The Hope pioneer., 1922-10-26
Stars Great
Scoop
By ERNEST LEVINE

Copyright, 1ss2. Western Newspaper Union,
"Hold the wire For the love of
Mike. hold the wire!"
Blodgett rushed like a crazed man
out Of the telephone booth in the re-
porters' room Of the Daily News.
TITS Starr on the wire" he yelled
at the city editor.
'That auditorium at Chdnceli6r's. Oh
fire. The place is packed and blaz-
Ing. Starr says he's got column to
telephone through"
go to It'll" yelled the city editor.
Get all you can"
In a moment the telephones through
out the building were humming. A
column was deleted> from the front
page, orders were sent up to the proof
room to hold the edition. Outside the
booth one of the men took up his
position, ready to rush the slips on
which Blodgett was frantically scrib-
bling up to the compositors.
1t was one Of the biggest state po-
litical meetings Of the year. The
auditorium was packed. Stanley, the
defeated candidate for governor, was
to declare his policy. Starr had been
sent specially to get the news. Starr
had knack of getting things through
quickly. Starr never fell down.
The story now, of course, would
deal exclusively with the burning of
the auditorium. The ex-governor's
speech had faded into insignlficance.
"Go on, Starrl Speak louder! I
can't hear you. What's the matter
with the wire?" Blodgett growled.
Get your mouth close up and shout
it,"
All the while he. spoke Blodgett's
hand, trained to act almost mechan-
ically, took down this story:
"The audience sat entranced by the
speakers words. Never had Mr.. Stan.
ley so risen to the OCCASION. There
was an intense silence. Then
"A thin wisp Of smoke began to curl
up from the wings of the platform.
Perhaps a dozen men noticed 1t sim
ultaneously. There was an uneasy
stirring among the assemblage. Their
minds, attuned to Mr.. Stanley's words.
were mOmentarily unable to take in
the significance Of that thickening
smoke coil.
"Nor did anybody know that in the
basement were stored thousands Of
pounds of disused play films, nor that
man, passing out, had carelessly
thrown his cigarette away.
"But of sudden vast sheet of
roaring flame swept simultaneously
from score of points. The platform
was ablaze instantly. In an incred-
IDLY short time the auditorium was
filled with fire and smoke.
'The smoke added to the universal
panic. The vast crowd was on it's
feet In moment, pouring for the
exits, only to find them blocked with
roaring flames. Women were tram
pied underfOot, men fought each other
with the fer0city of trapped beasts.'
The scene must have, resembled
that in the Paris Charity Bazaar fire
some years ago. All thought Of chiv-
airy was abandoned. The auditorium
Is at the top Of the flight of steps
leading down into Market street.
There are six. exits. Every exit was
packed ten feet high with bodies.
They formed solid wedge in the
doorways. No one could pass. Men
with safety few feet away from them
struggled In vain until they in turn
were trodden down by the seethiny
press behind them.
''Then in twinkling the exits were
filled with fire. 1t roared halfway
across Market street. 1t is believed
that hardly-hardly-"
"Good stuff! Hbpe he's got plenty
more," commented the city editor as
he read. wonder how Starr made
his getaway"
Il can't hear word you're saying,
Starr" Blodgett complained. "For
Gods sake give it little louder"
Hardly dozen survived. Mr..
Stanley, fortunately, together with
three other gentlemen upon the stage
can't give their names now"
"Never mind, Starr. Go on! Go
onl We're holding the edition."
Had time to leave the building.
At Is believed that they were ignorant
Of the extent of the catastrophe. I
tried to see Mr.. Stanley, but lie
wouldn't speak to me. Took no no.
tice at all. Acted as If wasn't there,
I felt mighty sore about it,"
THAT'S all right, Starr. Go on!"
But the voice on the wire had
ceased. Blodgett ratified frantically
at the handle. He yelled in vain to
Central. Starr had been cut Off, or
gone.
The bell rang. Blodget snatched up
the receiver again.
Here's the Press report just com.
ing through" he said to the city ed.
itor.
"All right, take her, Blodgett.
Well run 1t in the next edition.
Jehoshaphat, we've got a scoop"
Ten minutes later BlOdcett capo