The San Francisco call and post., 1913-12-25

rotary of Labor Wilson received
the following telegram today
from Charles H. Meyer. president
of the Western Federation of
per strike at Calumet and vi
cIHfty, demanding ederaI In
VeStigafion of the Christmas eve
tragedy.
CALUMET. Mich, Dec 25-The
entire copper mining district is to-
day Skinned over the disaster of
last night, which cost the lives of at
least II persons, most of them chill
dren. in a panic after a false alarm
, OF hre during Christmas exercises ar
ranged by the womens auxiliary of
the Western Federation of Miners.
Nearly three score strikers homes
have ben desolated. All during the
night hundreds of persons gathered
In and about the city hall and under
taxing establishments where the
bodies have been taken It was not
until late this morning that the work
of preparing the bodies for burial had
been completed.
THREE BODIES UNIDENTIFIED
The bodies of woman, a girl and
a boy remain to be identified. The
authorities are Of the opinion that
all Of the dead have been accounted
for
Tomorrow an inquest will be held
to Investigate the cause of the dis
aster- 1t seems to be well estab-
hshed that the alarm of fire was
raised by a man who came up the
stairs, opened the door Of the hall and
shouted fire 1t has ben charged
that this cry was the result of plot
by opponents to the strike
Witnesses describe he man as being
poorly dressed. He wore a beard In
spie of all the efforts of the athori-
ties. he has not yet been fond Fire
men and policemen called to the hall
We're unable to stem the rush of the
panic-stricken.
Ladders were raised to the windows
on the second floor and ffremen began
dragging women and children from
the heap of humanity which packed
the stairway. other persons were in
1ured in their mad scramble toward
the single doorway leading to the
street. So closely did the bodies pack
the stairway that entrance by this
means was impossible. Other rescuers,
however, made their way into the han
by means of a small fire escape at
the rear of the building.
HEROIC RESCUEs REPORTED
Many instances of heroic rescues
are being told today. One boy IS years
old carried a little companion down a
ladder to safety He started back for
another boy who mhe had seen tram
pied on, but fremen prevented him
from entering the hall
A woman and her little daughter |
we're among the first to be pushed
down the stairs by the crowd. Both
of them were killed. A son of this
woman managed to fight his way out
of the throng and was not injured.
Most of the men in attendance a
the entertainment acted bravely. The
men however were in a great minor
ity One man who sought to stay the
rush of the crowd was crushed to
death. Little children were the first
to suffer. They could not get out of
the way of their elders and dozens of
them were trampled to death.
It was only when persons from the
outside fought their way into the hall
that the panic was checked. The
bodies of some of those who We're
killed were at once carried away by
fathers and mothers. but later these
were taken to the city hall for better
Identification.
Another story of the alarm which
brought about the panic was told to-
day by Mrs. John Meyers. She said
that she saw man with boy in his
arms rushing down the stairs. The
boys cap was burning. she said and
in her opinion this spectacle inspired
the cry which Saari said he heard.
The boys cap, friends of this theory
asesrt. might easily have been ignited
by a spark from one of the tobacco
pipes which some of the spectators
were smoking
SYMPATHY FOR MINERS
r hsuor5a+ad prass
BOSTON. Dec. 25.-When informed
of last nights tragedy at Calumet,
Mich. Quincy A. Shaw. president of
the Calumet and Hecla Mining COM
pany, sent the following telegram to
James McNaughton. superintendent of
the mines:
In some way, through the local
papers. you will convey our sym
pathy 10 the men and women to
whom the loss is a personal one,
and TO the whole community
which has to face such a dread
ful calamity.
T feel sure that when this mes
sage reaches you, you viii have
( done everything in the companys
power, financially and with our
hospital service, to render 0ssist-
ance to the victims and their
families in this frightful acci