Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-12-31

Calumet, Mich, Dee. 25-More
than forescore persons. mostly chill
dgen. were killed Thursday night
iai o Christmas celebration OF copper
lmine strikers In Italian hall. because
,of a needless panic caused by false
alarm OF fire
While several hundred miners and
their wives looked on and scores of
'lchildren pressed eagerly toward the
stage to receive Christmas presents
a man stuck his head in at the door
of the hall and yelled "Fire!' The
cry Of aia>m was at once taken up by
those in the hall Every one started
lfor the doors The crush prevented
movement. The weaker were thrown
10 the floor Those behind tried to
climb over then.
Trample Out Tots Lives.
IN a few minutes the panic was
stopped by the fact that the stairway
and TIE other avenues OF egress were
blocked so effeetnally that those in
side could not get out nor could those
outside get In TO aid the manned and
remove the dead
The only regular exit was a narrow
stairway at the back Of the hall
when this had been cleared Of bodies
that lilled it 10 the top. and quick
accounting had been made, it was
round that seventy-four ,Orpses had
been piled up beside the hall build
ing The dead included thirty-seven
girls. nineteen boys, thirteen women
aud Eve men. or the 700 persons tn
the hall. more than three-fourths
were children, many Of them having
gone without their parents These
fathers and mothers soon rushed to
the scene and added TO the confusion.
They aid not understand what had
taken place and hindered the rescu-
ors by insisting on Information as TO
what was the matter
Little Work for Doctors.
There was not much work for the
doctors. Those who were not killed
In the first rush were held upright
and safe by the very force OF the on
rush toward the exit only three in
jured persons were taken to hospitals
and a few went home with the assist.
ance of friends
The hall was filled TO It's capacity
when the panic occurred. The chill
dren selected t. recite Christmas Sc
iections and sing carols had finished
their part OF the program and the
man selected to play the part OF
Santa Claus had appeared TO dlstri-
butte the presents piled around tho
large tree. The aisles were filled
with the boys and girls when man
put his head in at the door of the
main doorway and yelled that awful
word. "Ftre!"
Woman siezes Panic Fiend.
A woman who was near the door
r. elized .he danger of the act. she
ueizcG the man by the shoulders and
tried to eouatoract the alarm. II was
useless.
he man tore loose from her grasp
and dasned away The fatal word
reached the ears of many IN the hall
and it was repeated throughout the
room. Fire" was shouted in sever
al languages. Parents rose and rush
ed forward to get their children. The
lives we're crushed out in almost a
twinkling. Then the physical i'm
possibility of further movement
brought the panie-strlcken persons
to their senses.
Alarm Proves to Be False.
II was realized too late that there
was no fire, but most OF those in the
hall could not get out of the jam that
they had caused
Policemen and fremen hurried to
sbe building. only to find the hallway
impassahle because OF congestion OF
bodies. Several officers climbed IRE
escapes and entered the hall by win.
G9ws In short time the uninjured
aud the faint had been pulled from
the tangle. The scores of bodies were
placed In the front OF the hall. Other
men rescued bodies from the stair
way and placed them In row beside