The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-10
POINT OF DEATH.
Seven More Likely to Be Added
to List
Of Dead Resulting From Acct
dent at Bali Park.

Philadelphia, Aug. 10-No additional
deaths occurred during the night as
result of the accident on Saturday at
the National league baseball park.
There are seven persons in different
hospitals, however, who are lying at the
point of death, and the physicians say
have but slight chance of recovery.
There yet remain in the various hos
pitfalls nearly 100 persons, victims of
Saturday s@ ccident Their injuries con-
sist chiefly of fractured limbs, sprains
and contusions.
| The game scheduled for today be-
tween Boston and Philadelphia has been
declared off on account of the accident
There will be a conference of the direc-
tors of the club later in the day at
which the unfortunate affair will be
thoroughly Investigated.
Four persons are dead, seven are
thought to be fatally injured and fully
$50 others are hurt. some seriously, as
the result of the accident. A board walk
which overhung the left field bleachers
fell to the street. carrying 200 specta-
| tors.
Nearly 100 persons received fractures
of the limbs, decorations of the head.
| broken noses. contusionS of the head ana
body but their condition is not serious.
Two games were scheduled between
Boston and Philadelphia and the at
traction drew over 10000 persons to the
| ball park. The accident occurred at 5;4U
o'clock while the Boston team was al
bat in its half of the fourth inning OF
the second 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 LETT neld
east and extending from the grand
stand to the end of the bleachers there
was a walk about three feet wide whlch
overhung the street. 1t was this walk
that gave way under the heavy weight
Men who were standing on the Walh
were attracted by disturbance IN the
street. They leaned over the side OF
the railing to see what the trouble was
and this drew the attention of othel
spectators seated on top rows OF the
bleachers. Then occurred what is seer
almost every day at baseball game
a rush to see what the other spectators
were looking at.
The walk became overcrowded, anc
. without a moments warning 200 fee
of it fell to the sidewalk twenty fee'
below, carrying all who were on II
4 There were probably 5000 persons sit
ting on the left field bleachers and the
roar made by the falling timberS Gre
ated a panic. Instantly the spectators
rose en- nlaSse and made rush dowI
the stand and into the playing field. Ii
was a great wave of humanity Mer
and bows climbed over one another IL
their effort to escape from the grounds
Not knowing what had occurred the
ball players and others tried to stoT
the mad rush, but they We're swept
aside in their unsuccessful effort ano
several persons were badly hurt in the
crush.
Outside the grounds the scene was one
of horror. For an entire block on F1f-
teenth street from Huntington street to
Lehigh avenue men and boys were lying
writhing in agony. Some were buried
under the wreckage. others were lying
in the cutters and dozens were stretched
out in fifteenth street on the car tracks
Some were unconscious, others were
rolling over suffering great pain anc
others attempted to get up and wall
only to fall again.
The ten thousand persons within the
grounds left the place and crowded
about the injured of whom there were
more than a hundred. Indescribablt
confusion reigned for a time because Of
the great crowd.