St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-06
CUT BY BARBED WIRE.
PEOPLE LACERATED IN ES.
GAPING FROM A FIRE.
Portion of the Stands on the Chi
cago Ball Grounds Destroyed
Many Injured.

CHICAGO, A ug. 5.-The discovery of
fire in the West side ball park today
created quite panic, in which several
of the spectators met with serious i'll.
jury and large number of others were
slightly cut and bruised in endeavoring
to make their exit. Those most seri-
ously injured are:
E. W. Bartlett. forty-eight years. leg
fractured.
Ed Ahern. of Fire Insurance Pat rol
No. 4, severely burned about the hands
and face.
Following are those treated at the
county hospital, whose Injuries consist
ed of lacerated hands and fingers from
scaling the barbed wire:
George j. Kemper, Dewitt Smith, j.
B. Martin, M. Lawrence, Simon Arm
strong, Henry Parker. NJ. Rawley,
George Smith.
The Chicago and Cincinnati Base Ball
clubs were battling with each other.and
crowd of not less than 10000 crowded
into the grounds at Polk and Lincoln
streets to witness the game. Every
available seat in the grand stand and
bleachers was occupied. and large
crowd of men and boys contented them
selves at not finding seats iii taking up
their positions OH the ball field. The
game had advanced to the seventh in
ming, with the Chicagos leading the Red
Stockings by seven runs, when suddenly
A Cry OF Fire
was heard from the bleachers, and a
nf
through the seats from below. The cry
Of fire was taken up OH all sides. and in
a very short time terrible panic en-
fued. The four exits leading from the
grounds were jammed with anxious
men and boys, and also sprinkling of
women. The exits were not large
enough to permit the throng to go
through, and hundreds of men sought:
places of safety by jumping over the
barDed wire fence and into the bail
ground. The four rows of barbed wire
which encircle the stands proved very
disastrous to the people who attempted
to make their way through them to the
grounds. A jam of men and bows
crowded to the barb wire fence. but
they were not able to get through
owing TO the cloSeneSS of the wires.
The first reaching the fence scaled it
successfully, but those that followed. in
their anxiety to get to safe quarters,
tried to crawl through. and in nearly
every instance became wedged between
the wires, their clothing was torn in
shreds and hands and legs were lacer-
ated by the sharp barbS. When the
fire department arrived the entire so
cent stands on Lincoln street and also
portion Of the grand stand were mass
of flames. The fire spread with light
ning-like rapidity, and the small force
Of fremen which responded to the first
alarm were unable to cope with the
raging flames. Fire Marshal Swenie,
seeing that the entire buildings in the
ball park were threatened, sent Pill
alarm, and with the reinforcement of
engines the fire was
Kept From Spreading
to the grand stand proper. The heat
from the flames was so intense that the
fremen were unable to get within
twenty yards of 1t. The sidewalks on
both sides of Lincoln street and also the
cedar paving blocks in the street were
burned. Edward Ahrens. a fireman
connected with Insurance Patrol No. 6.
endeavored to reach the ball ground by
going through that portion of the stand
which was in flames. He only went
short distance, when his clothing caught
fire. He was compelled to return into
Lincoln street, where his comrades eX-
tinguished the fire in his clothes. He
was badly burned about the head and
hands. During the stampede, E. w.
Bartlett. of No. Center avenue, be-
came wedged in the barbed wire fence.
severely cut his hands and legs, and
several others who followed fell on top
of him, smothering hlm into uncon-
sciousness. He was rescued from
his perllous situation by police
officers. He was removed to the county
hospital, where it was found that his
left left was broken below the knee.
He was also badly bruised about the
body aud limbs. The close proximity
OF the county aud Presbyterian hospl-
tails stood the injured in good stead
For an hour after the first alarm the
physicians of both hospitals were kept
busy attending to the Injured. Twenty or
more went to the county hospital to have
wounds dressed, received by climbing
through the barb-wire fence. None of
the men save Ahern and Bartlett were
kept at the hospital, the others being
turned away as fast as their injuries
were attended to. After an hours hard
work the blaze was got under control.
The damage was about $4,000, covered
by insurance. The cause OF the fire is
thought to be due to a lighted cigarette
or cigar being thrown among the shay
ings and other combustible material
uudpr the standa