Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-01-23
HUNDRED DIE
IN THfATER
Fire and Panic at BoyertOwn. Pa.
With Awful Results.
FIamos Leap Through Hall and People
Rush Out-Many Are Trampled to
Pulp - Others Leap From Win
dows and Break Their Bones
Fire Apparatus Disabled.

Boyertown, Pa, Jan. 14.-Nearly
100 persons of this borough were killed
in theater fire and panic last night
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 reproduced in Rhodes opera
house by Mrs. Monroe, Of Washing
ton, tank used in moving picture
scene exploded. Immediately there
was a wild rush for the exits of the
building. Men Of mature years en-
deavored 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 mad rush for the
exits the moment the explosion occur
red.
In their attempts to quiet the great
crowd, those persons who we're 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 terror stricken
people, who were fighting frantically
to gain the exits. In the mad rush q
section of the floor gave way, precipi-
tating scores of persons to the base
meRt.
1t was scarcely five minutes from
the time of the explosion of the tanks
until the entire heart Of the structure
seemed roaring furnace. There was
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, realiz-
ing 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.
In the meantime q relief corps was
at work at the entrance to the theater,
endeavoring to release those who were
edged in the doorway and unable to ex-
tricate themselves, Many persons who
ctherise might have made good their
escape from the furnace were held in
check by the awful jam at the doors.
As the flames cut their way toward 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 dragged many women and
from the stairways leading to
the balcony. Some Of them were so
badly injured that they died before
reaching the temporary hospital.
Skulls were crushed and the faces of
some of the victims were so horribly
nutilated that they we're barely recog-
lizable. In one instance, the skull of
! child. apparently about 10 years of
lge, was crushed almost into jelly.
To add to the terrible disaster, the
ire apparatus became disa bled and the
tructure was left entirely to the mercy
# the flames. 1t is almost certain not
vestige of the bodies of the unfortun-
ties who were overcome by the smoke
nd perished will ever be found.
Had the women and children needed
he warning of the cooler heads in the
udience, the horrible loss of life might
ave been avoided. but there was the
sual panic and stampede which invar-
ably follows such a catastrophe. The
ames spread rapidly and communicat-
d to the other parts of the building.
len, women and children rushed for
ne many exits of the building, and
le weaker sex and the children were
-ampled and MANNED in the mad rush
, gain the streets.