New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-06
HEMMEDINBY FIRE AND WIRE
PANIC SEXES THE CROWD AT A BALL
GAME.
FLAMES DESTROY THE GRANDSTAND ON THE
CHICAGO GROUNDs-A THOUSAND SPEC
TAroRs RUSH INTO DANGER AND
SCORES OF THEM INJURED
SCORES OF THEM INJURED.


Chicago Aug Slime was called in the sew
enth inning Of the Chicago-Cincinnat ball game
this afternoon at the West Side Park by the
cry of fire followed by scenes never before wit
messed at a sporting meeting in this city. Curl
osity TO see the fire led more than a thousand
spectators to rush into danger. and In their
frantic efforts to extricate themselves from their
perilous positions they became panc-stricken
They found themselves hemmed in by fire on
one side and high barbed-wire fences on the
other erected to keep the people from encroach-
ing on the diamond The exits were few and
small, and. although other means OF escape were
provided by the quick action Of Ryan ana Will
mot Of the loca' team. and President Hart the
imperiled and fear-crazed crowd bucked against
the barbed fencing. Their mad rush to get away
from the advancing flames resulted In the injury
OF scores Cuts, bruises. contusons, broken
arm and broken leg were the injuries sustained
Many Of the victims, although badly hurt LETT
the grounds before the police or others could
get their names.
The property OF the club was damaged *oooV
before the fire department extinguished the
flames cigar stub thrown among rubbish
started the fire.
Anson was showing the visitors how 70 nit the
ball in the seventh inning when a red light began
TO ua5n ana rise 2lplB III" Hsuc HAfi'iH' "'N'~ 49,
5O-ccnt spectators sit There were 800 OF them
I'm the seats and 1000 witnessing the game alto
gethcr The breaking ont Of the fire caused
general rush Of the people IN that part or the
grounds 10 the top Of the stand to take look
as there was no longer any game in progress
In a few minutes they realized the danger or
their position and broke for the narrow exits
which had already filled with smoke. The spec
tators who were In the grandstand and on the
"b,eachers' were at a safe distance from the
fire and got away into the field without any
mishap From that position they witnessed the
destruction Of the stand and the serious phght
nf the ther less fortunate spectators. The wood
work II the stand ard the piles Of paper and
III" flames whch gained on the imprisoned
men and women before they knew it. All was
confusion In an instant among the occupants
If the flaming wooden structure. Women
screamed in their fright and men got Jammed
against The sharp fence. The exits might as
well not have been there. Hands, faces. limbs
and clothing were cut and torn by the scram-
bling mass ~ humanity in trying to force pas
sage through the wire strands or over them Inc
fence would not give way. but Ryan and Wilmot
made a gap I'm Il by using their bats Ike black
smiths Hundreds escaped that way Mr. hart
h1i the ferce behind the stand demolished ntty
feet in width but the crowd was beyond the
stage - reason observation.
Five minutes after the last spectator mad got
ont - roach = the flames every seat was oelnR
consumed The grounds will he used tomorrow
hy fencing Of the burned portion.