Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-07-28
HURT IN A PANIC.
Hundred People Injured in a Mad
Rush at a Paducah (ky.)
Suburb,

Paducah, Ky, July 24.-There is a sad
scene today about Ramona park, where
the Casino summer theater was burned
last night A performance was being
given to about 600 people when the fire
broke out from a fireworks display on the
stage. The audience was panic-stricken
and many were trampled almost to
death, while some were seriously burned.
Building Rooted with Tar Paper.
The building was covered with tar pa
per and was a mass of flames in a very
short time. The theater is about three
miles from the city and was patrOniZed
principally by women and children. Ed.
q. BOurne'S company has been playing in
the building all the season. THE Streets
of New York was being produced. The
third act is principally composed Of a fire
scene, and excelsior wrapped about wires
was used On the stage TO produce the
scenic effect. When the excelsior was ig-
nited lamp on the stage exploded and
the tar paper board roofing Oh the build
ing was instantly ignited.
The curtain was instantly raised, and
as soon as the crowd realized the build
ing was on fire a panic ensued and
rush for the front entrances was made.
Men and women went wild running over
each other Children were trampled
down as well as women by the score.
Mad Rush for the Exit.
The building, although about 300 feet
in length, was Il mass of flames in about
three minutes. Mothers and fathers, in
the wild scramble to save their lives,
were lost from their children. Many
children were rescued from the burning
building by heroic men, who themselves
were terribly burned about the face and
hands in accomplishing the undertaking.
Those not injured rushed panic-stricken
through the woods toward the city not
n tr1i Of
cars standing in waiting to take the
crowd home.
List of Those Seriously Burned.
The following is a partial list of those
more seriously burned:
ED. G. BOURNE AND WIFE.
G. c.. ROSE AND WIFE.
MRS. BRANTLEY.
MISS ORA CLARK.
FRED HUMMEL'S TWO CHILDREN.
A. G. EINSTEIN.
MISS GRIGSBY
FRED SCHROEDER.
HENRY KELLAR.
GEORGE c. WALLACE and his three chill
dren.
MRS LEHR AND CHILDREN.
MRS. GREGORY AND DAUGHTER of
YazoO, Miss; terribly burned about the face
HARRY GILBERT.
IKE RLEIDEL.
HAL WALTERS.
Miss Bleichat sustained painful inju-
ries by being trampled upon. as well as
scores of others who were taken to their
homes from the burning theater in hacks
and other cOnveyances.
1t is announced by the physicians to-
day that none of those burned or tram
pied upon are in a dangerous condition.
No limbs were broken and the bruises
are slight Owing to the audience con-
sisting mostly of women and children
there was much screaming and the re-
ports during the night and early this
morning were greatly exaggerated.
There is much relief today over the fact
that no lives were lost and that no one
was seriously injured.
y wire netting was stretched arOuid
the building which prevented a speedy
exit of the audience. and that awful loss
of life did not result borders upon the
mira culouS.
One man in his eagerness to escape
showed little child down under the feet
of the panic-stricken people. A man
who saw the act promptly knocked him
down