The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-07-19
THOUSANDS OVER
COME IN AWFUL
HEAT
EIk's Great Parade MARRIED by
Heat and Storm.
VISITORS AND MARCHERS
PhiIadeiphia's Police, Physicians and
Hospitals Corps Worn Out
With Vast Crowd.

thousand i've hundred persons. per
spring marchers and massed together
spectators. were Frustrated 10y heat
during the annual parade Of the Elks
here and every hospital ON the line
WIS full 10 overlooking long before a
drenchng downpour of rain came,
breaking up the parade when II was
still FAR from being finished.
The police secured records Of more
than 1900 cases. which were handled
by them or taken 10 hospitals. but hun.
drcds were cared for In the dispense.
rlcs. where no record was kept II
required four hours for the marchers
% pass a given point. and the eager
people stood In tho hot sun for two
hours or more before the parade start.
ell The total number In the line Of
march Il conseryatively estimated nj
2U01 men. with about i25 floats
Although this started out as one 81
the hottest days of the year. great
crowds 81 citizens aud visitors were
packed together In solid acres along
the line ~ march long before the start
was made. Under the brolling sun per.
sous we're soon dropping. ~ FIRST by
ones and tWo- aud then by dozens aud
scurrs
BEFORE the parade had been under
way very long the Elks were adding
recruits 90 the growing army ~ the
Frustrated. stepping along % the mu.
&c. the lodge members. most 90 whom
wore ornate regulla or uniforms that
added 90 their discomfort. began 60
collapse
Soon the amhulances had more than
they could do aud private wagons
weuc pressed into use 20 rush the sui
ferrrs O. the hospitals aud infrmarics
The wards som became swamped.
and all preicnse ~ routine was ahan.
loned In the efforts 20 care for the
sun struck men aud women arriving
every minute.
Not even the names ~ the patients
were taken. one mans brain added
under the heat. aud he became a raw.
Ing maniac. II took eight attendants
10 ovcpowcr him aud throw him into
an Ice hath
The jam ~ people vas terrific. aud
the greatest difficulty was experienced
by the worn out policemen In getting
the rrostrutcd persons out Of the
crowds
This city maintains an emergency
relief corps ~ physicians. which N
augmented on special occasions 60 sew
rral hundred physicians. aud they
were OH on duty In expectation of
Wholesale prustrations. a. the inter.
section - every main street there
was hospital station. and all were
kept busy.
Fortunately the prustrations. ~ a
rule. we're ~ o mild character. and
most u the patients were able 10 dis.
pense with medical attention after a
short treatment az the 2.t0O or more
"a lcs only few arr expected 20 result
fatally.
Just when the situation promised 10
get beyond the control ~ the medical
forces relief came in the form u
thunder shower from the west. which
saved many lives mo- doubt
The rear portion of the procession
stlll had four miles 90 march when the
storm broke. causing tha paraders aud
crowds 60 scatter. The storm came
quicker than the people could extricate
themselves from the surglng. strug.
Cling crowd. aud tens ~ thousands
that stood for hours In spite 81 the
terrible heat were soaked 10 the skin
by the rain.
John u. O'Shea Of Lynn. Mass.
chairman ~ the board u Grand thus
tees ~ the Elks. who was stricken
with npoplcXy In his apartments hero
on Tuesday night. died last night.