Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-15
Recovering the Dead.

Boyertown, Pa. Jan. 15.-One hum
dred and sixty-seven bodies had been
recovered from the ruins OF the
Rhoades opera house last night when
darkness put an end to the work. Cor
oner Strasser does not believe the to-
tai list Of dead in the fire panic will
exceed 40.
There were many heroes in the aW-
full catrastrophe. Some are not alive 10
tell of their deeds. They gave up their
lives for others. Fathers and mothers
who might have saved themselves lin
gered to save their children ard per-
ished in the flames. Brothers who
might have got out in safety hesitated
to make sure that their sisters were
safe, and they, too. were numbered
among the dead. Sweethearts, with lit
tie thought for themselves, bent all
their energies in an effort to rescue
their companions, and their lives were
also added to the great harvest OF
deaths. Many who had reached the
outside in safety dashed back into the
burning building in mad and frultless
desire to save.
Reuben w. Stover, one of those
who escaped the flames, in speaking OF
the fire yesterday, said:
"When the explosion occurred there
was at least thirty boys and girls on
the stage, while many more were be-
hind the scenes Without warning there
was a terrific explosion, which seemed
to shake the entire building. Immedi-
ately there was a wild rush for the
exits The people on the stage jumped
over the footlights into the audience.
Everybody semed to have lost control
Of themselves. The flames first con-
sumed the scenery and then came 70
the crowd like great wave and the
suffocating smoke dropped men, wo-
men and children in it's path. The
flames did the rest. 1t was pit1ful
sight and l will. carry the recollections
as long as live Once the crowd be-
gan to fight its way toward the doors
no power on earth could have saved
all the lives, but had the men not lost
control of themselves the loss of life
would have been small"
425 in Death Chamber.
The Rhoades opera house was To-
Gated on the second floor of a three
story brick building. The first floor was
occupied by national bank and sew
eral stores and the third floor was
used for lodge rooms.
The entertainment hall was large
room about fifty feet wide and seventy
five feet long. 1t had no gallery There
was a stairway at the front of the
building and narrow exit in the rear
of the stage. Fire escapes were built
on both side and on the front of the
building.
So far as can be learned there were
about 425 persons packed in the room.
most of whom were adults. A number
of children were present. There were
about sixty-five persons, all local tall
ent on the stage, who We're giving a
performance of "The Scottish Refor-
nation"
The entertainment was nearly over,
the audience waiting for the curtain
to go up for the last part, when some-
thing went wrong with the calcium
light apparatus that was perched, on
small platform near the front en-
trance of the building, and at the
back of the audience.
The light was in charge of ii. w.
Fischer of Carlisle, Pa, and he says
rubber tube slipped from one of the
tanks. At any rate there was loud
kissing sound, which caused many In
the audience to turn their heads in
curiosity to see what it was.
There was absolutely no panic up to
this time and probably nothing would
have happened if one of the perform
ers behind the curtain had not been
curious to learn what was causing the
noise. Who he or they were probably
will never be known.
Hearing the kissing sound and the
slight commotion in the audience, one
Of the performers raised the curtain
from the floor. In front of the curtain
and serving as footlights was tin
tank eight feet long. three inches wide,
and three inches high. 1t contained
coal oil and ten lights.
In raising the curtain the performer