New-York tribune., 1903-08-09
FOUR DEAD; SCORES HURT
ACCIDENT At BALL PARK.
Part of BIeachers Falls, Carrying
T5cO Hundred zcith 1t.

Philadelphia, Aug. S.-Four persons are dead
at least twelve fatally injured and fully one hun
dred and twenty-five others nurt some serious
ly, as the result of accident which occurred
at the Philadelphia National Baseball Park this
afternoon. when walk which overhung the left
field bleachers fell tc the street, carrying more
than two hundred spectators with it.
Two games were scheduled between Boston
and Philadelphia this afternoon, and the at
traction drew over ten thousand persons to the
ball park The accident occurred while the Bos-
ton team at the bat in the fourth inning of
the second game, and was indirectly due to
quarrel between two drunken men I'm the street
The National League stands built of steel
and brick. the brick wall extending entirely
around the grounds. At the top of the left field
seats anc extending from the grand stand to
the END of the bleachers. a walk about three
feet wide overhung the street. 1t was this walk
that gave way.
Men who were standing on the walk were at
tracted by a disturbance in the street, and
leaned over the railing to see what was the
trouble. This drew the attention of those sit
ting on the top rows of the bleachers, and there
was rush to see what the others were look
Ing at The walk was overcrowded, and, with
out warning, the two hundred feet of it fell to
the sidewalk, twenty feet below, carrying all
who were on it.
PSiNSA0
on the left field bleachers and the made
by the falling timber created a panic Instant
ly the spectators rose en- masse, and rushed
down the stand into the playing field. It was
one great black wave of humanity Men and
boys climbed over one another in their effort to
escape from the grounds. Not knowing what
had occurred, the ball players and others tried
to stop the mad rush. but they were swept
aside, and several persons were badly hurt in
the crush.
Outside the grounds for block in Fifteenth
st from Huntingdon-ave, men and boys were
writhing in agony. Some were buried under
the wreckage, others were in the cutters, and
dozens were stretched out in Fifteenth-st. on
the tracks. The ten thousand persons within
the grounds left the place and crowded about
the injured. Indescribable confusion reigned.
Fortunately, there were at the game several
city officials, As soon as they what had oc-
CURED they telephoned to the City Hall. and a
general ambulance call was sent out.
While waiting for conveyances to carry the
victims to hospitals thousands of willing hands
looked after the injured.
They were carried from the street and laid
on the sidewalk, and some were taken into
nearby private houses. All houses in the vicn-
ity were thrown open to the victims. One of the
largest streetcar barns in the city is situated
across the street from the ball park, and all the
wrecking cars and teams were got ready TO
transport the injured 20 hospitals. One wreck
ing quickly filled with helpless men AMI
rushed south in Fifteenth-st. TO St. Josephts
Hospital. than two miles away. Others
of the injured were quickly loaded into wagons
Of all descriptions belonging to the streetcar
company and rushed to the Samaritan, st.
Mary's. the Jewish or st. Lukes hospital.
Many in the crowd of people rendered valua Bile
assistance, but who conspicuous was
the Rev. John A. Tracy, of St Louis He was a
spectator at the game, and the moment the
crash came went to the rescue. He assisted in
extricating many of the injured from under the
wreckage. An express wagon was standing
near by, in which were three trunks. He mount
ed the wagon, threw out the baggage directed
the loading of seven injured into the We
hicle and ordered well known politician to
drive the wagon to the nearest hospital. The
politician promptly obeyed, but one of the in
jured died just after reaching the hospital