Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-16
Of the Nearly ITO VIC
tins at Beysfiewa, Pa.
Fully 40 Team Loads Game
From keIghboTiHg Places.


Boyertown, Pa, Jan 15.-Bearing up
bravely under the awful blow which It
received In the destruction of Rhoade5
Opera house by fire Monday, this thriv-
ing little borough today came to a full
realization of the fact that one fifteenth
Of it's population was wiped out Of ex-
istence by the holocaust.
The figures compiled by Coroner
Strasser at nightfall, show that there
are 40 dead az a result OF the fire. The
list Of dead includes one fireman, who
lost his life fighting the fire. and one
man, Jacob Johnson. who died today
from injuries received int-the blazing
play house. Three charred bodies were
recovered from the ruias.o Of the build
ing today and Of the 1853 bodies, or re-
mains, that lie in the improvised
morgues 115 have been officially or par
TALLY identified by sorrowing relatives
or friends. 5
The private morgues in the town
were not Of sufficient size to receive the
bodies Of those taken from the fire
ruins and the public school was also
used as a charnel house. Here, where
number of the victims went daily to
their studies. the bodies We're laid out
in rows. Each bit of jewelry or frag-
ment of clothing picked up in the
blackened ruins. was tagged, az we're
their charred and blackened bodies or
such portions of them as remained, and
all in search Of missing loved ones
were permitted to pass through the
gruesome rows to make identifications.
Few of the bodies could be rccognIs-
ed by the features alone, as In most
cases the upper portion Of the corpses
was scared or burned to crisp. A
detail of state police held the anxious
crowds in check around the improvised
morgue and those seeking missing rela-
tiveS and friends were compelled to
pass in to view the bodies in order.
The scenes at the morgue were heart
rending- Children of tender years were.
in some cases, called to make the iden-
LITIGATION of parents who went to an
untimely death in the fre-panic and
again feeble old men and women were
racked with anguish as they came up.
on some distorted body in which they
recognized the form Of q lost son or
daughter.
Before any Of the bodies were re-
moved from the morgue Coroner Stras-
ser empanelled the following jury to
view the remains and the scene of the
devasting fire and to sit at the inquest:
Edwin Schultz. president Of the
Farmers National Bank, which was de.
stroyed with the Opera house; Levi
Becker. William H. Fox. irwin p. Ehast.
William Y. Levan, all OF Boyertown,
and Daniel X. Hoch Of Reading.
After the jury had been sworn In
they made an inspection OF the ruins
and went through the inorgues No
date has been fixed for the inquiry.
Coroner Strasser opened an office to-
night in the Mansion house ana estab-
lished a bureau of information where
he granted death certificates and sign
ed insurance papers.
The representatives Of scores Of insur-
ance companies are in Boyerstown pay
ing Oft claims as fast as they are pre-
scented. There are N undeytakers or their
representatives In the town today ana
there was plenty for theuf to 90, Is all
Continued on Pare Eight.D