The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-07-17
STORM WRECKS TENT.
The Last Day of the Christian
Endeavor Convention Has
Sad Ending.
PRESENCE OF MIND SAVES MANY LIVES.
Wind swept tader Tent Swapping
Ropes and Drawing Poles frons
GrOund-tight Thousand Persons
In l'anic-WiId scenes Heightened
By >crca ssss Of women.

Denver, Col, July 1.-THE big tent
Endeavor, where the Christian En-
dcavor convention has been held for
the past three or four days was blown
over Monday afternoon at four
o'clock. while more than eight thou
sand people were attending the pro-
ceedings. The injured numbered
nearly score, but fortunately none
OF them was seriously hurt. Miss jess
sic NJ. Thornburgh, of Denver, was
the most seriously injured, her nose
being gashed and her scalp suffering
several wounds. The presence Of mind
OF Mr.. \. NJ. Ramsey. of Chicago. who
sprang TO "A chair and called TO the
people 10 hold up the canvas and
poles undoubtedly prevented many
from suffocating. As ii was many
women tainted and were rescued from
the folds Of the canvas with much DIFF
iiculty.
Mrs. Nnifred Sleep. OF Denver. who
was in charge Of the ST. Marks hos
pital tent. seeing the catastrophe at
the big tent close by, teegraphed the
electric light company TO shut of
the current. This prevented any dam
age from the live wires that had fall
len with the tent poles. A feature
that showed the religious nature OF
the participants was seen when the
majority we're extricated from the
canvas folds. Led by an eastern dele
gate, all gathered around in the open
air and an impromptu praise service
vas heh
The convention was in full progress
IT four o'clock, and although there
were sigrs of rain and some wind was
blowing. no trouble was anticipated
by the management. The sides of the
tent We're up in mid air, and this en-
ablcd the squall 10 lift the canvas az
If it were a balloon. The gust Of
wind that turned the big tent over
came so sudde My that no prepare ion
could he made to forcstall the conse-
quences. The wind swept under the |
tent. the roof OF which Immediately |
belched out like an immense sail The
smaller guy ropes Were pulled from
their places, and in moment more
the big poles were drawn from the
ground.
Immediately the 5000 persons were
in panic. which was heightened by
the screams of hundreds of women.
Ii was then that Mr.. Ramsey sprang
to a chair and called loudly upon the
men TO hold up the canvas and catch
the large supporting poles as they
fell Hundreds Of men sprang 10 their
feet and carried ont the Chicago
mans suggestion, and thus averted
calamity. As the poles fell more than
one thousand people who had been
seated near the walls Of the ten cs-
.apcd he folds and these Immediate
y formed themselves into a rescue
corps Women who had tainted and
Hose y no were suffering from slight
INJURIES were quickly removed to
he hospital tent.
The injured:
Miss Tornburgh. Denver, very bad
wound in forehead Very serious.
Allella Murdock. Denycr. arm frac-
ured.
J. G. Peters. Alamosa. Col. scalp .
wound and shock.
Miss Mary Ellis Denver. bruised
bout body
Miss Powers. Trenton. Neb.. knee z
njured. body bruised. '
Mrs. /. n Johnson. Denver. badly 9
'ruised and tainted from fright. !
Is. {. Patterson. Alamosa. Col. head D
- by electric lamp; bad scalp wound. q
Miss Eta Ward. 1915 West TAYLOR n
treet Chicago, large pole fen across
ack and badly bruised her. a
Among those who are suffering "
rom severe nervous shocks are: II
Miss Blanche Fearer, Oregon. III. II
Miss Mindeck. New York. n
Miss Nipher. Pueblo. Col. d
Miss Myrtle Moore and Miss War il
EN-. Illinois. +,