The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-15
DEATH LIST IN THEATRE
 HORROR WILL REACH 175
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1.)  loose chairs In the scramble to get out many persons fell over the chairs and
 were never able to regain their feet Those who did reach the front entrance found it damned with people who were fighting and shrieking to get out One
 of the double doors had been bolted shut so as to better enable the ticket taker to take up tickets. Not more than two per sons could pass this door at one time, and after the first half dozen got through the narrow passage it became clogged with the struggling mass of humanity. Men, women, boys, girls, and chairs were tangled up in solid mass that no one from the outside was able to disentangle Some one discovered that there were l fire escapes on each side of the building and dozens made their escape through this avenue and gave the alarm. The fire bell was rung and the whole town was aroused and went to the rescue. All this time the flames from the oil tank were creeping toward the mass of people who were frantically shreking and fighting to get out. Some of the bravest whn had gained the fire escapes pulled dozens from the struggling mass and directed them to the sides of the building. While the frenzied people were fighting to get down the front steps the calcium light tank exploded and fire was spread over the entire mass of people. Few Are Rescued. On the front steps outside the door men pulled frantically to open way for the wedged-in people, but not more than half a dozen were rescued in this manner. The explosion of the calcium tank and the flames from the front of the stage, which had by this time reached the struggling people, made further rescue impossible. The entire interior of the building was one seething furnace. Fire men threw feeble stream of water into the burning building, but it had no effect upon the flames. The cries of the unfor- tunate victims, many with their clothing already ablaze, and the means of the dying were heartrending. When the flames had entirely enveloped the build ing and threatened adjoining property, the fire department of Pottstown, nine miles distant, was summoned. The fire men went to work with a vim to stay the progress of the flames. This was accom- plished after the building was entirely destroyed and several adjoining structures were badly damaged.
 An Ugly Dispute.
 While the flames were being checked an unfortunate scene occurred. The fremen made trips to nearby saloons with the re- suit that toward morning some of the men became unruly. There were frequent
  the Pottstown and Boyertown companies would become involved in free fight. The state police, who had been summoned from their barracks at Reading to assist the town in it's afflicton, prevented more serious affray.
 The conditions became so serious that Burgess Kohler, at O clock in the morn ing issued an order to all saloonkeepers within the borough to close their places until further notice. When the flames were eXtingulshed and the rescuers entered the building, terri ble sight met their gaze
 Bodies were piled in one solid mass six feet high on the second floor. So solidly were they wedged that picks and crow bars had to be used to separate the vic tims. As each victim was taken from the pile, number tag was attached and the body placed in boards, after which 1t was taken to one of the morgues. In nearly every case the upper portions of the bodies were burned away, and In a great many instances the lower parts of the bodies were not touched by the fire. List of the Dead. The list of known dead follows
 Mrs. John Becker and two children. Dr. Charles Mayer and daughter. Robert Lapisehe. Child of Rev. A. M. Weber, Lula Fegley. Miss Emma Mengel. Mrs. Ira Shober, Mrs. Richard Turner. Mrs Daniel Kross. | Mrs George Romieg. MT. and Mrs. Herbert Gottschall. Henry Binder. Blanche and Mabel kochel. Ellen Gottschall. Mabel Graf. Mrs J. J. Becker and three children. Lottie Graver and sister. John Grayer. Charles Mover and daughter. Daniel Krause. | Morris Anderson and two children
 James Anderson, wife and two children. | Chas. Maurer. l Stella Kulp, | Carrie Weand, | Florence Weand, | Edna Boyer, l Keeley Boyer, 1 Mamie Tols, | Mrs. Maggie Leferce, l. Mrs. Mary Leinbach, l Maura Orig,
 Mrs. Adam Mover,
 David Gable, Jr., and wife,
 Franklin Leidy,
 Anna Leidy,
 Mrs Esther Cullen, | Lottie Bowman, Ella Johnson,
 Annie Zegler,
 John Fritz,
 Cora Fritz,
 Mrs. John Glaze,
 Mrs. Reuben Hoffman and daughter,
 Mrs. Johnson.
 Story of Survivor Reuben w. Stover, one of those who escaped the flames, in speaking of the
 fire today, said:
 "When the explosion occurred there
 were at least thirty boys and girls on the stage, while many more were behind
 the scenes. Without warning there was
 terrific explosion, which seemed to | shake the entire building Immediately | there was wild rush for the exits. The | people on the stage jumped from the foot
 lights into the audience Everybody
 seemed to have lost control of them-
 selves. The flames first consumed the . | fimsy scenery, and then came toward the | crowd like A great wave and the suffO-