The Washington times., 1908-01-14
FIRE KILLS 100
IN WILD CRUSH.
MANY INJURED
Continued from First Pags.)


damned the stairway The fire first
consumed the himsy scenery, then came
toward the crowd like a great wave,
something like a fire or the prairies.
imagine. I yelled to the people for or
der, and was swept from my feet again.
Then regular bedlam was let loose.
and the suffocating smoke felled men,
women, and children in its path. The
names did the rest. ] crawled to
window as best ] could, broke the Danes
and dropped 10 the ground below. Lit
tie children fell TO the floor Ike hies
and women wept as they saw death ap-
preaching, with no relief at hand.
tried 70 save several. but they appeared
beWildered and resisted my Efforts Ihe
entire crowd seemed bent on making fer
the stairway, and there is where they
made mistake"
Another survivor. who escaped with
BcOTched face. said:
1T was as sudden as ii was uneX-
pected-the explosion, the stampede the
panIc-Stricken people wecged in the
stairway, the cries OF those IN the rear
the dreadful smoke and flames, and
then scores engulfed by the Seething
fire. IT seems to me II all occurred in
a minute. It all took place in less than
two minutes. OF that I am sure. The
cries OF the people fated TO meet sucn
dreadful death / viii never forget
George Gresh, who helped q number
of women and children out Of the build
ing, says he saw in some cases mothers
and all their children swept OF their
feet
In one case he saw a mother throw
her baby out OF one OF the windows. Co
ing back 10 save the otner ehlldren, she
was overcome by the surg1ng mass or
people fighting for their lives.
Struggle to Escape.
In the struggle to escape an awful
death. sex and age were disregarded.
trampled by men who were stronger
and whose only thought was TO escape
from the flames. The weaker ones who
had reached the stairs were pushed
down by the jam Of struggling human
iUy behind. Many met their death in
this narrow stairway.
Soon the main entry was filled with
dead and dying. They were met by the
fierce blaze which quickly overpOwered
them.
Many leaped from the windows and
escaped with their lives.
Flee With Clothing Afre.
A few near the doors managed to dart
through. and, with their clothing ablaze,
reached the street and rolled in agony.
Three children who were dragged from
the building by rescuers were found TO
have their skulls crushed 10 q pulp. A
corps of doctors and nurses were rushed
to the scene on special trains from
Reading and POttstown, and they at
once began to care for the injured.
Many Of the injured were taken 10
Reading and Pottstown hospitals. Fire
men were sent also from Reading and
PottstOwns as 1t was feared the entire
village would be wiped out. The IRE
had spread from the opera house to
other buildings on the block.
Captain Smith, OF the State police,
reached POttstOwn after midnight and
took charge OF the fire. He issued or
ders &c his men 70 shoot anybody who
attempted TO loot the dead.
While the fire was raging men who
had lost their families in the Catas-
trophe appealed to the police and fire.
men 10 save the bodies Of their loved
ones.
Mother Rescued Driven Insane.
Women raved as they saw that the
flames were consuming the bodies of
those lost. One mother became insane
when she realized that she alone Of all
her family was left alive, Barely fifty
Of the audience escaped from the hail
without injury.
In the struggle to escape from the
burning building men acted ike ma
MACS. They thrust women aside who
had reached the windows in order to
pushed women out OF the way and
trampled on the PROSTATE bodies Of
their victims.
There were men in the burning house
who did their pest TO save their loved
ones But they were helpless. The
fire pressed from behind, and they were
showed and damned by men from be-
hind who had lost all human sense.
Screams Terrify Citizens.
The screams Of the burning could be
heard for blocks outside the opera
house They rang out like the cries OF
Gagged animals. They were the cries of
despair and desperation. Men on the
streets stopped their ears 10 shut out
these cries. And when the last burn
ing figure had Ieaped 10 the street from
the windows. there was still in the in
terror of the opera house fully $50 roast /
iEg bodies. The writing forms could
be seen for a time, and then the cur
tain of fame hid them as the firemen
tried 10 reach them.
Al the very outset the Eoyertown
frernen, only two companies strong,
we're crippled Their only steamer broke |
down on the way to the fire, and though |
everyone who could handle q bucket
In the village turned out, their fight |
against the flames was futile.
All OF the doctors in the village rolled /
up their sleeves, and began the work !
of aiding the injured, while calls sent |
10 Reading and PottstOwn brought spe-
Cial trains. Two companies OF fTemen ]
went from PottstOWn and twice that /
number from Reading on special trains, [
which carried trained nurses and doc
tors
Every house within blocks Of the fire /
was turned into hospital But a new
danger confronted them.