The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-09-12
THEIR LIVES CRUSHED OUT.
Failing Walls a Death Trap for Fire
Fighters.

Eleven men are dead, five seriously
and probably fatally injured and
number OF others injured slightly AZ
the result of the fire which destroyed
Yore's opera house early Sunday morn
ing at Benton Harbor, Mich. The loss
WAS total. The men lost their lives
under one wall, which fell into the
street upon them,
At 1890 oclocI: Sunday morning
YOre'g opera house WAS discovered to
he on fire. The tire had been burn-
ing for at least ten inmates before 1t
burst into visible flame, but mean
time q score OF people had seen the
the smoke or heard the fire alarm, and
were spreading the thrilling news that
the opera house block WAS on fire. The
alarm was first sounded from the city
hall, and was taken up by loco
motives and other whistles aud bells
about the city. The people began to
gather, and before the flames broke
out to any extent, while the sm okln3
block was still intact, crowd of nun
drcds that afterward swcllel TO 1000
or 5000, was surging about the yicln-
ity on all sides oI the burning struc-
tire.
The fire department promptly re-
sponded to the alarm. The st. Joseph
fire department soon after arrived with
their hose. cart, ladders and fire engine
and participated in the work Of fight
ing the flames, then Systematically I'M
der way. As soon as the flames broke
through the windows and walls and let
in the draft the burning block was
known to be doomed The falling
walls proved to be not on y death
trap for the fire fghter but danger
GUS to everyone who was trying to help
stay the flames or assist in saving
goods. The first to go down was the
top part OF the alley wall, which bur
led in it's crushing descent with tons
of debris fifteen men.
This terrible sight was witnessed by
hundreds of horror stricken specta-
tors, and many of them rushed in re-
CARELESS Of fire and smoke to help the
shrieking and struggling men, Just
before the wall fell the fremen were
trying to raise the ladders, and had
them placed against the building when
the wall tumbled, sweeping everything
before it. One could see portions of
human bodies through the fallen
bricks. Parties going in to save the
imprisoned men were overcome by the
heat. The first man who went III
simply spun around like top in the
intense heat and had to retreat. FL
nally one gray headed man persisted
in remaining in the ruins working for
the buried tiremen. Then others hur-
ried to the rescue. The injured and
dead were taken from the ruins as fast
rs possible, and at five o'clock the last
man had been removed.
Offices and houses were thrown open
and the injured men were curriei
there, to remain until they could be
removed to their homes. The dead
were removed to the city hall to be
identified. Many were the heartrend
ing scenes rs WINS, parents and child.
rem scanned the distorted and mutilatcl
remains of those lying on the floor.
The physicians were unable to care for
the injured, and the st. joseph doctors
responded promptly to the call.
After the rear wall fell, burying the
tiremen, the roof, with an awful crash,
gave way and went to the bottom, TAX
ing everything with it. Soon after the
front and west walls fell, slightly injnr
ing several persons. The east wall YVES
the next, and when it fell it demolished
the two-story building adjoining. By
5 o'clock the fire was under control.
The origin OF the fire is a mystery.
Guy Prescott, who worked about
the hall with another boy, clearing mp
things after the theatre closed, stated
that he knew how the fire started,
'but was not going to give anybody
away" He was arrested Sunday after
noon. The property loss caused by
the fire is in the neighborhood of
$4,000.
Both st. Joseph and Benton Harbo:
are draped in mourning The fuuer.
ais were held together Tuesday, and
Il