Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1908-01-18
ITO PEOPLE
BURNED Up

DUNlVLD Ut
Boyertown, Pa, Jan. 13.-Nearly 100
persons of this borough were killed in
a 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 The Scottish Reformation"
was being presented in Rhodes opera
house by Mrs. Monroe of Washington
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.
1t seemed as though nearly the en-
tire audience made a 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 section
of the floor gave way, precipitating
scores of persons. to the basement.
Flames Spread Rapidly.
1t was scarcely five minutes from
the time of the explosion of the tank
until the entire structure seemed a
roaring furnace. There was a mad
scramble to the stairway and scores
of women and children were knocked
down and trampled upon, many of them
doubtless being crushed to death. At
least so persons, realizing that exit by
the stairWays meant almost certain
death, risked their lives by jumping
from the windows, Limbs were brok-
en- and skulls were crushed by the
daring method of escape.
In the meantime a relief corps was
at work at the entrance to the theater,
endeayOring to release those who were
wedged in the doorway and unable to
eXtricate themselves. Many persons
who otherwise might have made good
their escape from the furnace were
held in check by the awful jam at the
doors.
Women Fell Into Flames.
AS the flames caught their way to-
ward the front of the building women
could be seen to clasp their hands and
fall back into the flames. Once the
doOrWays were clear the rescuers drag
ged many women and children from
the stairways leading to the balcony.
Some of them were so badly injured
that they died before reaching a tenn
porary hospital. Skulls were crushed
and the faces of some of the victims
were so horribly mutilated that they
were unacceptable. In one case the
skull of child about 10 years old was
crushed almost to a jelly.
To add to the terrible disaster the
fire apparatus became disabled and the
structure was left entirely to the
mercy OF the flames. 1t is almost GER
tain that not vestige of the bodies of
the unfortunates who were overcome
by the smoke and persisted will ever
be found. Assistance was asked from
PottstoWn, but before the fire appar.
atus from that city reached this place
the entire center of the structure was
a roaring furnace.
adj the women and children needed
the warning of the cooler headed PEG.
Pile in the audience the horrible loss of
life might have been averted, but there
was the usual panic and stampede
which invariably follows such a catas-
trophe. The flames spread rapidly and
communicated to the other parts of the
building. Men, women and children
rushed for the many exits. and the
weaker sex and the children were tram
pied and manned in the mad rush TO
gain the streets.
Assistance was also led for of both
Reading and Pottstown and special
trains carving nurses and doctors
were rushed tn this city. Every home
within radious of half a dozen blocks
of the opera house was made a temper
ary hospital, where the wounded were
rushed bv carriages and other means of
conveyance.
Bovertown is a borough with popu-
lstion Of about $500 and is located
about midway between Pottstown and
ReadinR.