The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-01-16

/ fers on the ground. and the work OF
recovering bodies moved 50 rapidly
that victims were being taken from
the ruins AT the rate OF two eVery eve
minutes.
There We're many different stories
as TO the exact cause OF the panic and
ere. and there were several rumors
OF arrests. but the borough oficials
and Coroner Strasser denied that any
action whatever had been taken The
4 coroner said that Dis one thought was
% get out all the Bodies befSe a sleet
or snow storm should set in and ham
per the work.
Actor Started Fire.
So far as can be learned there were
about t25 persons packed in the room
most OF whom were adults. The num-
Der OF children present was compare
lively small There were about sixty
five persons all local talent on the
stage. who were giving a performance
OF the Scottish Reformation The en-
tertainment was nearly over. the au-
dience waiting for the curtain to go
up on the last part. when something
went wrong with the calcium light ap-
i
/ platform near the front entrance OF
the building and at the back Of the
audience. The light was in charge Of
II. w. Fischer OF Carlisle. Pa. and
he SAYS a rubber tubing slipped from
one of the tanks At any rate there
was a loud kissing sound. which icaus-
| ed many Of the audience to turn their
heads in curiosity to see what e was
| There was absolutely no panic up TO
this time. and nothing probably would
have happened II one or more Of the
performers behind the curtain had not
been curious to learn what was caus-
ing the noise Hearing the Kissing
sound and the slight commotion In
the audience. one OF the performers
raised the curtain from the floor In
front OF the curtain and serving as
| footlights was a tin tank perhaps
eight feet long. three inches wide and
three inches high. II contained coal
oil and about ten lights. In raising
the curtain the performer accidentally
turned this tank over. and Il fell 10
the floor within a few inches OF those
persons in the front row. Rev Adam
A Weber. pastor OF St Johns Luth-
eran church. for the benefit OF whose
| Sunday school the entertainment was
being given. tried 10 pick up the tank
with the assistance OF others but BE-
fore they could do so the oil flowed
out and caught FIRE.
Cry Of Fire Caused Panle.
Then came the inevitable cry OF
fire. and what followed would be i'm
possible to accurately tell Eye-wit-
resses say that the audience rose en-
mssse and the one impulse was TO
reach the front door All attempted Il.
bu; few got out The seats IN the cen
ter Of the hall were the usual folding
variety. screwed to the aoor while
those along the sides Of the hall We're
4 loose chairs. In the scramble 20 get
out many persons fell over the chairs
and were never able 10 regain their
feet Those who did reach the front
entrance found Il jAmmed with PEG
pie who were lighting and shrieking
20 get out. One OF the double doors
had been bolted shut so as 10 better
enable the tickettaker 10 take up the
tickets. Not more than two persons
could pass this door at one time and
after the first half dozen got through
the narrow passage 81 became clogged
with the struggling mass OF humanity.
Men. women. boys. girls and chairs
were tangled up in a solid mass that
no one from the outside was able 70
disentangle
In the meantime some one discov-
cred that there were fire escapes on
each side OF The building. and dozens
made their exit by those avenues OF
escape and gave the alarm. The FIRE
bell was rung. and the whole town
was aroused and went TO the rescue.
All this time the flames from the oil
tank were creeping toward the terri.
BILE mass OF people who were franti.
cally shrieking and fighting 10 get out
The noise was terrific and few heard
the cries OF those who found the fire
escapes. Some Of the bravest who had
gained the fire escapes pulled dozens
from the struggling mass and directed
them TO the sides OF the building
Fire Spread over Mass Of People.
While the frenzied people were
fighting to get down the front steps
the calcium light tank exploded. and
FIRE was spread over the entire mass
OF people This added horror was
more than the feeble rescuers could
stand. and in order to save their own
lives they were forced to fee down
the FIRE escapes. On the front steps
outside the door men pulled franti-
cally to open a way for the wedged-in
people. but not more than half dozen
were rescued In this manner The ex-
plosion OF the calcium light tank and
the flames from the front of the stage
which had by this time reached the
struggling people. made further res
cue impossible. The entire interior OF
the building was one seething furnace
Firemen threw a feeble stream OF wa
ter INTO the burning building. but II
had no effect on the flames.
The cries of the struggling people
many with their~ clothing already
ablaze. and the means of the dyins
were heartrending. Fathers and broth.
ers. frenzied by the thought that loved
ones were In the fiery place. were
compelled to retreat Nothing could be
done toaget their people out. and they
were forced to stahd by and watch the
awful sacrifice of life. Everything pos
sible that could be done TO get The
people out before the flames reached
, them was resorted to. but Il was TO,
late The flames travelled with the ra
. pidity of a prairie fire.
+ Dead Piled Six Feet High.
OF When the flames were extinguishe'