Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-01-14
,,,dred and Sixty Lives Sacrl-
aced in a Fire at Boyer
town, Penn.
|ns AMATEUR PERFORMANCE
Was for the Benefit of the St.
yOhn's Lutheran Sunday
School.
,,a,,g soon n Mass of Flames, Audi
,,o Bccamc Panlc-Striclscn Then
srncrycned Distressing Scenes.

poyertown, Pa, Jan. 14.-Estimates
ocs the number killed in last nights
..,er horror at from 125 to 100. Town
|e,i.ls think at least $50 lives were
st.
only a few were injured.
# Il estimated that there were 400
Ersons in the playhouse when the eS-
odon of the gas tank occurred. The
N was being used in connection with
|eurs.
IN amateur performance of Scottish
|o,ormatlon." for the benefit of st.
|hn's Lutheran Sunday school was be-
induced. Instantly after the ex-
osIon occurred. some one yelled
|gre,, and in almost less time than 1t
|ses to tell, the center of the opera
ise was a blazing furnace. The ra-
|itv with whclh the flames spread
caused by the upsetting OF the
h oil lamps used as the footlishts
some of the persons on the stage
|o endeavored TO allay the frightened
|1dren and quiet the audience. But
|on tho men seemed to lose all control
themselves and fought with the wo-
|n and children who composed the
eater part of the audience to gain
/ street In this manner many wo.
|n and children who might otherwise
We escaped the flames. were forced
hack and trampled upon. Par
|nlorly was this the case of those
Lo we're caught on the stairways.
Pandemonium reigned and the mad
|amble for the exits is simply IN
|scribahle, The weaker ones were
|ushed aside and in many instances
|,mpled to death.
scores Of persons OH the second floor
|eins the awful jam on the stairways
|sked their lives by jumping from the
|ndows In this way several were
badlv injured that they died beforei
aching any Of the numerous tent
|rary hospitals.
A SUBWAY OIN . .'iONAs
|Boyertown is town OF about $500
|rsons and there is scarcely house
the little town that has not been at
|ced by last nights visitation of fire.
|euben w. Slower, one of those VINO
|eaped the flames, in speaking OF the
|e today. said:
when the explosion occurred there
las at least 80 boys and girls on tne
|age. while many more were behind
l. scenes, Without warning there was
terrific explosion which seemed TO
bake the entire building. Immediately
here was a Wild rush for the exits.
he people on the stage jumped over
L footllghts into the audience. Every
|dy seemed to have lost control OF
|emselves. The flames first consumed
he scenery and then came the crowd
Ike q great wave and tho suffocating
|noke dropped men, women and chill
Zen in its path. The flames did the
|st It was pitiful sigh and l VIII
|iIry the recollection as long as l live.
|nce the crowd began to fight Its way
the doors, no power on earth could
lave saved all the lives. but had the
pen not lost control of themselves tho
|hs Of life would have been very
|nall."
The fire was not brought under con-
|ol until early this morning. after as
stance had arrived from Reading and
|ottstown.
For several months the Sunday school
|uplls OF st. Johns Lutheran church
|ad been rehearsing the Scottish Re-
Prmation" which was being staged by
Ii re - oh nt fh a
|uthor, and when the curtain rose at 8
|elock the opera house was thronged
|1th representative citizens of the
|orough. The drama was well played
pa the piece worked smoothly for an
|nateur production. The second half
the play, In which the students from
|lasgow university and the Puritans
arched to I>eath to meet Queen Mary
|ad Just been reached. The people,
King part had finished their songs. and
eldental TO the drama. a number OF
ictures were shown by a moving pic
lTe machine. This was operated by
W. Fisher of Carlisle. Pa, who used
aclun lights. While he was operating
|he machine there was a flash and a
qua report and the people sitting In
|ne rear Of tho opera house near the
Machine. arose In fright and rushed
|oward the stage.
Their action caused a panic In the
ualenoe and many others, thinking
|ns building was attire, rushed toward
is Stage. The young people who were
|shlng part In the performance mo-
|iuned to them to keep back and resume
nflr seats but the frightened specta'
|ylA attempted to climb on TO the stage
|,ne OF the young people ON the stage
|loIs excited than the others, made q
|nouon as II to repel them and In hii
|Aellement overturned q coal oil lamp
l .ol With crash into the auditorium
nu exploded. In an instant the stag
oor was ahlaze and frightened people
|olged toward the rear ngain. Th'
ou.hlul actors fled from the stage an,
snased to escape, clad IN their stag
CROWD MEETS CROWD.
me crowd In the front OF the audi
|onum He'd TO the rear and they wer
|~s. py a crowd from the rear, franti
@cape from the peril OF the burninI
,s'ul" machine In the rear. The mol
lame nanic-strlcen. and strong mel
No. uoWn women and children in thel
fgN 70 get out OF the building.
gsn"a b. Spatz, editor OF tina loca
ia paper and a former member q
Mn, "'slslature. escaped, but only to b
aNeu fow moments later. said.
ror .0ar the end OF the first act picture
,Iss,p elnS shown when suddenly a lou
M noise was heard This cause
u,r,,%pp ple In the rear OF the house I
nae, WNards the stage as II the
,ah err 70 mud out the cause
no, ne lpotlight lamps were upset an
,I exploded, throwing the blazin
,blsn every direction and the hall W.
/ 49, Wlthin a moment. This cause
Il NlIlnle Ham nedn lnl The anni.a An