Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-01-25

EIGHTEEN DEAD AND MAET INJURED.


following a loud shrek q plre
brought death to eighteen coiored per-
sons and injuries to nearly TWO SCORE
Of others Sunday night in st Paurs
Baptist church on the west size Of
Eighth street between Poplar street
and Giraud avenue.
T The fire was trihing one ana fWas
extinguished before the nremen y
rived.
The disaster occurred Wnne W
lection was being taken up. me pas
tor had Just concluded ms sermon, lne
text Of which was why BIZ We nere
until we def"
AS the pastor was arranging tne pun
pit preparatory TO beginning 'ne Dap-
tismal service. q woman IN one y .no
frontlrows Of the LEFT side q the al.ar
gave loud shrek o. "nre' lns.an.
lily all those about her were On tnelr
feet, looking for the blaze. mere W.
no flames in sight, but those near .ne
pulpit smelled smoke ana started uoWA
the isle toward the PUPIL rnen IL
lowed q half dozen cries 81 hre @nu
the whole congregation pecams pano
stricken. Inc pastor ~ Inns .ain9 M
allied the seriousness o. ing .isua .sss
and in q loud voice which oniy auuou
to the confusion called g tne .error-
stricken people TO pc scared. ~ w
listened and despite MS Iran'lc appsa4
a rush started that meant ueatn y
many that were In It.
At the rear Of the chprcn On tne
second floor there is q vide door way
which leads to stairway 70 eacn sac
Of the building. Each stairway mas =
sharp bend which proved TO pc tne
principal contributary cause ior tne
jam. The front door on the nrsI noor
10 wide and easy Of exit.
| When the rush started those ~ !. ane
rear Of the church did not fully reahze
what was wrong ana was SLOW 70 lnove
| The frantic shrieking Of the women
and children became louder ana more
| generally and many were knocked
down in the two aisles Of the cnurcn'
Then came the terrible rush down tne
stairs.
\ The horrible shrieks sent up Dy
the PROSTATE persons added to the con
fusion and by this time even the cool
or ones III the rear Of the fighting
mass men, women and children became
terror-stricken Strong men in fear
that the building was falling leaped
over the heads Of women and children
and fought only for their own safety,
The terrific crust, in the bends Of the
stairs became SO great that the balus-
trade which was only a frail. wooden
sma,r 800 ,vav Thera "a. ! terrible
crash u baif ! hundred persons were
Sra $500, n, - he tIoor = distance Of
49,. u = . 49, This heightened
~ s ,s.s s u ~ han,c ana tbe r,,sb
s ~ , a. .rsu, lam
$500 ~. :" ~. .,sa $3.50 down =,
. wnsn .no's q w" ~. az hrS,d,ns !
Iron. s'alas ~ ... .s.s az ,..s,s - -,
syll,uis s'sT ~, p's 49, 49, 49, onS Il,
e ss ~ tara 80 ooverei
ssallwsy y ~ ~. 49, s..S 80 ~ A.
tnlss ueep win ny uea1 -. -
ing. IN tne strss' va
snvleklng , LOr . nelp anu mn rssa u
1nelr missing ioyeu uass -. - .s ~,
srs uid no. hnpw wnisn 80 = IN. ~,
nrs., Du. roncs Orp.a as arA.ha . soan,
policeman wnO alsi W. = ~ .strIe,,s'
lust as Ene i4st =. ~ pa. ~ ss,ass
people Were rusni . ..Sl =, ' Genera rS,,.r
t,ok claIse anu suinsu a ~ Sss sn,
alarm lor ANNUAL u. po., - .as-.. * !,
nremen. WIN tns Ssap :. - 49, p, \
cploEee men -, anu s wni.c YsS S-.nc,
vel $500 s..,.,,.4 ~,
. Paris. Jan. zz-Msss $500 !. us -
opstrations were rslu Su.uas s., = =.
} principal citles q Fl sn !" $500 -'