The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-01-25
MANY ARE KILLED
DURING FIRE PANIC
Eighteen Negroes in Fear Of
Blaze Meet Death In a
Philadelphia Fire.
STAMPEDE ENSUES
Several Of the Victims Were Literally
Trampled to Death Beneath the
Feet OF Hundreds Of People
All Seeking the Exits.


following a loud shrek OF FIRE"
brought death TO eighteen colored per-
sons and injuries to nearly two score
OF others last night In 81. Pauls Bap-
list church on the wese side OF Eighth
street. between Poplar street and Cir
ard avenue. The terrible rush to gain
the street was OF short duration, and
that more were not killed In the STAN
pcdc was probably due To the fact that
the church was not crowded.
At the time the disaster occurred not
more than 300 persons were on the sec
ond floor OF the building, which with
the gallery was capable or nccommo-
dating GOO To 200. The fire was trffiing
one and was extinguishcd before the
iiremcn arrived. The smell of smoke
added 10 the panic and despite the
heroic work of the Rev. L.. w. Johnson.
the pastor OF the church, who tried In
vain TO allay the fears OF the fright
ened worshippers. the terror stricken
people made a desperate rush TO leave
the church only To be choked up on
the narrow stairway.
Those In the rear leaped over the
PROSTATE forms OF those who fell.
and when the rush was over eighteen
lay dead on the first door and stairs
Of the building.
Death In nearly every case was due
to suffocation or trampling.
Following is n list Of the identified
dead.
SARAH RUFING.
MRS. LAWRENCE.
MRS. PATTON.
RUTH TRAINER
JOHN BERRY.
ANNA ALEXANDER. aged 10.
MAMIE M'KINNEY.
SUSIE HOLMES
MRS. MARY wEBLOCK.
CHARLES GARDINER, aged IL
years.
MAMIE McALL.
ABoZ SLAUGHTER, . years old.
CATHERINE SEWEIAI.
RUTH TRAINER.
The disaster occurred while n coll
lection was being taken up. The
pastor had Just concluded his sermon.
the text OF which was, why sit we
l,ere until we diey'
Following the collection there was To
aave been a baptism OF man and wife.
some OF the colored people. owing TO
he lateness OF the hour. had left the
church and others were about to so.
As the pastor was arranging the
pulpit preparatory to beginning the
baptism service n woman In one of the
'front.' rows OF the left side OF the altar
gave n loud shrek OF "Fire!" Instant
~ all those about her were on their feet
looking for the blaze. There were no
lames In sight, but there was n smell
Of smoke, and the whole congregation
became panic stricken.
The pastor by this time realized the
seriousness OF the situation and In n
loud voice, which only added TO the
confusion, called to The terror stricken
people TO be serted. No one listened,
and despite his frantic appeals rush
started that meant death 10 many that
were I'm Il.
At the lear OF the church on the
second floor there In wide doorway
which leads to n stairway to each side
OF the building. Each stairway has a
sharp bend, which proved to be the
principal contributory cause Tor the
Jam. The front door on the first floor
ls wide and easy OF exit.
When the rush started those I'm the
rear OF the church did not fully real
ize what was wrong and were slow TO
move. The frantic shrieking OF the
women and children became louder and
more general. and many were knocked
down In the two alsles OF the church.
Then came the terrible rush down
the stalrwnys. For some unknown rca-
son everybody tried To get down the
left side OF the building. comparatively
few attempting TO leave by the right
stairway. one eye witness says that
perhaps n dozen persons got safely
down the stairs when several people
tripped and fell and caused the mar
row way to become jammed. Several
men on the first floor attempted To- hold
the people back. but were knocked
down. and then the human stream came
tumbling down. The weaker ones fell.
only TO be trampled upon and crushed
by those coming from behind.
The horrible shrieks sent up by the
PROSTATE persons added TO the con-
fnginn md nv thfa time CYAN fh.. ocular
ones In the rear OF the fighting mass
OF men, women and children became
terror stricken. Strong men I'm fear
that the building was falling leaped
over the heads OF women and children
and fought for their own safety.