The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-27
Twenty-Six lives Lost in Stampede For The Ex-
its When Cry of Fire" Created Panic
Among the Audience
OPERA HOUSE CROWDED TO CAPACITY
Exploding Film in Fire Proof Booth Was Really
No. Dangerous But Fright Caused the
Terrible Calamity
TGate City Leased Wire Service !

CANONSBURG, Pa. Aug. ga
moving picture film exploded at $3.50
o'clock tonight in the Morgan opera
house, in Pike street, causing a
panic in the audience and a mad
rush to the doors and exits.
Before the theatre was emptied Oh
its people, 26 lives had been sacri-
feed and their crushed bodies were
gathered from the main entrance of
the play house and carrrid to the
morgue, while 6S injured were taken
to the Canonsburg hospital or taken
to their homes. The disaster stunned
the people of Canonsburg and scores
walked the streets in dazed condi-
ton, seemingly helpless in their
terror and grief, for few homes aad
escaped some affliction.
The Morgan house is located in the
center of the town. 1t is large struc-
ture and has two galleries which with
the main floors afforded seating ca
pacity for 1000 persons.
House Was Crowded.
The house was crowded at the time
Not only were all seats filed, but
hundreds were standing in the rear of
the ground floor. The moving picture
cage was located on the second gal-
lery floor and it was there the ex-
plosion took place. 1t made iouG
noise and showed flash of flame,
and this caused shout OF fire"
from the crowd.
The spectators on the main floor
and first gallery rushed for the exits
The stairway leading from the second
gallery brought the spectators from
there to the first balcony and then a
second staircase led to the main
floor. The rush from both galleries
choked this exit instantaneously.
Exits Were Clicked.
Some sought the fire escapes ano
reached the street in safety, but those
who had made for the main entrance
found it choked not only by the flee
ing occupants of the theatre, but by
hundreds, who attracted by the explo-
sion, were begging to crowd their
way into the theatre.
Firemen responded to an alarm,
but were unable to do anything with
the tangled mass of humanity The
film booth was fire proof and the ex-
plosion went no further, but the
panic had done it's work. Rescuers
found bodies cIogging the stairways,
crushed and trampled in the mad rush
for exits.
Many of the injured were taken to
their homes, others to the Canons-
burg, hospital Many of the less Sc
verely hurt were taken from fire es-
capes where they had sought refuge.
Little Children Were Victims.
The most pitiable feature of the
panic was the number of children who
were its victims. The majority OF the
dead were from to IS years of age.
Tho Dead:
FRANK SYBERSKI, 10, residence
unknown.
FIVE YEAR OLD daughter of Ton
ey Gledish.
SYDNEY RITTER 26.
MRS. CAL1-IE YOUNG.
-- KLEGES.
MURRAY HILL, 16.
FIVE YEAR OLD daughter of Will
bur Lane.
NELLIE M'KETTERICK, %.
INFANT DAUGHTER of Mrs.
Green, Weaverstown, Pa.
TWO UNKNOWN MEN, about rs
and So.
TWO UNKNOWN WOMEN, about
% and %.
AN UNKNOWN six months old in
FAINT.
ARTHUR Beck, %.
FRANCES BIRD, 10. colored.
MANGELLA ROBINSON, II.
MRS. FREDERICK MARSHALL, 40.
MRS. HARRY KELLY. 30.
EARL KELLY. 5, son of Mrs. Kei-
ly.
ADOLPH BUTTESKY, 26.
WALTER NISH, -.
WOLCOTT, IL,
GEO. KAY, IA.
PAUL MESTIC. IL.
Mrs. Mailer.
Mrs Laird