a dozen things at bargain instead
of paying righteous price for one
thing.
When finally the last section Of the
great congress had adjourned sine die,
expressions Of opinion were sought re-
garding the phenomenal gath ering.
Mrs. Ellen Henrotin was among those
questioned.
She said, with laugh: what would
you expect the Vice President Of this
affair to say but that IL has been great
success. Ii is the greatest movement
women ever made toward Capitalization.
Il has been sort Of clearing house OF
associations.
Huntington News Noses-
spseoI 7el.Oran 70 me RegisterA