The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1908-01-17
ITO PEOPLE
BURNED UP

w. kl NAD IA
| Boyertown, Pa, Jan. 13.-Nearly 100
persons of this borough were killed in
theater fire and panic tonight, and
nearly three score injured. many of
them fatally. A majority of the killed
were members of the leading families
of the town.
While 1.-THE Scottish Reformation"
was being presented in Rhodes opera
house by Mrs. Monroe of Washington
a tank used in a moying-picture scene
exploded. Immediately there was a
wild rush for the exits of the building.
Men of mature years endeavored to
still the panic, but their voices could
not be heard above the shrieks and
screams Of the terrified women and
children, who composed the greater
part of the audience.
It seemed as though nearly the en-.
tire audience made rush for the exits
the moment the explosion occurred.
In their attempt to quiet the great
crowd those persons who were on the
stage accidentally upset the coal oil
lamps used at 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 terrified audience
who were fighting frantically to gain
the exits. In the made rush a section
of the floor gave way, precipitatine
scores of persons to the basement.
Flames Spread Rapidly.
:. 1t was scarcely five minutes from
the time of the explosion of the tanl
until the entire structure seemed {
roaring furnace. There was a mao
scramble to the stairway and scores
of women and children were knocked
down and trampled upon, many of then
doubtless being crushed to death. A
least so persons, realizing that exit b.
the stairways meant almost certain
death, risked their lives by jumpin,
from the windows. Limbs were brok
en- and skulls were crushed by thu
:. daring method of escape.
In the meantime a relief corps wa
at work at the entrance to the theater
endeavoring to release those who wer,
wedged in the doorway and unable t.
extricate themselves. Many person
who otherwise might have made Sgoo'
their escape from the furnace Fwer
held in check by the awful jam at tn
doors.
Women Fell Into Flames.
AS the flames caught their way tt
ward the front of the building womel
could be seen to clasp their hands an
fall back into the flames. Once th
doorways were clear the rescuers dras
ged many women and children froI
the stairways leading to the balloon,
. Some of them were so badly injure
that they died before reaching a ten
= porary hospital. Skulls were crushe
and the faces of some of the victim
= were so horribly mutilated that the
were unrecognizable. In one case tn
;, skull of child about 10 years old wa
crushed almost to jelly.
To add to the terrible disaster tn
fire apparatus became disabled and tn
structure was left entirely to tn
mercy of the flames. It is almost ce
o tain that not vestige of the bodies {
y the unfortunates who were overcom
l. by the smoke and persisted. will eve
y be found. Assistance was asked frol
Pottstown, but before the fire appa
atus from that city reached this plae
- the entire center of the structure We
a roaring furnace.
Had the women and children heede
s. the warning of the cooler headed PEI
Il pie in the audience the horrible loss
life might have been averted, but thel
It was the usual panic and stamped
a which invariably follows such cata
N trophe. The flames spread rapidly ar
IN communicated to the other parts of Il
building. Men, women and childre
rushed for the many exits. and tt
weaker sex and the children were ira
pied and MANNED in the mad rush
90 gain the streets.
= Assistance was also asked for of bot
&c Reading and Pottstown and speci
!" trains carrying nurses and docto
- were rushed to this city. Every hon
u within a radious of half dozen blocl
~ of the opera house was made tempo
airy hospital, where the wounded we
rushed by carriages and other means
ne conveyance.
Boyertown is borough with pop
lation of about $500 and is locate
as about midway between Pottstown al
Reading.