Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-01-18
.vAUST
AT BOYERTOWN
ITO Persons PeriShed in
Burning Opera House.
AWFUL FIGHT FOR LIFE

Men, Women, Boys. Girls and Chairs
Were Tangled Up In a Solid Mass
at Marrow Door Rescuers We're
Unable to Disentangle Them-Many
Bodies So Badly Burned They May
Never Be dentified-Nsarly Every.
body In soyertown Lost One or
More Relatives.
Boyertown Pa. Jan To- Bearing
up bravely under the awfl blow
blow which it received in the destrlc-
ton OF the Rhoads Opera House by
fire on Monday. this thriving little
borough came to n iuil realization of
the fact that one-nftoenth ot it, popu-
lation was wiped out OF existence bT
the holocaust The figures complied
by Coroner Strasser show CHAT there
are 10 dead as result ot the tire
The list includes one fireman who lost
his life lighting the fire and one man
Jacob Johnson. wbo died from injuries
received in the blazing playhouse OF
the 16s bodies or remains that ne In
the improvised morgues ll5 have been
officially or partially Identified by sor-
rowing relatives or friends.
The Dead.
Miss Edith Rhoads Charles Hart
man Newton Liehte Mrs Emma Liea-
tel. Mr. and Mrs Sholieuberger Frank
Sholienberger. Harry schaener and
wife. Clarence Miller Reading Miss
Hartman. daughter OF William Haft-
man Miss Hartman daughter of Frank
Hartman; Miss Lcily Leach Daniel
krauss Mr. and Mrs Charles Nuss ana
son. Harry Foreman ana Wits ana two
daughters. Miss Foreman sister I'll
Harry Foreman AT aud Mrs Dani1
Gable Mrs johnson lir aud Mis
George Parsin Florence Etunser Mrs
Henry Meyer Mr. and Mrs Herbert
Gottschall wife OF Dr T. X Francis
and Miss Francis Mrs Addison
Sehlwoyer Amos Hartman Mis-
Grimm, daughter Of Gearee Grimm
Ellen Gottschall Rose Diamond Laura
Rhoads Blanche and Mahle kache
Emma Engle. Mrs Tabor N.ee Moye
Edna and Florence Meyer Morn
Herbst. Hannah Harine Anna Deem
Mrs Clouser Tottie Bowman I.li-
lie P Fegely. Stella Meyer Fran
els Meyer Miss Weber. daughter
OF Rev Weber Mr. and Mrs James
Anderson Mr. and Mrs Morris Auder-
son. keely and Edna Boyer Nrs Har-
vey I.einbach Maggie l.efeyre siste,
Of Mrs. Ieinhach Charles Mayer II
ram Leidy irwin K!ammer Mrs George
p. Romlg Mrs Henry Shaner and TWO
sons Paul and Harry Miss Salie
Hartman Mrs Lillian Romlg and som
Miss Alice Gable Warren Reed Ahra-
ham Gable Mr. and Mr. Henry We
ser Florence and Carrie Weand pr
Frank H. Drummer. Of E-hba.a Laura
Cleaver May Geyeg Horace le.dY.
wife and son. John Fritz John Fritz
and daughter Mrs George Sehau.ee
Charles Maurer Stella Kup Mr.,
George Moore, William Rhoaas and
daughter Mrs John Becker and tw3
daughters: Robert Taeeerr VITO and
daughter Jeremiah Rhoads If wamn
three daughters 81 Or Knpe: Les
man Ziegler Lottie Bemit6 Amos
Thomas. wife and child. Austin
Mensch. Mrs Wallace Hoffman ana
daughter Annie Ritter Elmer
Emrick, Mrs Della Mayer who mad
charge OF the performance
Actor Started Fire.
So far as can be learned there were
about 425 persons packed In % room
most OF whom were adults THE mum
Der of children present was compare
lively small There We're 9boW sixty
five persons. all local talent on the
stage. who were giving q perform nee
OF the Scottish Reformation The On
tertainmeni was nearly ever the AN
dlence waiting for the curtain to go
up on the last part when something
went wrong with the calcium light an
paratus. that was perched On a small
platform near the front entrance Of
the building and al the back Of the
audience The light was In charge Of
H. W. Fischer of Carlisle Pa and
he says a rubber tubing slipped from
one OF the tanks AZ any rate there
was a loud kissing sound which caus
ed many OF the audience 70 turn their /
heads in curiosity 20 see what q was
There was absolutely no panic up 10 1