The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-01-23

Identified Dead.
SARAH RUFING.
MRS LAWRENCE.
MRS. PATTON.
RUTH FRAMER-
ANNA ALEXANDER. aged 40,
MAMIE M'KENNEY
SUSIE HOLMES
MRS MARY WEBDOCK.
CHARLES GARDINER, aged a.
ABosE B sLATGHTER, years old.
CATHERINE SEWELL.
RUTH TRAINER.
Sermon Just Ended.
The disaster occurred while couec,
ton was being taken up The pastor had
just concluded his sermon: the text ot
which was why Sit We Here Until We
DIe?" Following the collection There was
to have been n baptism. Some OF the col
ored people had left the church and the
others were about TO go. As the pastor
was arranging the pulpit preparatory TO
beginning the bapusmal service
woman in one Of the front rows gave
loud shrlek Of ''nrc.
Pastors Efforts Fruitless.
Instantly an those about her were on
their feet. looking for the blaze There
were no flames in sight, but those near
the pulpit smclled smoke and started
down the aisle toward the pulpit, Ihen
followed a half dozen cries OF fire and
the whole congregation became panic
Pastors Efforts Fruitless.
Tho Dastor by this time realized tho
seriousness of the situation and In loud
voice, which only added to the confusion.
called to the tcrror-stricken people TO be
seated No one listened. and despite his
frantic appeals a rush started that meant
death to many that were In IT,
Caught on Stairway.
At the rear OF the church. on the sec
ond floor there Is a wide doorway which
leads TO a stairway to each side Of the
building Each stairway has sharp
bend which proved to be the principal
contrlbutary cause for the jam. The front
door on the first floor Is wide and easy
OF exit
When the rush started those In the rear
of the church did not fully realize what
was wrong and were slow 10 move The
frantic shrieking OF tho women and chill
dren became louder and more general and
many were knocked down In the two
| aIsles OF the church Then came the ter
riblc rush down the stairs. For some
unknown reason everybody tried TO get
| down the left side OF the building. COM
| paratively few attempting to leave by the
| right stairway
Rush Down Stairs.
| One eyewitness says that perhaps u
! dozen persons got safely down the stairs
! when several people tripped and fell. and
! caused the narrow way TO become
! TANNED Several men on the first floor
]
/ were Knocked down, and then the human
| stream came tumbling down, The weaker
! ones fell only 10 be trampled upon and
| crushed by those coming from behind
All Terror-Stricken.
The horrible shrieks sent up by the
! PROSTATE persons added to the confusion
| and by this time even the cooler ones in
| the rear OF the nghtinS mass OF men
women and children became terror-strIck-
| en-. Strong men, In fear that the building
| CO.. l.1U H.zpl do lf
| women and children and fought only for
| their own safety.
Balustrade Gives Way.
The terrific crush in the bends of the
| stairs became so great that the balus-
trade which was only frail, wooden ar
! crash as half a hundred persons were
precipitatcd to the floor. a distance OF
| about ten OF twelve feet This heightened
| tho Intensity OF the panic and the rush
became an awful jam.
Lives Crushed Out.
The pastor OF the church a man oi
| powerful physique and strong voice, con-
| tinued to appeal TO the crowd in the rear
to stop their rush, but none would heed
| over the prostratc forms the Crowd
| gwaImcd crushing the lie out OF those
who were unable To cNtricatc themselves
Made Quick Exit.
! In the confusion some OF the worship
| ers thought OF the narrow door on the
| right side OF the pulpit and made a
! quick exit that way which action on
| ,heIr part probably saved tho lives of a
number Of those who had been caught In
| the crush.
Terrible Sight Presented.
When those who came down the front
! stairs had left the building terrible
| sight presented itself 10 the rcscuers
| The frst floor and the stairway to the
bend were covered three deep with the
dead and dying on the street hundreds
were shreking for help and looking for
their missing loved ones
Rescuers Arrive.
The rcscuers did not know which way
10 turn frst but Police Captain Hamn
and "A policeman who arrived on tho
scene Just as the last OF the panic
stricken people were rushing from thC
cdlnce took charge and turned in gen
cral alarm for smbulanccs, policemen NnC
| hTemcn, With the help OF scores o
| colorcd men and white people who Wcr'
| attracted TO the scene the dead and III,