Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-01-08
CATASTROPHE IN CANADA
Terrible Accident in the City Hall,
London, Ontario.
The ROTTEN FLOOR GAVE WAY.
Crowd OF JubiIant Voters Had Met 20
date For Mayor-rhere was n Crack
liag and the Platform Feli--A score and
Half Killed and Many injured.

LoSDoS, Ontario (Special).-At least
thirty persons. and perhaps more. were
killed IN an accident Monday night which
folio red one Of the hottest and most stub
bOrniy contested municipal elections ever
known in Canada.
At the close % the polls the crowd. as IL
usual. gathered In the City Hall. where IL
has been the custom for years for the sue
cossful candidates 10 address the electors.
The meeting was about 20 end when the
foor I'm the northeast corner OF the hall
gave way. and the persons In that section
were precipitated 20 the doCr below.
An alarm II IRE was sounded and the hri-
gsde soon reported and began tho work %
removing the debris and taking from the
ruins the bodies Of she dead and injured.
Az midnight twenty bodies had been
taken from tho wrecked building and iden-
titled. How many were injured will never
be- known. as those who suffered but slight
ly az once made for their own homes OF
were taken care oi by their friends.
Those who were more seriously Injured
were carried 20 drug stores. from which
they We're taken 20 the hospital or 90 their
homes after their injuries had been attend
&c 10. The dead were taken 20 the com
mttteo rooms % Alderman Paruen. the de-
featod candidate for Mayor. across the
street.
The building was crowded 20 the doors.
probably two thousand persons belng
iammod In it, narrow space. There was a
iuil Ia the proceedings, tho audience called
for several 90 the newly elected Aldermen
az once. and there was some delay In secur-
ing speaker 20 address them
Alderman Carrothers Joined the Mayor In
an effort 10 secure quiet. In response 90
numerous calls r.. NJ. Toothe was pushed
forward 20 the platform On which the
speakers stood
A. hs rsarhui q tAo-. was an oms,ous
crackiing and the raised platform on which
the Mayor and newly elected Aldermen
were seated seemed 10 pitch forward 10
the hoor
There was a sagging OF timbers and tho
next moment $50 persons were hurled TWEEN
~ feet 20 the fcOr below. A beam running
twenty feet along the centre OF the hall
had given way, and the crowded mass
stem ling above that section OF tho door
We're thrown in a heap 10 the bottom
large safe stood In one corner OF the
hall, and huge steam coil, weighing half a
ton. came crushing down on the heads % ne
/ rush for the doors. AT the south door.
where the majority OF the crowd had en-.
tered, there was terrible panic.
Those In front were thrown down by the
( oncoming rush, shrieking and lighting for
the door and safety. Only one-haif OF the
rear door. a space probably three feet was
, open, and In the mad rush no one thought
/ 10 open the door In its entirety and five
/ hucdfoc persons struggled through the
narrow space. the strong bearing down the
] weaker.
The building was an old ono. having been
erected In the early ffties. and OF late years
additional stories had been placed on the
! walls
In the Grand Opera House. which Adioins
the wrecked building. the irst act OF ''Ths
Girl From Paris" had just been concluded
when word was whispered through tn,
theatre OF the calamity. panic was i'm
minent, but was avertsd by the actors anc
ushers, 0pd the people quietly left the build
1 ing.