Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1903-08-14
FOUR DEAD..|2 FATALLY HURT
PHILADELPHIA BASEBALL GRAND
STAND GAVE WAY.
Over $50 Persons Injured-Quarrel on
Street Caused People to Rush to See
What Was the Matter-Rotten Walk
Let 200 Fall to the Ground-An Aw-
full scene-HospitaI Crowded.

Philadelphia, Aug. 10.-Four persons
are dead, at least IL are thought to be
fatally injured and fully $50 others
are hurt, some seriously, as the result
of an accident which occurred at the
Philadelphia National league park. A
board walk which overhung the field
200 spectators.
Nearly 100 persons received frac-
lures of the limbs, decorations of the
head, broken noses, Commissions of the
head and body, but their condition Is
not serious.
Two games were scheduled between
Boston and Philadelphia this after
noon and the attraction drew over TO-
900 persons to the ball park. The &C.
cident occurred at $40 O'Clock, while
the Boston team was at bat at the last
half of the fourth inning of the sec
ond game and was indirectly due to
a quarrel between two drunken men
in the street. The National league
stands are built of steel and brick,
the brick wall extending entirely
around the grounds. At the top of the
left field are seats and extending from
the grand stand to the bleachers there
was a walk about three feet wide
which overhung the street. 1t was this
walk which gave way under the heavy
weight.
Men who were standing on the walk
were attracted by disturbance in the
street. They leaned over the side of
the railing to see what was the trou-
BILE and drew the attention Of the 9th
err spectators seated on the top rows
of the bleachers. Then occurred what
is seen almost every day at a ball
game-a rush to see what the other
spectators were looking at.
The walk became overcrowded and
without warning 200 feet Of it fell
to the sidewalk. 30 feet below, carry
ing all who were on it down.
There were probably 5000 persons
sitting on the bleachers and the roar
made by the falling timbers created
a panic. Instantly the spectators rose
Gil LudSSe anu llduC q iuoh uoWh ebS
stand and into the playing field. Men
and boys climbed over one another in
their effort to escape from the ground.
Notwithstanding what had occurred,
theball players and others tried to stop
the mad rush, but they were swept
aside in their unsuccessful efforts and
several persons were badly hurt in the
crush.
Outside the grounds the scene was
one of horror.
Some were unconscious, others were
rolling over suffering great pain and
others attempted to get up and walk
only to fall again. The 10000 persons
in the grounds left the place and
crowded about the injured. Of whom
there were more than 100. Indescrib-
able confusion reigned for time be-
cause of the great crowd.
A general ambulance call was sent
in. All houses in the vicinity were
thrown open to the victims.
At the hospitals confusion reigned
for a while. There was not room
enough or attendants enough to look
after the patients. They were laid out
in Railways and on the floors Of the
wards, and in several instances pa
tients gave up half their beds to in
jured men and boys. While the hos
pital attendants and outsides who had
pital attendants and outsiders who had
were looking after the injured, the
clergymen were soothing and comfort
ing the victims.
1t is estimated that fully 100 per-
sons who were injured went direct to
their homes. An examination of the
stand after the accident showed many
of the wooden supports, which extend
ed three feet beyond the walk, to be
rotten. They were about two and a
half inches thick and about six inches
wide. They broke off flush with the
walls.