Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-10-19
Woe IN CINCINNATI.
Terrible Disaster Occurs in Robin
sons Opera House.
THE CEILING SUDDENLY FALLS IN.
Many Spectators of the Play Arc
Crushcd beneath the Debris
Three Killed md Thirty.
Five or Forty Hurt.

\
Three Killed md Thirty.
Five or Forty Hurt.
Cincinnati, Oct. 16.-"The Dangers of
Great City" on the stage of Robinson's
opera house Friday night was cut short
in its performance by tragic realiza
ton OF the actual dangers of a great
city. The house was fairly well filled
but not crowded. A little before $3.50
o'clock lady in the audience says she
heard noise which continued for five
minutes before the catastrophe. She
gave it little attention, thinking it was
. part Of the performance. Presently
the plastering began to fall, in small
particles at first, but enough to alarm
some of the timid or cautious, who re-
tired. A little later the plastering be-
gan to shower down in great chunks.
It came from the ceiling above, which
supported the dome. There was rush
from the gallery, which was not very
well filed. The balcony was soon
emptied. Those In the dress circle re-
fired as promptly as possible, and,
strange to say, without an apparent
panic. The crowding of these to the
door obstructed the passage of people
from the parquet, which accounts in
measure for the number of casual
ties. Nobody expected at that moment
any other danger than from the fall
ing plastering.
Suddenly and with great crash the
great central truss of the ceiling, 80
feet long and 80 feet wide, came plung-
ing down. The ends of it struck on the
two gallery wings and doubled it up in
the center, sending 1t down into the
parquet with great Settlement of
joists and timbers. Nothing on the
stage was harmed. OF course there
were means from the injured, and, as
often happens, loudest from those least
hurt. The news spread rapidly. There
was rush of patrol wagons and of fire.
men to the scene. The salvage corps
with it's wagon was first on the ground,
and it was followed by all the police
patrol wagons, carrying the injured to
the Cincinnati hospital.
The list at the hospital showed three
dead, five dangerously if not fatally
wounded and rs more or less seriously
injured. In addition to these large
number, probably IS or 80, were so
slightly injured as to be able to walk
home. OF the dangerously injured at
the hospital several will require ampu-
tation, yet everyone is refusing to sub
NIT to the operation. The list of dead
md }niureA Ia as fo1loyys.
The Victims.
DEAD-Miss Lucy Cohen. Mrs. George
Kleeman. and an unknown.
DANGEROUSLY INJURED-Mr. Gold.
man, Mrs. studder Mary studder Mary
Haas. an unknown woman.
OTHERS HURT-Pearl Hall. Grace Con.
ner, GU. Weiss, Jacob Weyle, John White.
Amelia Weyle. Mary Howe. Ella Norman.
Della Algeir and her three children, Stan.
3. Long, 9. J. Fairland. T. d, Wiley, Fred
Jenks, William Moten, w. ]. McCabe,
Clint Deal. Kate White. Maggie studder,
Amelia Weyle. Samuel Rosenbaum, Clini
Steele.
Cause of the Disaster.
The cause Of the accident seems to
be easily discovered. Among the first
who entered the building after the dome
had fallen was President George w.
Rapp, Of the Cincinnati chapter, Ameri.
can Institute Of Architects. "It was not
that dome," said he, pointing to the
huge heap In the center of the floor,
shat caused the trouble. The fault lies
with the roof trusses. The house has
been built more than rs years and the
wood has shrunk until the bolts and
nails afforded the smallest possible Sc.
curity. One Of these trusses had rotted
away from its fastenings; 1t has parted
and thrown the two sections down and
they, in their descent, pulled the dome
with them. These wood trusses are of
pine and they shrink very perceptibly
in the course Of years. They should be
examined every five or six years. Mod
ern structures are put up with steel
trusses. The roof Of this theater is liza.
BILE to come down at any minute"
The building inspector, Tooker, also
made an examination Of the trusses
BE conceded with Mr.. Rapp that the
fault was with them. He said: "You
See that the wood has shrunk and just
let loose in the center and pulled the
dome with it. The comparatively slow
descent, caused by slow breaking
away from its fastenings, accounts for
the few immediate deaths. 1t gave
those beneath chance to get out" In
spector Tooker said that to-day the
broken trusses would be removed and
the roof would be made secure. As 1t
Is now there is danger at any time. A
singular coincidence is that the play
announced for next week was entitled
"Under the Dome"
Wants Charters Revoked.
Jefferson City, Mo-, Oct. 16.-Attor.
uey-General Crow has instituted pro.
ceedings against II foreign insurance
pan{os do;po h,o;,a., I, Ga ra