The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1906-01-25
EIGHTEEN KILLED
IN CHURCH PANIC
FIFTY orArRs SADLY lNIuHwn
AZ PHILADELPHIA.
ARR raAMpLED uroER FOOT.
Unfortunate Victims Become Wsdueu
81 sharp Turn IN stairway and
nannIstsr Gives Way IN.

~ sharp Turn IN stairway and
lannIster Gives Way IN.
der strain.
Philadelphia, Pa, Jan. "a Eighteen
persona wore killed aud probably half
n hundred injured IN panic following
tho cry Of "fro' last night In stpnuls
Coloted Ilaptlst church. Tho services
were being held on the second floor
Of tho building. A defective fluo set
firc TO the chimney, causing smoke TO
issue through tho creyices in the floor
near tho pulpit. A Wild rush was
made for the stairs despite the efforts
OF Rov. n. w. Johnson, the pastor, 20
alIay the fears OF tho frenzled people
The stairway 10 the FIRST floor had a
sharp turn IN II and tho frightened
people became SO tightly wedged IN
TING bend cf the stairs that tho frall
w6cden bannlstcr gave away, precipl.
tatlng many 10 the FIRST floor.
The crash and tho screams and
shrlclB OF the women and children
added TO the frenzy CT those above
They did not stop In their onward
rush to got out. Notwithstanding the
wide.open doors on tho FIRST floor lead.
ing 10 the street, the crash was 80
great that eighteen persons had tho
life stamped cut Of them before the
panic war ended.
The fire was only trifiing, the flames
being extinguIshcd before the lireincn
arrived.
When those who came down the
front stairs had left the building a ter
rlble sight presented itself TO the
rescuers TIE first fioOr and the stair.
way 20 the bend were covered three
deep with the dead and dying. On
the street hundreds we're shrieklng for
help and looking for their loved ones.
The rescuers did not know which way
10 turn first, but Police Captain Hamm
and policeman who arrived en- the
scene Just as the last panlc.strickcn
people were rushing from tho edIhce,
took charge and turned IN genera
alarm for ambulances, policemen ami
firemen With tho help Of scores OF
coiored men and white people who
we're attracted 10 the scene, the dead
and the injured were extricated from
the terrible mass OF humanity and laid
on the sidewalks OF Eighth street. Nv,
eryone who could not stand was placed
In an ambulance and rugned ~ either
the childrcns', st. Josepn's or German
hospital.
Panic In Chicago Hotel.
Chicago, Jan. 22,--A panic among
tho guests Of the Wlndermcre inotel.
Plfty.sixth street and Cornell avenue,
followed tho cxplos;on carly today Of
steam boiler in the basement, which
resulted IN the death Of John Rap
koch, engineer, and tho serious injury
Of Mrg. Sceta May, guest. Tho OK
plo8ion partially wrecked the hotel
building and damaged adjacent resi-
dences and apartment buildings. The
guests Of tho hotel were left In dark
ness by the destruction Of the light
ing plant, and many were obliged 10
await tho arrived Of hremcn, who bat
tered down the doors Of their apart
mcntg and rGlcagcd them. Fire foi'
lowed tho crash out was socn under
control The damage was estimated
at $4,000
Two Factories Destroyed.
Baltimore, Nd, Jan. 22.--Fire oc
Cured this morning in the plant Of
the Baltimore Chrome works. More
than onc.half Of the extensive plant
occupying about q city block, was dc
gtroycd. The loss will be very heavy
ag much stock ready for shipment waz
destroyed. by $3.50 the fire was un
der control The loss viii BIO about
100000.
Philadelphia, Pa, Jan. 22<-A five
story brick building, o portion OF the
plant OF tho Pencoyd Iron works, waf
DESTROYED by fire Of unknown origin
last night. The building was stock
cd with patterns and machinery. An
Official OF the Pencoyd company est
mates the loss at 100000.