Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1896-06-03
MAD RUSH FOR FOOD
HUNDREDS OF RUSSIANS TRAM
Piled TO DEATH.

At Popular Feast Near Moscow
There Was Stampede which the
Police Could Not Check-Tragic
Ending of the Coronation Fetes.
Moscow. June "A terrible panic,
resulting from the great crush of peo-
pie at the popular feast here today, in
honor of the coronation Of the czar,
caused the trampling to death of many
people. including woman delivered
Of a child during the excitement. It is
estimated that over / 100 persons per-
ished.
In anticipation of a grand holiday
and popular banquet on Hodynsky
plain, tens of thousands of people be-
gan trooping toward Petrovosky pal
ace, in front of which the plain is stu
ated, this morning. In fact, thousands
reached the grounds last evening and
camped there, or in the immediate
vicinity, in order to make sure Of OBJ
tanning good positions today. On the
plains long lines of rough tables, flank
ed by rougher benches, had been erect
ed. 1t was first arranged to accom-
modate 400, 900 people, but in view of
the immense crowds assembled in and.
about the city at the coronation fetes,
extra tables and benches were erected
and every effort made to provide meals
for 500. 900 people. To feed the null
titude an army of cooks and walters
were gathered together, the army bake
houses were taxed to the utmost and
500, 900 mugs, each bearing portraits
of the czar and czarina, were ordered
for presentation to the people taking
part in the banquet. Thousands of
cattle, trainloads of provisions and
shiploads of liquid refreshments were
sent to the plain, and this morning all
was in readiness for the gigantic event.
By dawn today the mass of peasants
about the tables was really enormous,
and all were desperately hungry, some
having tasted for nearly twenty four
hours. The police did everything pos
sible to keep back the crowd, but sud
denly the masses pressed forward and
swept everything before them. They
overturned benches and tables. trampl-
ing hundreds under foot and crushing
the life out of great number.
Among the dead found on the plain
were ladies evidently of high rank,
dressed in the finest silks and adorned
with jewels
The police barracks to which the
bodies of the dead were taken by the
authorities are besieged by persons
seeking news of friends and relatives.
The scene at the barracks is terrible
in the extreme. The remains of the
dead will be conveyed to the cemetery
where large morgue is located
The disaster, as now explained, was
due mainly to the absence of the po
lice, who had not arrived at so early
an hour. Fully 200, 900 persons of all
grades of society had gathered togethe,
on the plain at the time the disaster oc
Cured Only about 1000 attendants
were in charge. and they seemed un
able to control the mob. Hoping Il
lessen the pressure of the assembled
hundreds of thousands, all moving to
ward common center. they tossed th'
packages and presents into the midst o
the crowd. This seemingly precipitat
} ed the panic, since a scramble to Obtain
the gifts enused, and the hollow piec,
of ground near the center formed
death trap for thousands.
The buildings on all sides of tn
] plain, where Napoleon once concentrat
ed his troops after moving upon tn
city, are in many cases being used q
) temporary hospitals. and the soldier
J have been rendering great service i
} removing the dead.
E Further time must elapse before az
| curate figures as TO the number actuall
J killed and the number of persons VIII
] are victims of the disaster, but who ar
D only suffering from injuries, can b
, ascertained
. This may said to have put an end /
all coronation festivities, certainly 8
l far as the general public is concerned
t The disaster occurred between an
, 8 o'clock this morning. 1t was in
r tended the banquet should commend
Z before noon. but the immense thron
that gathered became so dense that th
attendants were overpowered an
thrown to the ground in the mad strut
: gle which commenced for food, an
Q many of the attendants are among I'll
v dead.
u E1.as. " a.r.a