Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-31

ambulances and death carts as they car
ried their freight of corpses to the morgues
masses of people struggled along, frantic
to reach the undertaking rooms to search
for relatives and friends among the dead
When the first idea of the number of vic
tins was gained orders were given by
Coroner TraegeT that the bodies should be
distributed among all the private morgues,
and within an hour after the fire the streets
in front of downtown undertaking shops
were thronged from curb to curb.
10 Rals;on morgue 1873 bodies were
taken; 139 to Jordan's; Al to Sheldon's; 40
to Gavins; 81 to Buffum's; 25 to Perrigo's.
These are mOrgues in the central part Of
town.
Cordons of police were thrown about the
doors of the undertaking shops and had all
they could do to keep back the grief-crazed
crowds which were not allowed to enter
until the police had searched the dead
bodies. Faces pressed thick against the
window panes of the morgue staring in
vain at the blank walls behind which the
victims lay in piles.
Scenes Were Narrowing.
Occasionally man with pallid face and
staring eyes forced his way past the polica
and clamored for permission 10 enter fall
ing back into the crowd with great sobs
as he was denied. Inside the scenes were
narrowing.
when the bodies We're received the blar-
Eets in which they had been shrouded were
removed and the uncovered forms were
hhcdied In long lines on the floor. Thirty
deep they lay in burrows, their gbastliness
brought out by the glare of the electric
lights.
Here lay gray-haired man, his features
recognizable but the smoky pali)r Of his
face showing death from suffocation. Near
by was the body Of a child IN Eaunt!sroy
costume. his golden curls in contrast to
the scarlet color of his flame-bahed cheeks
Some of the bodies were stripped of
clothing. and with distorted limps and
manSled and charred features were seen
IN all their ghastliness. In one respect
they were alike. The left arm of nearly
every victim was drawn taught IL the side
while the scarlet right hand had s!iffened
in an outstretched position as if 10 ward
off some peril. On each body that had
been touched by the fire the color of the
flames was left in ghastly duplIca ton on
the flesh.
Restaurant Turned Into Hospital.
Thompson's restaurant, adjoining the
Iroquois Theater, where thousands of
downtown workers eat their meals every
day. was turned into a hospital and
norgue. in which 300 injured We're carried
and more than fifty died.
The hurried work of rescue was Of a
rough character. Men staggered out OF the
smoke carrying limp forms in their arms
Some brought out three children in their
arms at once, carrying two across their
hEn an1 acly. |, IL =. l,1
was grasped by the arm or clothing
In some cases dead and living were
brought out in the arms of tre same
rescuer. To make room for the injured the
long marble-top tables were swept clear
of dishes and the bodies were laid upon
them.
Fifty doctors were soon in the restaurant
having volunteered their services and
worked under the direction of DIR. C. Frank
Lydston. A surgical instrument firm across
Randolph street rushed to the cafe 4 sup
ply of Instruments, lint and bandayes and
tanks of oxygen for the purpose of rasusci-
tating those who were unconscious from In
haling gas and smoke.
Besieged by Persons Frantic.
While the physicians administered restor-
atives. frantic men and women basiegel
the restaurant in hope of f1niing their lest
ones. Black-clad priests. with cha plets OF
beads. went from table to tabs. cheering
the injured with words of religious cheer
and striving the dying.
Despairing ones rushed here and there
peering into the faces of the injured. draw
Ing down the blankets, which covered the
dead and seeking to identify the face be-
meath. But for all the atmosphere of few
er;sh excitement and hysteria the physic-
ians worked as quietly as in the calm of
an operating chamber. beautiful girl,
whom no one could identify. was carried
in unconscious. Her heart was beating
family.
Placed in Pile Of Dead.
Five physicians worked with hes for an
hour. AT the end she gasped and died.
Her body was placed in a pile of dead and
carted to morgue. where 1t lay unclaimed
CONTINUED on Eighth PaxeO