La Junta tribune., 1913-06-07
BY =. =. Tunsy.

land around La Iunta might be inter
.s,.i in my experience In the great
disaster which occurred at Long
Beach. Calf. when Empire Day was
being celebrated by the English peo-
nile In nonor OF Queen vic'oria's
birthday, May 2Itn. | will give a
Short sketch Of what saw and
lhcard-and was going TO say, felt
An win know the history OF this
accident. before tn.y see this ac'
count. so viii coufine myself prin-
ripaIly to my own experience. When
that surging mob made rush To en-
ter the building was in the midst
u II. for the door nad been closed
aud nn one was allowed To go In
until the procession had entered
and by this time hundreds had con
gregatrd near the entrance anxious
to get inside. Then ths crash
oumr. / feit the floor under me
tremble. and then with a desperate
tnngc. We dropped abou, twenty
n4e fyat through the first floor to
The sand beneath-for this great uu-
ditor.Ini il built on the beach. near
the waters edge / don't remember
81 hearing word during the fall.
only the cracking and crashing Of
tha timbcrs For moment every
thing seemed deathly still. scarce
iy knew whether | was dead or
dive. Then. oh, My God - such
shrieks. such cries, such groans aud
moans fear they viii ring IN
my ears to my dying day.
When | began TO realize my situ-
alton found ! was standing up
right. wcdgcd against a large post,
From my knees down. was pinned
by this mass of humanity a. fast
as II | had beon In vice. but
had completely faced about during
my fall made several effort 10
e,trics,e my self. but failed. Above
me saw another floor gradually
sinking. although the fsrthsrest end
Nom ms was still holding. ! eS.
pec,ed every moment IL would break
ioo-s and com. down on ", and |
tclt this would be tn. end OF the
remainder OF us who were under thes
iimbers. THIS encouraged me To
free myself. but I held tass, AnA
and would have to remain w,to help
came. and trust In my God and hu-
man aid for deliyer1hce.
Raising my eyes I sa~ on the op-
posise sid. OF the pos, an old. bald
hcad.d man. who was also on his
f$t Tie VAS about two feet above
me. WIN ono side Of mis- aesd and
face covered With blood 1 hardly
think he vas fast. but To have got.
ten out he would ha-v had to walk
over Sh. heads and faces of those
around him. saw nothing to en-.
Anger those ON his side of the
Ipw. but n. wss doing all mat he
csad to pr.,"n, tn. floor above US
fIpns falling. and by this lime
could reach II with my hands Soon
h. called out TO ,hos. beloN him.
saying. You ar" all right. every.
thing Is ted fast. hay. patience and
they will soon have us all out That
was IN" las, ! remember of seeing
hNm, think from his dress he
VAS an old Federal soldier Any
way. he was hero and ! would
III" to meet him again
Thk old man. young lady near
us. aud myself. we're all saw stand.
ing upright, Al the Others In front
~ me. and To my right and l"ft. AZ
can rm.mb"r. wer. all down. and
In all shapes and positions some
with fac.a up. some lyinF on their
faces. Others IA sitting postur-s and
lfvku a. tiEh, as sardiu.s in q
bos-hut not placed 40 regular The
loser nunr ON tho ouisid" u the
break. In the direction I vas front.
~ huns To IN. gird.rs and xh.n
M" upper floor fell made tho death
hole Va a hopper shape The force
Of IN" hll pitched tho-" on the
outer edge on top OF those n,~rcr
IN. center OF this mass Oh u was
horribl" Ia look upon
Ia snort time N. cries and
sroans became fainter and wcsker
-some passing away. Others h..
coming reconcil"d. perhaps. aaiting
for relief To come
ny this tim" rcallzed va. not
badly hurt. and In no immediate dan.
ger. and began Ia hook around q
see " could b. of any s.rvlc. .
any one. 4 little Eiri abou, Twelve
PEARS of age was lying on her st1r
an tom of tlis human ,p.s. -