The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-15

TANNED witt, people who were lighting
and nhriekinR TO get out One OF the
double doors had been bcited shut SO
Il hs to better enable the tlcket-tnker to
tukn vi, tickets. Not more than two
persons could pass this door at one
time and after the first halt dozen got
through the narrow passage IL became
cIcgged with tho struggling mass Of
humanity. Men. women. boys. girls
and chairs were tangled up In solid
mass that no one from the outside wns
able to diseptnngle. Some one dis
covered that there were fire escapes on
each eide of the building and dozens
made their rscapes through this ave.
nuc aud gave the alarm. The fireboll
was rnng and the whole town wot
aroused and went to the rescue. MI
this tinip the flames fru,, the oil tank
were cree pirg toward li!,e mass Of peo.
p!e who were franticallS slrieiirs,, and
fiehting to get out. GONE OF the
bravcst who had gained the iiret
escapes pulled dozens from the struE
Cling mass and directed them to the
sides Of the building. While the
frensieI people were lighting 70 get
down the front steps, The caic''i'h
light tark exploited and iire WIS
spread over the entire mass OF peoPl''
In Scc.hing l'urnncc.
ON the front steps outside the door,
r,,eu puliad franticafiy to open WI.
for the wedeed-n people. put no,
more than half dozen were rescueu
Il, this manner The explosion OF inc
.,,ci,,n, tank and the flames from the
front OF the stage, which had by TINS
sine reached the struggling people,
wade further rescue impossible yhel
sntire interior OF the building was one
seeth,ns furnace. Firenen threw
feeble stream Of water into the burn.
Inc. building, but II had no effect on
-ho flames. The cries Of the untor-
t,.,,ats victi,ns. many with their CLOTH
Ing already ablaze. and the means "
tre diving we're heartrending9
when the flames had entirely en-
yelo,,ed the building and threateneql
adjoining property, the fire DEPART
n,ent OF pottstown. nine miles distant
was summoned. The firemen Went 70
work with VIM to stay the prosress
of the flames This was nceonplisheo
nf,er the building was entirely destroy
ed and several adjoining STRUCTURES
were badly damaged.
Firc,ucn EnsnEc In Fight.
While the flames were being check
cd an unfortunate scene occurred.
Some OF the irenen made frequch1
trims TO nearby saloons, with the re-
suit that toward morning some of the
men became unrtly. There were ire.
1tlept fights, and at one TINE II ioohsu
as though tho Pottstown and Foyer
town companies wou.d become involv-
ed in a free fight. The State police,
who had been summoned from their
barracks at Reading to assist the town
in its affection, prevented a more Sc
rious ARRAY. The conditions became 50
serious that Burgess Koeier at .
o'clock in the morning issued an or
der 10 all saloon. keepers within the
borough to close their places until fur.
Their notice
When the flames wera eStinguisheG
and the rescuers entered the building |
a horrible sight met their gaze. Bodies
were piled in one solid mass. six feet
high, on the second floor. SO solidly
were they wedged that pickaSes and
crowbars mad to be used gently to sep
arate the victims. as each victim was
taken from the pile a number tag was
attached and the body placed on
boards after which it was taken to
one OF the morgues. In nearly every
case the upper portions Of the bodies
y ere burned away. and In great many
Instances the lover parts of the bodies
were not touched BY the fire.