The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-01-14
HUNDRED DEAD
IN THEATER FIRE
Entertainment atBOyertOWn,
Pa, Ends In Tragedy.
THREESCORE ARE INJURED
Majority Of Killed Members Of
Leading Families Of Town.
MOVING PICTURE FILMS EXPLODE.

MOVING PICTURE FILMS EXPLODE.
Oil Lamps Are Then Overturned and
Flames Shoot Through the House.
Women and Children Are Trampled
to Death In Unreasonine Panic.
Many Persons Throw Themselves
From Windows and Are Hurt.
Boyertown, Pa, Jan. IA catastro-
phe horrifying in its details and sick
ening in its results last night swept
a hundred souls of this borough into
eternity in almost the twinkling of an
eye and injured nearly threescore,
many of them fatally. A majority
of the killed were members of the lead
ing families of the town.
While the Scottish Reformation was
being produced in Rhoades' Opera
House by Mrs. Monroe of Washington
a tank used in moving picture scene
exploded. Immediately there was a
wild rush for the exits of the build
ing. Men of mature years endeav0r-
ed 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 great
er part of the audience. The scenes
cannot be portrayed fifty by the most
imaginative The blood curdling cries
for help of those who were penned
within the walls of the blazing struc-
ture could be heard above the roaring,
seething flames.
Mad Rush For Exits.
1t seemed as though nearly, the en-
tire audience made a mad rush for the
exits the moment the explosion occur
red. 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 direc-
tons, and the lamps which were used
to light the opera house exploded,
throwing the blazing oil over the ter
TOR stricken people who were fighting
frantically to gain the exits. In the
mad rush section of the floor gave
away, precipitating scores of persons
to the basement.
1t was scarcely five minutes from the
time Of the explosion of the tank UNI
til the entire heart of the structure
seemed a roaring furnace. There was
mad scramble for the stairway lead
ing from the balcony, and scores of
women and children We're knocked
down and trampled upon, many of
them doubtless being crushed to death.
AT least fifty persons, realizing that
exit by the stairway meant almost
certain death, risked their lives by
jumping from the windows. Limbs
were broken and skulls were crushed
by this daring method of escape.
Relief Corps at Work.
In the meantime relief corps was
at work at the entrance to the theater
endeavoring to release those who were
wedged in the doorway.
As the flames ate their way toward
the front of the building women could
be seen to clasp their hands and fall
back into the flames. Once the doors
were cleared the rescuers dragged
many women and children from the
stairways leading to the balcony. Some
of them were so badly injured that
they died before reaching a temporary
hospital Skulls were crushed, and
the faces of some of the victims were
so horribly mutilated that they were
barely recognizable. In one instance
the skull Of child, apparently about
ten years of age, was crushed almost
to jelly.
List Of Known Dead.
The list Of dead so far as known is
as follows:
Mrs. Frank Cullen, Lulu Fegley,
Mrs. Daniel Gabel, Daniel Framer,
Mrs. Daniel Framer, Lottie Framer.
Fred Godschall, Mrs. Fred Godschall,
Elisha Reinert, Harry Toms, Mrs.
Harry Reinardt, Mrs. George Romig,
Herbert Godschall, Mrs. Herbert God
schalt Henry Binder, Mabel HoehI,
Blanche Hoehl, Ellen Godschall, Mabel
Graft Mrs. J. J. Becker, three chill
dren of Mrs Becker, Lottie Trader,
John RAIDER, Charles Leyer Daniel
Krause, Morris Anderson, James An
derson, Mrs. James Anderson, two
children of Mr.. and Mrs. Anderson.
Mrs. Carrie Weand, Franklin G. Leidy,
A. Foreman, Mrs Foreman, Charles
Lowery, Jennie Kunz, Miss Mary Ia
Dor, Harry Foreman, Mrs. Harry
Foreman, two children of Mr.. and Mrs.
Harry Foreman, daughter of Amos
Engle Clara Haltzman. May Bauman,
all of Boyertown; Mrs. Ephraim John
son, Miss Johnson, daughter; Mrs.
Amos Hartman, wife of DR.. Francis,
Frank Boyer, William Boyer, e. H.
Boyer, Anna Dorr, Mrs. Anna Bau-
man, Herbert Johnson, Mrs. Herbert
johnson, daughter of William Boyer,
all Of New Berlinville; Mrs. Reuben
Hoffman, Oscar H. Mench, Miss LIZ
xie ZeigIer and Mary Ronich, all Of
Gilbertville.
Notice.