Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-07-04
Helpless Women and Children
Lose Lives in Panic Caused
by Explosion of Fire Works in
Cleveland,
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT
IN DEPARTMENT STORE
Hundreds of Shoppers Unable
to Escape From the FIameSi
Pile up DoorwayS and Jump
From Windows,

tBy Morning 5o'brnai Special LAased Wire.l
Cleveland. Ohio, July Six per-
sons were killed at least two others
were fatally injured and fully thirty
more were severely hurt as the result
OF a fire in 5. 5. Kreig's five-eent store
on Lario street today. Following is
a list OF the dead.
EMMA SCHUMACHER. age IS,
floor walker.
MARIE WAGNER. g Il. clerk.
ANNA TREFALL, age "A, clerk.
ELIZABETH RIES. Il. clerk.
MARY HUGHES. -. shopper.
JAMES l. PARKER. 4 years old.
The most seriously hurt are.
Anna Hildebrandt. IS, internally.
Laura Horsk, 16, bruised about body
and hip broken.
Mrs. Anna FaIscher, arm and hip
broken.
Jennie Singer, head injured.
Carrie Bowman, Internal injuries.
Helen Gatraski, trampled upon and
Internally injured.
Emma Jaskins. leg broken.
The fire followd an explosion Of fire
works on display in the store. Opin-
ions differ as to the exact cause of the
explosion. a woman who was at the
fireworks counter said the stock was
ignited by sparks from a device which
was being demonstrated to her by a
clerk. Fire Chief Wallace and the
manager were OF the opinion that
the pices wre ignitd by an arc light.
Immediately following the explosion
alarm of fire was sounded and o
panic seized the hundreds of clerks
and shoppers. A mad rush was made
for the doors and windows. Many
Jumped from the second and third
floor windows.
The store, which is located near the
corner in the downtown dis
trict, was Wen filled with shoppers.
mostly women and children. Prac-
all the clerks wer young girls.
Although the xplosion of the fireworks
,aused CONSERVATION, the real panic
not occur until some one shouted
Fire For an instant a hush came
the crowd. Then women scream
and some tainted as sudden fear
overcame thin.
FAXED by the possibility Of injury or
leath. all on the main floor rushed for
he front ard real doors. Quickly they
TANNED IN the front doorway.
During the jam those who had at
empted to escape by the rear door
we're blocked IN their passage. The
Jack door was too small for an who
ought safety there, and the rear VIM
lows wer closed with iron bars. Those |
.ho could not escape in this direction
urned to the front door. While prac-
ically every one on the main floor
able TO leave without fniurv
through the front door, Il was mainly !
BECAUSE of the jam at that door that
he seven unfortunate ones lost their
Ives. Two of the clerks. seeing no
possibility of escape at the front door.
to the basement. The basement
-indows were also barred with iron.
nd their return to the main floor was
ut off by the approach of theflames.
he other women again forced to the
ear of the store by the approaching
finally sought safety under a
ounter, where thir bodies We're found
hours afr the explosion. The
omen had been ~suffocated. The sew
nth victim the t-our-year-oId son of
George Parker. was knocked TO
floor during the first panic. There
e. lay unconscious and trampled upon
nth s%uffocated by the smoke.
While h panic upon the main floor
as in progress the flames from theI,
reWorks counter rapidly advanced to
parts OF the store. The smoke
I'd flames Were whiried up the stair /,
avs to the second and third floors.
he frenzied crowds of clerks and
loppers who were endeavoring to find
means of escape by way of the stairs
frustrated by the s%uffocating
noke. The elevator mase several |
ips during the first few minutes of |
II fire and took many to the main |
Hundreds Of persons We're mean the |
90 the store at the time Of the
.piosion. Terrified shoppers rushed |
q Of the front door TO the sidewalk.
omen and girls appeared in the up
r windows shouting and pleading for
~. Men upon the sidewalk told l
to walt until The firemen arrived 4
lth their ladders. Hysterical with
e fright that was upon Thorn. some
u not wait but hurled themselves to
e sidewalk
IN TINS ann many were scNerelv
lnrrd When 1ne on two had thus
ced death. IL stampede the others on
e upper idges and they.too. fol-