Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-05-26
IS ARE KILLED.
- fE5B
Double Deck Pier ColIapses
At Long Beach, Calf.
--- AaiAlIAA1W
100000 Assembled Hundreds
Plunge Down on Second Deck.
ssaf- =
AL Drop to Sands rs Feet Be.
lew..cFushsd BY Wrsokage.

mlncnt outcome of the disaster, yes
| terIay. when 10 persons lost their lives
in the collapse of a portion of the Mu-
| nicipai pier. just after the close of the
British Empire day pageant
The list of dead. which numbered 80,
last right. was added to by the deaths
of Mrs. e. c. Bush, 20 years old, of
Long Beach, and Mrs. NJ. p. McDon-
aid, an aged woman of Compton, Cal.
who suctombed to their injuries, this
afternoon. The list is expected to fur
| ther be increased before tomorrow by
| the death of Miss Margnrita Reed,
aged y, of Long Beach. whose back
vas broken, and of William Cooper,
| Pasadena, one of the two veterans of
! the Cr:nean War, who were in the
van of the Empire day parade.
| Rectfeation of errors made, yesterday,
| in the list of dead brought out the fol-
lowing names: Miss Frances Harriet
Newell, Kenosha. Wis; Mrs. Mollie
Gates, Oak Park, ILL.,; Miss Lilly II.
| Holmes. Denver, COL; Ernest G. FAIRIES.
Los Angeles; Mrs. Earles, his wife: Mrs.
| NJ. J.. Mcdonald. Compton, Cal.
| Earles was the only man killed and his
body remained unidentified until late to-
/ day, as well as that of his wife. Both
We're dead when taken from the death
i pile.
| While City Attorney Stephen Long was
occupied with the legal phase of the dis
aster's aftermath. Mayor /. s. Hatch,
| members of the city council and OF the
Board of Public Works conferred with
District Attorney John D. Fredericks
with reference to the grand Jury inquiry.
which will be started. either on or just
before the coroneiss inquest, TUESDAY.
The object of the inquiry is TO fix re-
| sponsibiity for the condition OF the pier,
| a section of which in front of the mu-
nicipal auditorium went down. under q
weight of human beings which has been
estimated at less than $50 tons
On the order of the district attor-
ney two officers were placed on guard.
this morning. over the ruined section
of the pier, They were instructed to
keep watch constantly, in 12-hour
| shifts, until relieved by the grand
jury and TO allow no tampering with
any part of the structure that coll
lapsed and dropped several hundred
merrymakers down funnel of jag
ged timbers and boards to the strand
within few feet of the ocean tides.
Several broken timbers which are ex-
pected to show the general condition
of the pier and thus aid in Develop
ing evidence of negligence, If there he
any, were taken out OF the pier, to-
day, and locked up under official seal.
The weakness of the pier, which
was built eight years ago, and never
repaired in that particular portion, is
believed to have been due to decay
caused by The action Of salt air on
wood and s iron fastenings and
supports. However. It was declared
that much stronger structure might
have been wrecked In the same cir
cumstances as the participants in the
big parade marched Upon the pier in
step. Military men pointed out that
the rhythmic vibration created by the
measured tread of thousands of feet
caused tremendous strain upon the
supports which already had been
heavily burdened by the crowd
thronged about the auditorium doors.
awaiting admittance.
The grand jury Investigation was de-
manded by the officers OF the United
Societies CT British-born residents and
visitors whose celebration of Queen
Victora's birthday anniversary was
interrupted by the accident.
City Attorney Long answered reports
of the prospective damage suits with
the statements that in his opinion the
city could net be held responsible for
deaths and injuries. because no chrge
haj been made by the city for the use
of the municipal amusement property.
Use of the pier and auditorium had
| been given without cost and the cele-
bration. he said, had used it at their.
own risk.
All but the most seriously injured
wera removed to their homes in Los
| Angeles and neighboring cities. today.
The total number OF injured proba-
bly, never win be known accurately.
| About IS. however. were seriously hurt.
! Long Beach, Cal. May 25.-Too weak
to uphold the burden of nearly 10000
human beings assembled for the fes-
tivities of british Empire day the
land end of the big double-decked
municipal pier in front OF the City
Auditorium collapsed. Saturday.
Hundreds of persons on the top deck
were plunged down on the heads of
other hundreds crowded on the second
deck.
The lower deck then gave way and
all were dropped down a chute of
shattered woodwork to the tidewashed
sands, rs feet below.
Thirty persons mostly women
were killed by the shivered timbers or
tcrushed to death by the falling bodies
of companions and friends.
Fifty more we're seriously injured,
while hysteria and fright caused the
disabling OF score OF others.
A section of the Auditorium went
down in the crash and the debris from
. it was added to the wreckage that fell
on top OF the injured and the dead.
The victims were subjects or former