Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-07
1T WAS HORRIBLE!
CONTINUED from page IL

women, young women. girls and chit
dren had been tumbled into heap al
what seemed to me to be a landing at
the bottom of some stairs. while num-
dreds were jumping upon and climbing
over them only to increase the horror
and the impossibility of getting out.
l could see no escape in that direc-
ton unless l trampled upon the bleed
ling forms of those women ana chill
dren, and 1 involuntarily turned BACK
saying to myself: Il am too old now
to die the coward"
| I saw things there that are too awful
| to believe. l saw one man KICK an
other who was in his way when each
was endeavOring to assist some loved
ones from that human death trap.
saw men strike each other and women
catch each other by the hair in their
agoniZed efforts to free themselves
from the crowd.
| Awful as this is to relate, 1t is never
theless probable that those very per-
sons We're for the time bereft of rea-
son and knew nothing but the in
stinctive law of self preservation.
AS turned back from this scene OF
|
This way, l think there is an exit
on the other side"
| followed him across the theatre.
where We found an exit opening into
an alley. This exit, at that time, was
not blocked at all. In fact, William
and were. | think, the last two per-
sons who went out on the lower moor
of the theatre. except those who We're
taa. mai
entrance.
AS followed William out of the
. theatre | took a last look at the burn
: ing stage and the roar of the fire was
something awful. The flames seemed
r to be believing out their fearful wrath
@ from the stage and leaping to the bar
e comics az if they were determined tt
: visit their terrible vengeance upor
g those poor victims confined there.
o The shreks from above me We're be
numbing. No words can tell of them
k and now asthe door opened and coult
s feel the delicious atmosphere from tn
1t outside, l was inclined to go back ant
try to help some less fortunate victim
" to safety.
'e But | saw no one on the floor of tn
n theatre | could not get into the bal
e comics if 1 would. l could not even Sc
= into them as 1 was beneath them, s
lr l went out of the building. .
q But here again was an appalling
sight Scores Of bodies lay upon tn
r ground some lifeless. others within
g in agony. l saw bodies, mostly of WO
men, falling from above us. and w
Rugged the wall of the building t
avoid being struck by them and. ais
-, to keep from stepping upon thos
J" which had already fallen.
The fire escapes from the balconie
81, were high, narrow and dark, and in tn
N crowd many women We're pushed owe
~ while others jumped to the groun
n, below.
1t was not o'clock in the afternoon
but in that narrow alley between hg
-, buildings. with smoke pouring froi
80 the windows to add to the gloom.
seems to me. as | think of it now,
- have been dark almost as night.
b We made our way rs quickly as pos
-, sible to the street. urged on by the fire
~ men who We're endeavoring to lay
49,. line of hose through the alley.
20 The whole experience | have detailed
from the time We saw the first fiam
:. did not exceed seven minutes do nc
think it exceeded five minutes.
q. The tragedy in the balconies ] can
-, not tell you of. because | did not st
- it. | am glad did not. | feel, as it j
-, that l never can be entirely relieve
-, of that hideouS nightmare.
- For two hours afterwards. the police
men and firemen We're occupied in r.
moving the crushed and manglc
bodies from those balconies. No or
!. can even imagine the sufferings {
those people imprisoned between thic
walls of brick on the one side and
s. roaring sheet of flame on the other.
e. l can tell you only of my own eX
It, perience. OF the rest you can read an
n try to imagine for yourself. You car
,s not, of course. appreciate their situa
pc ton as | do. for l can never tell an
to shall never try to tell what I endure
ii in mind during those few fateful min
d. utcs.