Evening journal., 1903-12-31
continued from First Pagel

the sODs OF the reSCuers could be hear q
even in the hall below where this
awful scene was being enacted.
Bodies Crushed to Pulp.
AS one by one the bodies were drag
ged out Of the water-soaked, blackened
mass Of corpses, the spectacle became
more and more heartrending. There
were women whose clothing was torn
completely from their bodies above the
waist whose bosoms had been tram
pied into a pulp, and whose faces were
marred beyond all power OF identifica-
tion. Bodies lay in the first and sec
ond balconies in great numbers. In
some places they were piled up in the
aisles three and four deep. where one
had fallen and others tripped over the
PROSTATE forms, and all had died where
they lay, evidently suffocated by the
gas. Others were bent over backs Of
seats where they had been thrown by
the rush Of people for the doors and
killed with hardly a chance to rise from
their seats. One man was found with
his back bent nearly double, his spinal
column having been fractured as he
was thrown backward. A woman was
found cut nearly in half by the back
of the seat she having been forced over
it face downward.
In the aisles nearest TO the doors the
scenes were narrowing in the extreme.
Bodies lay in every conceivable atti-
tude, half naked the look on their
faces revealing some portion of the
agony which must have preceded their
death. There were scores and scores Of
people whose entire face had beon
trampled completely off by the heels
Of those who rushed over them, and
in one aisle the body of a man was
found with not a vestige of clothing,
flesh or bone remaining above his
waist line. The entire upper portion
of his body had been cut into mince-
meat and carried away by the feet
of those who trampled him. A search
was carefully made with a hope Of
finding his head. but it has not been
discovered, and all that will ever tell
his friends who he was is the color and
appearance of the clothing on the lower
limbs, and this is in such condition
as to be hardly recognizable.
Struggle For Life on Fire Escapes.
The theatre had been constructed but
a short time and all it's equipment was
not yet in place. This was unfortu-
nately the case with a fire escape in
the rear Of the building. The small
iron balconies to which the iron ladder
was to be attached were up, but the
ladder had not yet been constructed.
When the panic was at its height a
great number of women ran for these
fire escapes, only 10 find as they
emerged from the doorway upon the
little iron platform that they were 20
to 80 feet from the ground, a fire be-
hind and no method Of escape in front
Those who reached the platform first
endeavored to hold their footing and
to keep back the crowd that pressed
upon them from the rear. The effort
was utterly useless, and in a few mo-
ments the iron lodges we're jammad
with crowds of women who screamed.
fought and tore at each other like
maniacs. This last was but a brief
interval, and the rush from the in
terror Of the building became so violent
that many of them were crowded off
and fell 10 the granite pavement below
Others leaDed from the platform, frac-
turing legs and arms, and two were
picked up at that point with fractured
skulls, having been killed instantly
George II. Elliott, secretary of the Og-
den Gas Company, was in building
directly opposite from the theatre
across this alley, and noticing smoke,
went down to ascertain its cause. When
he reached the street the women were
already dropping into the alley, and
Elliott Immediately rushed for lad
der in the effort to save as many as
possible. No ladder was available, and
the only method of assistance they
were able to devise was to hurriedly
lash some planks together and throw
them across to the affrighted women
on the platform, with instructions 10
place the end firmly on the iron frame
work. Before this could be done fear
ful loss Of time ensued, the women
were being pushed every instant into
the alley and by the time the bridge
was constructed but few remained TO
take advantage Of it. However. about
two dozen. Il is believed. made their
way across this narrow causeway.
The members Of the theatrical COM
pany, being on the first floor, had COM
paratively little difficulty in reaching
the street, although their situation was
for a moment highly critical because
Of the speed with which the flames
swept through the mass Of scenery in
the flies and on the stage
Eddie Foy's Experience.
Eddie Foy, principal comedian in
the play, was one of the last to escape,
by getting out through a rear door
after assisting the women members Of
the company to safety. He went into
the sherman House in his stage cos
tune and with his face covered with
grease paSt In order to secure sur
gical assistance for some burns which
he had sustained. In describing the
commencement Of the fire. Foy attrib-
uted the extent Of the catastrophe to
the failure Of the areproof - in to
work properly. Because of IS, be
said, the flames readily obtained ac-
cess TO the main part Of the theatre,
and We're by the draft carrying with it
gas as well as fire, swept up 10 the
two balconies where the loss Of life was
greatest
The fire began In the middle Of the
second act, said Mr.. Foy. "An electric
wire broke. was grounded. and from
this the flames were started in the rear
OF the stage. The stage is unusually