Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-04
Galleries and Floor Of a Crowded
Hall Collapse.
AT LEAST THIRTY PEOPLE KILLrr,
TERRIBLE RUSH FoR SAFETY.
Many Hurt I'm Mad Struggle for the
Main Doorway Panic barely
Averted I'm Theatre which Ad.
Joins the Wrecked Building.

LONDON, ONT, January s.--Durinx q
political meeting In the City Hall to-
night the galleries and floor collapsed.
burying over 100 OF the audience In the
ruins. At midnight twenty bodies had
been taken from the wrecked building.
and more were in the debris.
How many are injured will never be
known, as those who suffered slightly
went to their homes, or were taken care
more seriously injured were carried to
neighboring drugstores. whence they
were taken TO the hospital or to their
homes.
The dead were taken across the street
TO the committee-rooms of Alderman
Parnell. the defeated candidate for Mayor
AT the close Of the polls crowd gath
cred in the City Hail. where II has been
the custom for years past for the select
ed candidates to address the electors
The building was crowded TO the very
doors. probably 1000 people being jammed
in its narrow space. There was a luiI
in the proceedings, the audience called
for several OF the newly-eIected alder
men at once, and there was some delay
in securing n speaker 10 address them.
Alderman Carrothers Joined the Mayor
i'm an effort TO secure quiet. In response
to numerous calls, r.. NJ Tvothe was
pushed forward to the platform on which
the speakers stood. AS he reached &C
there was an ominous cracking. and tho
raised platform on which the Mayor and
newlySelected aldermen were seated seem-
ed to pitch forward TO the floor. There
was a sagging of timbers, and the next
moment $50 people were hurled " feet ia
the floor below.
A large safe stood in one corner OF the
hall, and huge steam-coil. weighing
half a ton, came crashing down on the
heads Of the victims.
TERRIBLE PANIC.
Following the crash there was a wild
rush for the doors. At the south door,
where the majority OF the crowd had en-
tered, there was a terrible panic Thosd
in front were thrown down by the on
coming rush. shrieking and fighting for
the door and safety. Only one-half OF
the rear door. space OF probably threo
feet. was open. and in the mad rush no
one thought to open the door in It's en-
tirety, and 500 people struggled through
the narrow space, the strong bearing
down the weaker.
Alderman Nell Cooper was among the
first to be dragged out OF the turmoil OF
broken beams and bowling humanity He
was quietly carried 10 an adjoining
room, and in a moment half a dozen
more were keeping him company.
Several men lowered ropes and en-
4. a . b. IaI - .
pile. From under the massed weight OF
the broken beams came many cries for
help. The windows on the ground floor
were broken in. and the living and dead
We're tenderly passed TO waiting ambu-
ldnces.
A glance at the wreck after the catas-
trophe disclosed the fnct that n whole
section OF the floor had dropped, the
joists having been as neatly cut on as
though the work had been done with q
saw. The building was an old one.
having been erected I'm the early fifties.
and of late years additional stories had
been placed on the old walls.
In the Grand Opera House. which adj
joins the wrecked building. the first act
OF "The Girl from Paris" had just been
concluded when word was whispered
through the theatre Of the calamity. A
panic vas imminent. but WAS averted by
the actors and ushers, and the peopia
quietly left the building.
DEATHS NUMBER THIRTY.
LONDON, ONT, January AT A. NJ.
the deaths resulting from the wreck OF
the City Hall number thirty. and II Is
said that the list is likely to be even
larger. many OF the injured being In a
serious condition.
owing TO the fact that many Of the in
jured were carried 10 their homes. IL IL
difficult TO gather their names.
TWENTY-FOUR KNOWN DEAD.
A. M.-Twenty-four known dead is thu
list at this hour.
Both of the city hospitals are full, ana
many Of the injured are at their own
homes.
Further search i'm the building has been
abandoned for the night.
CTr aTI, M xnREnIK