The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-12-31
Little Ones and Parents
Trampled To Death.
FALSE ALARM FIRE THE CAUSE
Expectant Little Ones Gath.
cred Near Stage When
Tragedy Occurred.
MUCH SORROW DIsPLACEs JOY

Calumet, Mich, Dec. 24.-Four-
score persons, mostly children, were
killed tonight at Christmas cele-
bration 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 children
pressed eagerly towards the stage to
receive Christmas presents. At that
instant man put his head in at the
door of the hall and yelled "Fire!"
The cry was taken up by those in
the hall. Every one started for the
doors. The weaker were thrown to
the food and those behind tried to
climb over those ahead of them.
The stairway and other avenues
of egress were blocked so effectually
that those inside could not get out
and those without could not get in
to aid the panic-stricken crowd in
the hall. 1t was some time before
the panic subsidized.
The alarm was spread outside the
hall by few persons, who had been
near the door and escaped unhurt. A
crowd soon assembled and the work
of clearing the hall was begun.
The principal exit was narrow
stairway at the back of the hall.
| When this had been cleared of the
bodies that filed it to the top and
quick accounting had been made, it
was found that seventy-four corpses
had been piled up beside the hall
building. 1t is thought that a doz-
en- others were carried away by
friends.
The dead that were piled up be-
side the hall included thirty
girls, nineteen boys, thirteen women
and five men. Excited men and wo-
men stood about the building, some
dazed by the sudden change from
holiday festivities to tragedy, others
NaiiihS ny otci iNaiiy ioi HioSihS
child, and few even threatening
violence to the rescuers for keeping
them back from the long row OF
bodies.
There was not much work for the
many doctors who hurried to the
scene as soon as the alarm was
spread, for those who were not kill
ed in the first rush We're held up
right and safe by the force of the
onrush toward the exit. Only three
injured persons We're taken to hos
pitfalls, and a few 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 Women's Auxiliary of the West
ern Federation of Miners. The en-
tertainment was set for the early ev-
ening 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 finished their part of the pro-
the part of Santa Claus had appear
ed to distribute the presents that
were piled around the large illumi-
mated tree.
The children were instructed to
march up the aisles to the tree, so
that the presents could be handed to
them. The aisles were filled with
the boys and girls, when large
bearded man thrust his head in at
the door of the main hallway and
shouted "Fire!"
Mrs. Caesar, who sat near the
door, realized the import of the act,
and seized the man by his shoulders
and tried to counterfeit the alarm.
II was useless. The man wrested
himself from her grasp and ran
away. The cry of fire" was repeat
ed throughout the room.
The word was shouted In several
languages as parents rose and rush
ed forward to get their children.
Their lives were crushed out in al
most a twinkling. Then the physi-
cal impossibility of further move
ment brought the panicky persons to
their senses. II was realized too late
that there was no fire. but most of
those in the hall could not get out
| of the lam that thew had cauaad