The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-27
FILM EXPLODES IN
 CANONSBURG SHOW
Fire Amounted to Nothing and It Is Declared Panic Was Entirely InexcusabIe-Her Work
 of Film Operator

the flash of the film some person Snout- ed fire" There was a rush. for the exit and in a moment there was a writhing, screaming mass of humanity ten feet high in the narrow stairway leading to the entrance of the theatre. The panic. 1t Is said, was inexcusable
 Most of the dead were smothered majority of the crowd was composed of women and children and in the fierce rush for the exit they were knocked from their feet and trampled upon. Others were thrown upon them and those at the bottom of the human pile were suffocated
 When two volunteer fire department companies reached the theatre the sight staggered them. Those of the assem- blaze who had escaped from the build ing and other spectators drawn to the scene were rushing about the front of the building. No person, it seemed, was making any effort to aid the strug- ellne mass within the theatre.
 The firemen pushed into the building and literally threw persons Into the street.
 As they regained their feet, they ran shrieking in terror about the streets When the firemen neared the bottom of the pile they began to bring out the unconscious forms of the injured and later came the dead.
 The dead were laid in a row along the sidewalk. Relatives fought and struggled to break past the guards and reach the victims
 List of Dead
 The dead;
 Arthur Beak, 22 years old
 Frances Myrd. IS years old.
 Maugella Robinson, IF years old.
 Mrs. Frederick Marshall, 40 years old
 Mrs. Harry Kelly, 39 years old of Houston, Pa.
 Earl Kelly, years old, son of Mrs. Kelly.
 AndsIph Butfesky, 26 years old.
 WslteC Nish, 12 years old.
 - Wolcott, 12 years old.
 George Kay, IA years old
 Paul Nestle, 12 years old
 Frank syberoski, l5 years old.
 - Glendish, year old girl.
 Sydney Rittiter 26 years old.
 Mrs. eallie Young. 5 years old.
 - Klege, years old.
 Murray Hill, IS years old.
 - Lane 5 year old girl
 Nellie McKetterick. 25 years old.
 Infant daughter of Mrs. Green, Weav- erstowp. Pa.
 Two unidentified women.
 Two unidentified men.
 An unidentified six months old infant. Within few moments after the film flashed and the panic started the fire whistles were blown. Practically the en- tire population of the town responded and packed in the narrow street from which the fatal theatre entrance leads. All of them were terror-stricken and could give little aid. The only cool per sons were the firemen and the several members of the police force. John Mccullough, operator of the moving picture machine. had just thrown the subject of the next series of pie lures on the screen. entitled "A Little Girl Shall Lead Them" when the film exploded and the asbestos cabinet was filled with flames. For several moments the spectators, numbering about 1900. were unaware of the accident. The operator heroically fought down the flames and succeeded in extinguishing them
 Then with hands burned and almost suffocated he opened the door of the little box and staggered out. With the opening of the door. dense cloud of smoke poured into the auditorium.
 At this moment some person yelled "Fire.' The spectators turned in their seats, saw the smoke, jumped to their feet and then started the awful rush for the lone doorway leading to the mar row eight-foot stairway. At the stair way they collided and damned into probably 200 other persons who were awaiting the end of the performance to take the places of those who had seen the show. Immediately the narrow stairway was packed and jammed ten feet high with the dead and dying.
 Crowd Driven Back
 Late tonight the firemen were reinforced by citizens and the crowd was driven far back from the scene. The bodies were then lifted from the sidewalk and taken to an improvised morgue. Some of the injured were taken to hospitals, others to their homes or nearby houses. Tn the midst of the excitement an un- known woman threw her infant child from a side window of the theatre 50 feet from the ground J. w. Reese caught the baby in his arms and placed 1t in charge of a woman at a nearby fruit store. Up to late tonight the child has not been claimed.
 When the body of Mrs. Harry Kelly was found she was ctaspng tight to her breast her year old son. The lad mad died from suffocatlon, but there was rot a bruise or scratch
 The Canonsburg opera house is owned by J. P. Morgan. The theatre has been devoted to the exhibition of moving pictures In front or the gal lery Is located the asbestos booth of tho moving picture operator. Entrance 10 the theatre Is gained through a narrow vestibule on the Pike street side and up an eight foot wide stair way composed of about 50 steps, lead ing directly into the theatre.
 As the throngs swept out Of the building through the main entrance they scattered, spreading as they reached the street. As the crowd loos- ened. women. men and children were seen failing to the sidewalk. The crush hsd been so thick that in many cases persons were crushed to death and swept along in the crowd, not falling until the street was reached.
 The list of dead probably would have been greater but for the heroism of Miss Mary Craig, pianist at the thea tre When the cries of fire" sounded and the rush for safety started Miss Craig began playing a slow march Over and over she played the selection, never laltering. and many fin the crowd caught the swing of the music and assisted in holding back the crowd. When the people had swept from the building Miss Crais, uninjured. left the build tng.