Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-09-20
TERRIBLE DISASTER.

ny StdDpeue III SnllOn c0lOreQ Bap
tlst Church, at Birmingham, Ala, las
night, 90 persons were killed and a
many more severely injured. The dis
aster occurred at 9 o'clock, just a
Booker T. Washington had concluded
an address to the national convention 0
colored Baptists, which was in session
there. For three hours The scenes arounC
the church were terrible. Dead bodie.
were strewn in every direction and the
ambulance service of the city was unable
to move them.
Shiloh Church is the largest house Of
worship for negroes in Birmingham.
The pastor says there were at least
1000 persons in the cdfce when the
stampede began. Instructions had been
issued 20 allow no one else to enter after
The building had been filled, but the
negroes forced their way inside the
church.
Booker Washington had just con-
cluded his address when John Bill0u, a
negro lawyer from Baltimore, engaged in
a dispute with the choir leader concern
ing an unoccupied seat. 1t is said a
blow was struck. Someone in the choir
cried: "Fight!" Mistaking the word
fight" for "fire," The congregation
rose en- masse and started for the door.
One Of The ministers quickly mounted
the rostrLm and admonished the people
to keep quiet. He repeated the word
"quiet' several times and motioned to
his hearers to be seated. The excited
congregation mistook the word "quiet'
for second alarm Of fire and again rush.
ed 10 the door. Men and women crawl
cd over benches and fought their way in
to the aisles. Those who had fallen
were trampled upon like cattle.
The ministers tried again TO stop the
stampede, but no power on earth could
stay the struggling, fighting mass of
humanity. The screams of the women
and children added TO the horrors of The
sceue Through mere fright many per-
sons tainted and as they fell to the floor
were crashed 20 death.
The level OF The floor of the church is
about Is feet from The ground, and long
step, led 70 the sidewalk from the lobby |
Just outside The main auditorium Brick |
walls extend on each side OF these steps
for six or seven feet, and this proved a
death trap.
Negroes who had reached the top of
tho steps were pushed violently forward,
and many fell. Before they could
move, others fell upon them. In few
persons were piled upon each
other 10 a height Of 10 feet, where they
ug9led vainly TO extricate themselves.
This well of struggling humanity
blocked the entrance and the weight of
| 800 persons in the body of the church
was pushed against it. More than 90
persons, lying on the steps underneath
he heap Of bodies, died from sufoca-
ion.
A squad of police was hastened to the
'hurch and, with the firemen "a fire
Harm baving been turned in in the
neantime) finally succeeded in relieving
he negroes from their pinioned posi-
ions in the entrance. The dead bodies
we're then moved and the crowd finding
N outlet poured out. Scores of them
till lost their footing in their haste and
oiled down the long steps to the
,avement, suffering broken limbs and
Internal injuries.
In an hour the chuch had been prac- !
ically cleared. The sight which greeted
hose who had comb to aid the injured
las sickening. Down the aisles and
long the outside of the pews the dead
odies of men and women were strewn.
The manned and crippled uttered heart
ending cries. The walls of the relatives
1 the dead who had waiteed on the out /
ide could be heard for several blocks. l
III the physicians living in that part :
{ Birmingham went to the aid of the
Injured.
As many Of the suffering negroes as
ouId be moved by ambulances were
,ken to hospitals and the rest were laid
ut on The ground. There the physicians
tended them. At least 10 of those
rought out injured died before they
ould be moved from the ground. Most
the dead are women. A remarkable
,ature of the calamity is that little or
0 blood was seen on any Of the victims.
hev were either crushed or died from !
ifiocation. 3