The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-12-25
NEARLY 100 AR KILLED
in RUSH FROM BUILDING
HALL PACKED WITH seq HUNDRED PERSONS, MOSTLY
CHILDREN WHEN SE.cNE IS ALARM SPRUNG BY
UNKNOWN MAN WHO ESCAPES.
Instant Rush for Stairs by PancStken
Down and Suhocated-Crowd in Frenzy Police
Handle Situation With Difficulty.

CALUMET, Mich, Dec. "a
Four score persons, mostly chill
dren, were killed tonight at a
Christmas celebration by copper
mine strikers in an Italian hall
because Of needless panic
caused by false alarm OF fire.
While several hundred miners
and their wives looked on the
the stage to receive Christmas
presents. At the instant a man
put his head In at the door Of the
hall and yelled "Firel"
The cry was taken up by those
In the hall. Everyone started for
the doors. The weaker were
thrown to the floor and those be-
hind tried to climb over those
ahead OF them.
The stairway and other ave-
nues Of esress were blocked SO
effeetuaIly that those inside
could not get out and those with
out could not get In to aid the
psnlc-strieken crowd In the hall.
IL was some time before the
panic subsidized.
The alarm was spread outside
the hall by a few persons who
had been near the door and had
escaped unhurt. A crowd soon
assembled and the work of clear
ing the hall was begun.
The principal exit was a narrow
stairway at the back of the hall
When this had been cleared of the
bodies that filled il to the top and
a quick accounting had been made ii
was found that "a corpses had been
piled up beside the hail building. II
is thought that a dozen others were
carried away by friends.
The dead that were piled up be-
side the hall included 81 girls. 10
boys. 13 women and FIVE men. Excit-
ed men and women stood about the
building. some dazed by the sudden
change from holiday festivities 10
tragedy. others calling hysterically
for missing child. and a few even
threatening violence 70 the rescuers
for keeping them back from the long
row OF bodies.
Only New Injured.
There was not much for the many
doctors who hurried TO the scene as
soon as the alarm was spread. for
those who were not killed In the first
rush were held upright and safe by
the very force OF the onrush towards
the exit. Only three injured persons
were Ndhtu W nOSplldlns ana ltW
went home with the assistance OF
friends.
For many days the children OF the
copper mine strikers had waited ex-
pectantly for the Christmas tree ex.
ercises that had been arranged by
the woman's auxiliary OF the Western
Federation of Miners. The entertain.
nent was set for the early evening.
and the hall. which is on the second
floor, was soon filled TO its limit The
children selected TO recite Christmas
selections and sing carols had finish.
ed their part Of the program and the
man selected TO play the part OF Santa
Claus had appeared 10 distribute the
presents that we're piled around the
large illuminated tree
The children we're instructed 10
march up the aisles to the tree 50
that the presnts could be handed tc
them. The aisles we're filled with the
boys and girls when a large bearded
man thrust his head In M the door
OF the main hallway and shouted
Fire"
cry Was Repeated.
Mrs. Caesar. who was near the door
realized the import Of the act and
seized the man by the shoulders and
tried TO counteract the alarm. n was
useless. The man wrested himself
from her grasp and ran away. The
Try OF Fire was repeated through
out the room.
The word was shouted In several
languages as parents rose and rushed
Forward 10 get their children The
lives were crushed out in almost q
twinkling Then the physical impce
sibility Of urther movement brought