The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-01-22
Eighteen Persons LilIed In
Philadelphia Last Night.
TWODCORE WERE INJURED
Some1ne Yelled Fire" in st. Paups Zap
tfst Church Audience Stampeded
sor Doors, Fighting and Tram-
cling Down the Weaker.

Philadelphia, Jan. GA Wild panic
followed loud shrek Of .Firel"
brought death to eighteen colored per
sons and injuries to nearly two score
Of others last night in ST. Paal's Rap
tist church n Eighth street between Pop
lar street and Girard avenue.
The terrible rush to gain tie street
was Of brief duration and that more
were not killed IN tie stampede vas
probably due to the fact that the church
was not crowded. AT the time the dis.
aster occurred, not more than 900 per-
sons were en- the second floor OF the
building, which with the gallery was
capable Of accommodating 600 to 100.
The fire was a trfling one and was ex
tinguished before the iiremen arrived.
The smell Of smoke added to the pam
ic and despite tile heroic work of the
Rev. +. w. johnson, the pastor Of The
church, who tried III vain to aIlav the
fear Of tile frightened worshipers, the
terror-stricken people made 4 desperate
rush to leave the church. only to be
choked up on the narrow stairway.
Those in the rear Ieaped over the pros
trated forms of those who fell, and
when the rush was over eighteen lay
dead on the FIRST floor and stairs of
the building. Death in nearly every
case was due TO suffocation OF trampling
A Suggestive Sermon.
The disaster occurred while collection
was being taken up. The pastor had Just
concluded his sermon, the text of which
was why Sit We Here Until We Die
Following the collection, there was to
have been a baptism Of man and wife.
Some Of the coored people, owing to
the lateness OF the evening had left the
church and others were about TO 20. As
thep astor was arranging the pulpit pre-
paratory TO beginning the baptismal
service, 4 woman in one of the front
rows Of the left side Of the altar, gave
o loud shrek Of fire.
Instantly all those about her were on
their feet looking for the blaze There
were no ames in sight, but those near
the pulpit smelled smoke aud started
down the aisle toward the pulpit Then
followed half dozen cries OF fire., and
the whole congregation became panic
stricken.
The pastor by this time reaIized the
seriousness Of the situation, and in a
loud voice, which ony added to the con.
fusion, called to the terror-strcken peo-
pie to be seated No one listened, and
despite his frantic appeals, a rush start
ed that meant death to many that were
in it.
At the rear Of thee hurch on the sec
ond floor there is wide doorway, which
leads TO a stairway to each side Of the
building Zach stairway has sharp
bend which proved TO be the principal
contributary cause for the jam. The
front door on the first floor is wide and
easy OF exit.
Slow TO Move at First.
When the rush started those in the
rear of thee hurch did not fully realize
what was wrong and were slow to move.
The frantic shrieking OF the women and
children became louder and more gen
oral and many were knocked down in
the two ISLES of the church. Then came
the terrible rush down the stairways.
For some unknown reason everybody
attempted to get down the left side OF
the building comparatively few ct
tempting to leave BY the right stair
way.
Shrielis Were Horrible.
The horrible shriess sent up By the
pfostrate persons added to the confusion
and by this time even the cooler ones
in the rear OF the fighting mass became
terror-stficISen Strong men, in fear that
tic building was falling, leaped over the
heads Of women and children and fought
only for their own safety. The terrific
crush in The bend of the stairs became
SO great that the balustrade, a frail
wooden afioir, gave way. There was a
terrible crash as fifty persons were pre-
cinitated TO the floor, distance of about
ten OF twelve feet.
The pastor Of the church, a man Of
powerful physique, and strong Of voice,
continued to apepal to the crowd il the
rear 10 stop their rush, but none would
heel.
In the confusion some Of the worship
ers thought Of che narrow door on the
right side Of the pulpit and made a
quick exit that way, which action on
their part probably saved the lives Of
a number of those VITO had been caught
in the crush.
TIE FIRE was a most triiling affair. a
defective nue started q small fire ~ the
chimney which caused smoke to issue
through the cIevices in thessecond floor.