The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-04-09

TERMs saeSRs1 81 Months Xsas s. ,a ssnss. ADVANCE
end of the hall in which he installed
his machine. This booth was so located
that it closed the main entrance to the
hall, and the audience was admitted
through side entrance, first passing
small room commonly used
as an ante-room by the civic societies.
A young married couple had taken
reserved seats" well up in front. but
the gentleman early relinquished his
seat to lady friend who had come
in after the standing room only" sign
had been displayed. Twas standing in
the very rear of the hall, near the
booth containing the projecting appa-
ratus, and the young man took up
position near me.
The opening numbers had been given
and the moving picture man had just
opened his part Of the entertainment,
when the celluloid films on the ma
chine took fire, the ribbon snapped in
two and in an instant the booth was in
flames. Someone raised the cry Of fire,
and then hell broke loose. There was
one wild, frenzied rush for the door.
Men, women and children were knocked
down and trampled upon. The wild,
despairing shrieks of the women and
children, mingled with the hoarse
shouts and awful curses of the men,
rent the air. Like stampeded animals
they charged upon the entrance, over
chairs and benches, unheeding their
weaker neighbors, all intent upon full
filling the first great law of nature, self
preservation. The fire soon communi-
Gated with large number of celluloid
films hanging in rolls upon pegs on the
wall; convenient for instant use, and
they soon filed the back part of the
room with flame and smoke. I was
crowded up against the wall with such
force that could scarcely move, but
eventually l succeeded in climbing
upon bench, where I at least had
good view of what was transpiring
about me.
The machine operator, after several
Intellectual efforts, succeeded in rushing
through the flames and turning off the
gas which was escaping from the large
cylindrical tanks, and was likely to cause
an explosion at any moment. He was
badly burned about the hands and
face, but he was true grit and showed
admirable nerve all through the terri
BILE ordeal. The proprietor of the hall,
together with a few cool-headed assist
ants, did all that was possible to pre-
serve order, but all in vain. AS well
might they have faced hurricane.
A jamb occurred in the ante-room-
some OF those who had reached place
of safety, no longer appalled, by the
flames which they could not see, tried
to re-enter the hall, thus blocking
the exit. Some few there were who,
crazed with fright, climbed out through
the windows and risked their necks in
dropping twenty feet to the ground.
Others were dragged back by cooler
heads. One man hanging to the win
dow ledge, on the outside, called loudly
someone come and take me;" but no
one, not even an old maid, seemed to
have any use for him at that particular
moment. Men were fighting like mad,
women were fainting and pandemoni-
um reigned supreme. The young man
had left the place at my side, and
could see him pushing, pulling and
struggling with the mass Of humanity
that blocked his way. Now he would
force his way forward few PAGES,
only to be thrown back by the tide of
humanity; losing nearly all the dis
tance he had gained. How he finally
managed to work his way through that
turbulent, seething mass, cannot tell.
The smoke and gases from the burning
booth and celluloid filled the room and
the air was suffocating. Ny lungs hurt
and my eyes were watery and swOl-
len. My position was becoming un-
tenable; and as the people had near
" all succeeded in making their escape,
I sought position near the stage. The
few who had taken it upon themselves
to act as a fire department soon had
the flames under control; and order
was once more restored out of chaos.
During all this time, in chair we'll
up in front, sat the young woman, my
heroine. She seemed totally oblivious
of the danger, noise and confusion to
which she was being subjected; but re-
garded them all with the quiet interest
Of one who has no part in the play ex-
cept that of spectator. She showed no
outward sign of fear or excitement; and
when her husband reached her side, she
looked up demurely into his face and
said: 81 thought you would never
come" G.. B. M.