Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-01-15
-FOUR Buildings Used as Morgues
Containing a Hundred and
Sixty-TWo Bodies.
TO EACH A TAG IS ATTACHED.
On it Are Laid Articles of JeweIry
Or Apparel That it May
Be Identified.
IN Nearly Every Case, Upper Portion
VI Bodies Burned, Some to Crisp
Order and Sorrow Reign.

hoyertown, Pa, Jan. I5.-Wftb tho
epohihg OF the four improvised NOR
sues today in which lay the victims
oi Monday nights theater horror tba
'"''ao''ahts Of this borough began to
reai'2e the awful extent OF the tragedy
me hand of sorrow has touched
prooabiy every family in the town and
IN many neighboring villages. Where
Iaihllies were not directly affected bv
the terrible panic and fire through the
loss of relatives. they were mourn,no
Tor lost friends or acquaintance. TINS
sruesome scenes following the disaster
prlns a shudder to the stoutest beart
ana many of The thousands who hay,
come as curiosity seekers have son,
away declaring they never want to wit
ness another sight like 1t.
The four buildings used as uorgras
contain IL bodies. The three under
taking establishments of the town
We're too small 70 accommodate the
victims so the borough officials decid-
cd TO use the high school. Under
takers from surrounding towns were
pressed into service TO care for rhe
bodies. TO each body was attochaa !,
tag containing number and with the
corpse was laid articles of jewelry or
eiothlng that might have been in pos
session of the victim.
BODIES UNREcoGNIzABLE.
Most OF the bodies were in such con
dition that few of them Will be recog-
nlzed by their features alone. In near
~ every case, the upper portions OF
the bodies were burned, some of them
TO "a crisp Because of the difficulty of
Identification ana the attendant con.
fusion the coroner decided to keep the
morgues closed until today and during
the morning the doors of the buildlne
were thrown open. Hundreds of peo-
ple were waiting at each place 10 get
look at the bodies in the hone m
hnoing the remains of loved ones PER-
rect order was maintained at each of
ehe morsues. a squad OF police being
on duty to keep the crowds moving.
Jacob johnson, who was badly hurt
IN the mad rush for exit from the
burning building, died this morning.
Coroner Strasser is making an inves-
LEGATION preliminary to the official in
quiry.
IT was the saddest picture / ever
looked upon.' he said. mo living soul
can depict the scene. 1t was simply
Understandable.
II shall make, thorough invest,ea-
ton leading up TO what I consider The
most horrible affair that ever occurred
In eastern Pennsylvania"
Inc coroners attention was called
TO the fact that oil lamps were used
Tor footlights In the opera house in
stead OF stationary illumination. He
SAID ne would make an inquiry.
MAN WHO CAUSED DISASTER
Henry W. Fischer of Carlisle. Pa. Tho
operator of the calcium lights. was the
original cause OF the terrible disaster.
made his escape from the building
hough not without first receiving Sc
'era burns.
Mr.. Fischer said:
THE accident was caused bv a can
IN one OF the tanks blowing out This
aused sharp report and startled the
'eople, l stuck TO my apparatus and
nally got the leak repaired Just as
had the people Gained. the foolish
ctor or some thoroughly frightened
erson on the stage caused the over
citing OF an oil lamp ana the con-
equent spread OF the flame which
othing could avert
Not until then did I desert my post
nd seek my own safety in fight"
That the victims were not confined
} residents OF Boyertown was shown
y the number OF unclaimed teams at
he hotels. Fully 80 teams remained
ncalled for in the stables yesterday
nd the hostelrles said they belonged
, people residing within a radius OF
We or six miles or Boyertown who
rove to this place on Monday with
ieir families 70 witness the produc-
on OF the Scottish Reformation
here is no clue 10 tho identity of tho
Hners Of u number OF the teams
NEW YORK AROUSED.
New York, Jan. l5.--while It is now
I'D that the terrible tragedy at Boy
town IN which nearly 200 lives were
Isl, was not directly caused by
owing picture machine 7s drt re ort-
1. tho report has called attention to
o danger IN those machines Of which
any are IN daily and nightly 0peratlon
New York and IN every other city IN
e country, Chief Croker Of the fro
partment says that there "a great
niger OF fire from these mach nes
rticularly IN the case - fcor OF
ore shows. which were scattered an
er tho town. IL ia no uncommon thing
+ a tm 10 catch fire from the muohine
d very often the iire artment T.
He'd out by such a blaze. In some
SEES a pretepse is made OF lining the
orators box with asbestos, but th
seldom more than a pretonse. In
: regular theaters there IS practically
danger from the machine. but in
q small shows, scattered over IN.
y there Is every real danger A ma
Inc Is liable 10 Start "A flre az any
,ment and IN THE store show" little
.entlon Is paid to the matter OF exits
the large crowds thai are con-
nifty IA attendance. a IRE once well
lrted IN one OF the shows would
most cases eud M n frlghtfu loss
life. The authorities have for some
ne been trying TO enforce strictir
gulations FOR such shows, bur -
naye hcen unable 10 90 80 " A.
Al an unlikely that he discussion
ised hy the BQyertown lire WIN hay.
effect OF securing mhrc stringent
-ulatlons Tor moving picture shows
only In New York, but throughout