The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-06-01

the khodlJuhkoJS pAhlh SSsteRuHg 20
constantly gaining in proportion as the
Investigations by the authorities con-
t,Due. These are made under difficult
tics. as the recovery Of the victims wns
conducted by hundreds Of volunteers,
and many were carried away before
they wer enumerated. Many additional
deaths OF the injured who were carried
arc occurring, which are only added to
the enumeration after some time.
1t is now said that the fatalities will
amount to between two and three thou
sand. but It is impossible yet TO ascer-
tain accurately the extent OF the disas-
Ter. An official statement issued thls
morning places the number Of dead re-
covered 1t !. 1885, and the seriously or
fatally injured at 2s6. But, IN con-
trast with this official statement, there
me i.2s2 eorpses lying this afternoon
al the cemetery, besides the many dead
ard dying that are known TO have been
removed from the ill-fated Held by
friends.
Last evening, after receiving deputa-
tlons, the car and czRrinn attended
and danced az the brilliant ball at the
French embassy. Preparations had
been made on q most elaborate scale
for this ball. and It Is asserted that SlO,-
900 was expended on the supper alone,
rare viands and delicious fruits and
vegetables being brought from the most
distant climes to add to the delights
Of the feast, while France furnished
the costlest and most elegant fabrics
and furniture to set or the beauties
of the palace where the embassy Is
lodged. The czarina was not Informed
Yesterday OF the disaster, owing to her
delicate condition. While the dance
within the French embassy continued
amid all the accompaniments OF luxury
and galety. dlsconsolate friends and
relatives wandered over the desolate
plain among the dead and the suffering
dying, looking, often In vain, for their
missing.
To-day a requiem mass was said In
a chapel of the Kremlin. at which the
czar and czRrlna and ull the members
OF the Imperial family attended.
City or Grief.
The city is filled to-day with grief
stricken crowds. It is a striking evil
dcnce Of the vast multltudes which took
part In yesterday's fetes that there were
large numbers who were totally una
ware OF the number Of lives among
them that had been crushed out, and
who proceeded with their merry-mak-
ing throughout the day without having
grasped the fearful proportions OF the
disaster. Even up TO late hour. at
night people refused to believe that
there could have been so many lives
lost.
the KhodiJnskoje plain,
for relatives and friends. The
work OF Identification is most difficult,
both on account OF the large number
OF victims and the trampled, torn and
mutilated condition OF many OF the
corpses, somc OF which are crushed
quite beyond the possibility OF recogni-
ton and almost beyond semblance to
humanity. Tho majority OF the Killed
were peasants from outlying villages,
though the clothing of some Indicated
that they were persons OF wealth and
distinction.
All day yesterday full force OF police
and firemer worked among the dead.
pulling bndies from the heaps Of Killed
and injured and ranging them on the
ground, which was covered Tor nun
dreds Of yards with groups OF ten ana
twenty begrimed, bloodstalned and dis
figured coFpSes, among which the agon-
Izing friends of the missing wandered
in a painful effort to identify them. The
injured who were mixed with the dead
suffered terribly from threatened fever
of their unattended injuries.
The work OF carrying the bodies 20
the cemetery where 1t IL Intended to IN
ter those who fail OF Identification, con-
tlnued all night and ti-day. This
morning the forces at work on the plain
discovered the mouth ot an unused wen
in the middle OF the field, the plank COW
edng Of which had given way IN the
mad rush OF yesterday morning. In the
In among them md held down by their
weight were found two men, alive and
comparatively uninjured physically.
But the terror and the hideous sur
roundlngs OF the night had proved too
great a strain on their minds and they
were ravlng manincs.
There arc countless Incidents OF spec
ial pathos. one case being that OF par
~ Of dfty-nve humble peasants who
had come together for the merrymaking
at the cars feast. or this party titty-
three were killed. in the crowd.
How Il Happened.
Various versions as 10 the cause OF
the stampede are current. but the ac-
count to which the most credence Is at
tached ls to the effect that the wagon
laden with the 100000 souvenirs which
were to be distributed among the people
was proceeding 10 the KhodlJnslsojc
plain, followed by multitude Of eager
attendants, with view OF pleasing the
people, threw a number OF the souven--
irs among the crowd. There Was n Wild
scramble towards the point where they
fell and the news spread Ike Wild IRE up
aud down the throngs Of eEpeetant
pclSnnts that the distribution had com
msRced. This resulted IN q hend-lnnB
pcl nell rush for the booths. where the
dis,rlbatinn OF souvenirs waA tn have
h,en mndc later. The ARA ugamenis
which Il yas Intended 10 make 20 Keep
Che crowds In order during thA diftrlbu-
lion. had not been completed ~ that
taTiy hour aud the force on hand Wss
r7Esrlsfs 10 stem the tide OF the crush
UF humanity.
What added greatly 10 the gravity ot
m diEaFter. was ihe circumstance that
thesa booths WerF surrounded by
ditchs4. The foremost PVrsoHS W the
snc1minC crowd fell prosiratc IN thefe
d,tcheI and The people following Ipeedl-
~ t,anplsd than 10 death. Others
stuF hlsd over their bAdlsS and n1et me
eanie tate And 50 tre horNer eltN
The ptCsSute lWaS 50 srrAf o. The SIDES
~ The b65thg fNm the StrvgBlft Of NE
n1Asa or mad Ramauity that they gave