New-York tribune., 1905-02-28
ELEVEN KILLED.
Continued from first page


before the crash came the pastor had called out
the window to some one outside to call some
policemen to preserve order. He was too late
however
Some of those killed were suffocated, some OF
them had broken necks and others had frac-
tured skulls. Bertha Green, who had been
jammed in the terrible crush. but not seriously
injured. died from fright. When taken out OF
the crush she was in wild Mysteries. AS she was
being carried down the street in the arms OF
two policemen she gave one last shrek anc
died. A doctor who examined her said that her
death was undoubtedly due to excitement and
fright Some of those who finally were rescued
from the horrible scenes inside seemed to oe
insane when they were taken into nearby houses
1t is possible that some of them viii never re-
cover from their experience.
THE PASTORS STORY.
The pastor narrowly escaped being thrown
down into the hole himself the floor literally
opening at his feet as he stood in front OF the
pulpit The church was nearly filled. severai
pews only not being taken. These had been re-
served for the members Of the lodge attending
the funeral.
1--WE mad no warning at ALL said DR.. Jacobs
'"The church was almost filed, with the exeep-
ton of the pews reserved for members OF the
order / had just stationed ushers at various
keep the people from standing in the aisles and
to keep a clear passage.
IT then walked to the head of the stairs and
saw that they were not obstructed- 1 spoke to
one of the trustees for moment and then
walked down the centre aisle. stopping In mont
of the pulpit. 1 turned around to face the
people again and the floor sank without warn
ing 1 standing within an inch OF the edge
of the hole and for moment came near falling
myself. One minute / saw the church as 1t
always appears; the next second there was just
great mass of wreckage, mixed with scream
ing, frightened people.
FLOOR SEEMED TO PART IN MIDDLE.
1.-The floor seemed to part in the middle. open
ing up like a great double trapdoor. Under me
on top of some of the wreckage was woman.
1 reached down and pulled her up and helped
her out of the window on the shed in the rear.
By this time some Of the men had crawled out
on top of the pile and began to pass the women
up to me and three four other men, There
was a wild scramble to set out Of the base
ment windows. and believe that the greater
number of those injured were hurt getting
through the windows
Many were hurt after getting out of the win
COWS by the rescuers throwing out planks and
josts through the windows and hitting them.
When the fremen came it took only few min
utes to clean everything up. l believe that
they hurt many by the rough way they went
to work"
Dr. Jacobs is a physician as we'll as minis
ter. He sent for his instruments and medicines
immediately after the accident and continued TO
work over his people until every one mad been
cared for. After going to his home he started
out again and visited the homes of as many
of the injured as possible. He said after the
accident that every one connected with the
church but one Of the trustees named Small
disappeared, and that neither he any
else interested was able to find them
Dr. Jacobs was assisted by man named
Rohne, a member of the congregation. and
strange The stranger was unusually
strong, and, jumping down into the wreckage,
he pulled ii apart and digging out woman after
where
Rohne stood above. With the exception of the
pastor. he did more than any one else in the
work of rescue -.-.-- =.
He refused to tell his name, even, to Dr.
Jacobs. Pressed for explanation for his re-
ticence. he explained that his employer had sent
him to New-York errand. and he had
taken a night off to attend the funeral He was
afraid he would lose his job if his name was
published.
FEARED WHOLE CHURCH WAS FALLING.
Not for many years has there been such a
scene of wild confusion and mad delirium IN
the church after the auditorium fell. From
congregation of mOurners, talking in bated
breath of the man whose funeral they had come
10 attend. the crowd of thousand persons
turned into wild mob Fear seemed TO be
the controlling impulse and all except a few OF
those present lost their heads entirely. II was
a wild fight for self-preserYaton. Coming with
out warning, the sudden collapse of the heor
and the sinking down of more than a quarter Of
lhose crowded there gave the Impression that
the whole building coming down
The Shr1ekS OF those VINO were really injured
served to alarm those who had not been hurt
and who could have got out safely if it had been
possible TO keep them from losing their heads
Some sank on their knees and prayed loudly for
deliverance from the destruction that seemed
about to overcome them. Others cursed and
fought, while the women shrieked in terror. The
rescuers not only found the injured in the
wreCkaSe and in various parts of the church
where they had dropped in the fierce struggle
but under the windows on both sides of the
church.
After the people were out of the building and
some OF the heaviest wreckage was removed the
church presented sad spectacle. Where the
flooring had given way big hole about
forty feet long and thirty feet across The
broken ends of small timberS, which snapped
ike chalk, hung down in fringe from all sides
From the appearance of the construction. il Is
a marvel that The auditorium did not fall
through years ago. All that supported the long
seventy-five feet beams that ran the length Of
the church were two slender iron pillars TO each
beam. The aisles ran directly over these beams
and 1t was the additional weight of the standing
crowd in the aises which taxed the beam that
broke.
There were two old fashioned hot air furnaces
in the basement. They We're running last night
and if the flooring above them had crashed down
the rotten woodwork would have been set afire
and il cannot be doubted that scores if nor
hundreds. would have been burned to death like
rats in a trap.
One of the first things done by the fireman
to put out the fire in these furnaces I,uckiIv
no nre started In any part of the building. When
from the pipes that had been wrenched apart
and, undoubtedly, some of those found uncon-
scious affected by the gas II was finals,
cut off at the meter.
II was some time after the accident happened
before representative OF the BUILDINGS De-
partment arrived on the scene Then three in
around and look wise They refused to give
their names, and said they knew nothing about
the accident or the building, and IT seemed evi-
dent that they did not They made NOT tha
4 of fra