The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-14
The Actors Endeavored to Quiet the Audience to Avoid the Awful Stampede Which Followed, But to No Avail Scores of Persons Who Were in the Balcony Jumped from the Windows and Were Seriously and Perhaps Fatally Injured.

Boyertown. Pa. Jan. 1s--A catas- trophes hprrifying in it's detsifs and sickening in it's results. tonight swept nearly 100 souls of this borough into eternity in almost the twinkling of an eye. and injured nearly three score, many of them fatally. A majority ot the killed were members of the lead ing families of the town. In. many cases. entire families have been wiped out
 While the Scottish reformation was being produced in Rhoades Opera House by Mrs Monroe, of Washington, a tank used in a moving pictue scene exploded. Immediately there was a wild rush for the exit of the building. Men of mature years and the actofs endeavored to still the panic. but their voices could not be heard above the shrieks and screams of the terrified woman and children who composed the greater part of the audience.
 The scenes cannot be portrayed fit- lyl by the most imaginative The bloodcurdling cries for help of those who were penned within the walls of the blazing structure could be heard above the roaring, seething flames Itlseemed as though nearly the entire audience made mad rush for the exits the moment the explosion occurred. In their attempt to quiet the crowd those persons who were on the stage. accidentally upset the coal oil lamps used as the footlights. The burning oil scattered in all directions and the lamps which were used to light the opera house, exploded throwing the blazing oil over the terror stricken to gain the exits.
 In the mad rush. section of the [ Moor gave way, pfecipitatfng scores or persons to tue basement. IL was scarcely five minutes from the time of the explosion Of the tank until the structure seemed roaring furnace There was mad scramble for the stairway leading from the balcony and scores of woman and children were knocked down and trampled upon. At least fifty persons risked their lives by Jumping from the windows. Limbs were broken and skulls were crushed by this daring method of escape.
 ! Assistance Asked For. .f
 Assistance was asked from Potts. town but before fire apparatus from that city reached this place the entire centre of the structure was a roaring furnace.
 Had the women and children needed the warning of the cooler heads in the audience, the horrible loss Of life might have been avoided. but there was the usual panic and stampede which fn- varfably follows at such a catastrophe. The flames spread rapidly and com municated to the other parts of the theatre. Men, women and children rushed for the main exits and the weaker sex and the children were trampled and maimed in the mad rush to gain the street.
 Assistance was at once asked of both Reading and Pottstown and spectal trains carrying nurses and doctors were rushed 10 the. scene of the dis
 Every home within radius of a dozen blocks of the opera house were made a temporary hospital, where tie wounded were rushed by carriages and other means of conveyance
 Boyeftown is borough with population of about 2.500 and Is locat- ca about midway between Pottstown. and Reading.
 The fire Is not yet under control bur 1t is not thought it will be communi- cated to other property as the opera self
 sIdddened by Sight.
 Hundreds of persons surround the burning structure apparently uncon- kscious of the pending danger from falI- ing, walls. Many parents who had children in the opera house are pacing to and fro. almost Inaddened by the awful sight
 Ihe hlSht was one of wailing and anguish The shrieks of mothers who nad rushed to the scene as soon as they learned of the fire, was pitifuI. AS the night wore on, the crowds sur rounding the building grew to such proportions that 1t was almost impos- sible for the police force which had been augmented by score of men from Pottstown and Reading. to keep the people back. One woman who said she had lost her entire family in the theatre was with difficulty restrained from throwing herself into the flames.
 At l o'clock a special train from Reading, bearing physicians and nurses reached here, but there was little for them to do, as the injured who had dashed themselves to the pavement had been cared for, 4 few minutes after midnight the rear wall of the theatre collapsed. The flames broke out anew and those who had hoped to be able to find the remains of some of their loved ones turned in despair from the scene
 It is estimated that at least seventy i've persons were injured by being trampled on either on the stairway or by jumping from the windows.
 Crushed to a Pulp.
 Of this number at least a score were fatally injured. At least half dozen suc- cumbed to their injuries after being hurried to one of the temporary hos- pitaIs. Three children, ranging In age from to I2 years, and one woman, who was dragged from the building by persons who had rushed to the rescue, had been trampled almost to a pulp. and the skull of one of the unfortunate children had been crushed as though 1t was an eggshell.
 The fire was under control shortly before 1 o'clock, but it will be impos- sible to attempt to make a search of the ruins before tomorrow! It is ex- tremely doubtful If the remains of the victims can be distinguished from the debris as many persons In the audi