The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-02-05
SCORES OF MEN, WOMEN and CHILDREN
PERISH IN OPERA HOUSE HORROR
Victims Mostly Church Members Who Had llron8ed
Theatre at BoyertoWn, Pa, to See Enter
tainment by Children.
EYE WITNESS TELLS GRAPHIC STORY OF DISASTER

second floor. They succeeded in res
cuing some, but were forced to aban-
don the others to their fate, as the
quickly advancing flames drove them
from the building.
Charles B. Spatz, editor of the To-
cal paper and former member of the
Legislature, escaped, but only to be
injured few moments later. He
was fighting the flames and was
standing upon ladder when he
slipped and fell. Three ribs were
broken and he was cut about the
head
Survivors Of the disaster and spec
tators unite in saying that the at
tending scenes were the most horrible
that can be imagined. People threw
themselves from the balcony into the
body Of the theatre, hoping to find
some means of escape. Others
jumped from the windows of the
building and were either MANNED or
killed.
Could Wait Only For Death.
Meanwhile the flames which had
broken out on the stage were spread
ing rapidly throughout the building,
seemingly eager for their prey. Those
who had fallen in the wild rush and
who were so badly MANNED that they
were beyond all power to struggle
and fight were wailing in anguish,
their cries adding to the horror of
the situation. They could do nothing
but wait helplessly for their fate
to be roasted to death in the roaring
furnace.
There were many heroes in the
awful catastrophe Some are not
alive to tell of their deeds. They
gave up their lives for others. Faith
ers and mothers who might have
saved themselves fingered to get
their children, and all perished in the
flames. Brothers who might have
got out in safety hesitated to make
sure that their sisters were safe, and
they, too, are numbered among the
dead. Sweethearts, with little
thought of themselves, bent all their
energies in an effort to rescue their
companions, and their lives were also
added to the great harvest Of death.
Many who had reached the outside
in safety dashed back into the burn
ing building in mad and fruitless
endeavor to save. They never re-
turned.
The Probable Cause.
What may be a true statement of
the cause of the disaster was given
by an eye witness. Toward the end
OF the performance, the man In
charge of the moving picture machine
was testing his apparatus and it gave
forth a Kissing sound. This caused
a stir in the audience, and somebody
on the stage lifted the curtain for
the evident purpose Of seeing what
the commotion was about. On the
front of the stage was a tin tank,
about eight feet long and few in
ches high, and in this were placed
twelve kerosene lamps which served
as footlights. The curtain tilted this
tank over and this started the fire
and the subsequent panic and awful
loss of life.
There were 80 paid admissions
to the theatre, and it is believed
about 425 persons were in the hall,
including the performers when the
fire started. Most of them were
adults, as the show was not Of
sort to appeal to children.
the fire was not brought under
control until early next morning,
after assistance had arrived from
Reading and Pottstown.
Two special trolley cars from
Reading brought members of the
State constabulary, surgeons, trained
nurses, and a large supply of hos
pital stores and first aid to the in
jured appliances. The State constab-
ulary Immediately took charge and
roped off the scene. During the early
morning a gasoline tank exploded
and blew down the standing walls,
and but for the precaution of the
guards many others would have been
killed.
The building which was destroyed
was large brick structure, three
stories high, and with a frontage OF
125 feet on Philadelphia avenue. The
first floor was occupied by the Farm
ers' National Bank and hardware
store. The second and third floors
were occupied by the opera house
and a lodge.
The building also extended on
Washington street for distance OF
$50 feet. In the rear of the bank
were four large dwelling houses
which were part of the building.
These we're burned.
The monetary loss will amount to
about $4,000.
Story of Eye Witness.
Reuben W. Slower, one OF those
who escaped the flames, in speaking
of the IRE said: when the noise
like an explosion occurred, there
were at least thirty boys and girls
on the stage, while many more were
behind the scenes. Without warning,
there was a terrific explosion, which
seemed to shake the entire building.
Immediately there was wild rush
for the exits. The people on the
stage jumped over the footlights into
the audience. Everybody seemed to
have lost control of himself. The
flames first consumed the flimsy
scenery and then came toward the
crowd like a great wave, and the suf-
locating smoke dropped men. women
and children in its path. The flames
did the rest. 1t was a terrible sight,
and I shall carry the recollection as
long as live. Once the crowd began
to fight it's way toward the doors no
power on earth could have saved all