Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-01-01
that company, who donated $4,000.
Story Of thu Traoedv.

While several hundred miners and
their wives looked on and scores Of
children pressed eagerly towards the
stage to receive Christmas presents u
man stuck his head in at the door Of
the a and yelled Fire
The cry was taken up at once by
those in the hall. Everyone sprang up
and started for the doors. The weaker
persons We're thrown to the floor, and
those behind tried to climb over the
human barrier.
In a few minutes the panic was
stopped by the fact that the stairway
and the other of egress were
blocked so effectually that those inside
could not get out and those without
could not get in to aid the manned and
lremove the dead. The alarm was
spread outside the hall by a few per-
sons who had been near the door and
escaped unhurt. A crow soon as
sembled, and h wor of clearing the
hall was begun.
The only regular exit was q narrow
stairway at the back of the hall. When
this had been cleared of the bodies
that filled it to the top and a quick ac-
counting had been made it was found
that II corpses had been piled up be-
side the hall building. One died later.
The dead included 81 girls, and 10
boys. The excited relatives stood
about the building. some dazed by the
sudden change from holiday festivities
to tragedy. Others calling Historically
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 oon as the alarm was spread.
first russ were held upright and safe
by the very force of the onrush toward
the exit
Only three injured persons were
taken to hospitals, and a few went
home. with the assistance of friends.
Cry Of Fire Heard.
For many days the children OF the
copper mina strikers had waited anx-
iously for the free Christmas tree ex-
woman's auxiliary of the Western
Federation of Miners. The entertain
ment was set for the early evening, and
the hall. which is on the second floor,
was soon filled to Its limit. The chill
dren selected to recite Christmas selec-
tons and sing carols had finished their
part of the program and the man Sc
lected to play the part of Santa Claus
had appeared in his gala dress to dis
tribute the presents that were piled
around the large, brilliantly lighted
tree. The children We're 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 a large man with u heavy
beard like the n usually pictured as
belonging to ST. Nicholas put his head
in the door of the main hallway and
yelled Fire"
Mrs. Caesar, OF Laurium, who was nea,
the door, realized the danger instantly
She seized the man by the shoulders and
tried to counteract the alarm. but hel
efforts were useless. The man tore loose
from her grasp and dashed away. The
fatal word had reached the ears Of many
in the hall and, it vas repeated through
out the room.
Stampede for Exits.
FIRE." was shouted in several Ian
guages, as fond parents rose and rushed
forward to reach their children. The
lives were crushed out in almost a win
ling. Then the physical impossibility OF
further movement brought the panic
stricken persons to their senses. 1t was
realized too late that there was no fire
Most of these in the hall could not get
out of the jam that they had caused
Policemen and firemen hurried to Tho
building only to find the hallway blocked
by bodies. Several officers climbed tbs
fire escape and entered the hall by thu
windows. In a short time the uninjuret
and those who had tainted had beer
pulled from the tangle of human being!
and placed in the front of the hall. Othcl
men began to pull the bodies of the deat
and helpless from the stairway n LAY
them in a row beside the building. Thi:
disposition of the crumpled bodiea wa
found tnadvisable because of the hysteris
1t caused among the spectators, and tn
corpses were carried back into the hal
as soon as 1t was emptied Of the flight
ened persons. All the chairs were lines
with bodies. and other corpses had 10 b.
placed in the kitchen of the hall n be
meath The stage.
inside Of an hour nearly everyone II
Calumet was as near the scene as It wa
possible to get. The police formed a cor
don about the place to keep back TIN