davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
More Than Hundred
Die When Roof Falls
Heart Rendering Scenes AS Rescuers Tackle The Piles
Of Debris-Hour By Hour Adds To The Reported Fat
ates-Assistant Postmaster General Probably Fatally
Hurt--- Confusion and Panic Follow Crash.

but conscious until Sunday morning,
told rescuers: Pm all right, save
the Others" Later he died on the
first aid table.
There was Second Assistant Post
master General Shaughnessey, criti-
cally injured, who told the workers
to look after his wife and two child
rem, all badly hurt, before they should
release the girder from his feet and
the mammoth block of concrete tear
ing at his abdomen.
DR.. Clyde H. Gearhart was pinned
in the ruins for four hours with the
head of his dead wife pillowed on his
shoulder. All during the terrible vigil,
in excruciating pain from the huge
girder crushing his legs, DR.. Gearhart
tried to revive his wife. At the same
time he called out directions to his
reScuerS.
When husband and wife were fin
ally released Gearhart's leg had to be
amputated.
There was Lieutenant Williams,
naval aviator, who dashed into the
theatre when he heard the collapse,
brought out five bodies and then re-
fused to give his name. There was
the case of Mr.. and Mrs. Oscar G.
Kanston and their daughters, Helen
and Dorothy, who perished, leaving
behind only a ten year old son. And
the case of Mr.. and Mrs. J. l.. Walker
who are survived by three children.
Joseph Beall, musician, bridegroom
only three days before, was mashed
to death in the music pit. Archie
Bell and Miss Mamie Lee Lambert,
planned to be married in few days.
Their bodies We're found side by side
and Miss Lambert was identified by
her engagement ring.
Miss Bikel, 20, severely injured,
came through the hospital morgue
about 8 o'clock last night. She peered
beneath one blanket and recognized
the crushed corpse Of her father.
Gazing at another body she saw it
was her sister Frances. She was alone
orphan the last of the Bikel family.
Lillian Masse, occupying seat in
the balcony, was hurled in a spot near
an entrance where she could crawl.
Twenty four hours later she found in
the church the crumpled body of her
roommate, Margaret Dutch, a pretty
little government worker.
Most of those in the theatre had no
chance for escape. Most of the corpses
had an arm out stretched in a cramp-
ed position as though in the second
before death the person had sought
to ward off the crushing weight.
Only few persons could crawl out
to the street through crevices where
the masonry had nearly formed an
arch instead of pinioning them down.
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30

ter Bianchi.
Before that time, the last live per-
son to be brought out was Scott
Montgomery. Crushed badly, he had
cried out TO rescue his companion,
Veronica Murphy whose body lay be-
side him and to help women and
children before they thought Of TAX
ing him out. They got them out in
the morning, and sent him to a hos
pital, operating on hini-and he died
Sobbing, fainting women. strained
men struggling to hide their tears
mad one by one identified their dead
Hour after hour of the day, on into
the night and still there when dawn
peeped into the gruesome morgue
basement where 4 corps Of nurses
some Red Cross, some former army
nurses, some volunteer nurses-with
core of doctors, waited for new
cases, hoping against hope that there
might be some with spark Of life
in them.
Society women, volunteering foI
service as members of the Red Cross,
maintained stations for coffee, sand
wiches and cigarettes.
Pretty girls, who had never seen
death before, braved the shock Of see
ing bodies mangled so that they could
do their bit among the marines, sol.
diers, firemen and policemen.
And, the men tagged by long hours
kept digging with an energy almost
superhuman. Under the ghastly
glare of gas torches they burrowet
and shoveled. The mountain of deb.
, ris, picked over and over, was drag
gcd out gradually, but there was still
a huge quantity inside the theatre
which looked like some shell wrecked
ruin of the western front. Burley
begrimed workers from the navy
yard, with sputtering oxy-acetylene
torches cut through girder steel
athwart the heap. of concrete which
had crashed through at 9:15 Satur-
day night trapping and mashing the
audience witnessing "Get Rich Quick
Wallingford."
When rescue squads were called off
shortly after 6 a. M, it was stated
there could be few more cOrpses in
the ruin.
Half of the balcony still lay twist
ed and crumpled sloping down from
the rear wall, the beams wrenched
out of shape by the weight from
above.
Tragedies of man and wife killed,
of whole families wiped out but for
one member; stories Of heroism and
unselfishness equalling the finest in
history were enacted in the theatre
and at the Scientist Church Morgue.
The story Of Montgomery was dup
Heated by Albert Buehler, who dying,
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
United Press Leased Wire

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 30-Southern
California is today in the grip of one
of the most violent storms in recent
years
"At least one life has been lost. l..
H. Jackson was drowned when the
pilot boat Hesper, of which he was en-
gineer, capsized at San Pedro
An industrial exposition at Long
Beach, under tent cover, was ruined
by the gale with resultant loss Of
$4,000.
Los Angeles streets were under wa
ter, in some instances to depth Of
five feet. Figueroa street, south Of
Vernon was a fast flowing river. Au-
tomobiles navigated with difficulty
against the current.
Street car service was far below
normal. Telephone and telegraph COM
munication was crippled. Gas pressure
was low, and in some instances failed
altogether.
There was no indication this morn
ing that the storm was breaking.
Mrs. Belle Rosson, 40, was probab-
ly fatally injured when struck by a
street ear early today during a blind
ing .downpour.
She sustained basal skull fracture,
Police Surgeon James II. Beggs an
nounced.
Two hundred scantily-clad men, wo-
men and children were driven out into
the storm this morning when fire for
a time threatened destruction of the
Parker Apartments.
Many are said to have suffered eX-
posure from the rain.
Two women, who ran to the street in
their night clothes, were later taken
to hospital it was reported.
Inches at Sacramento
SACRAMENTO Jan. 30-Several
inches of snow fell here last night and
remained on the ground. Hundreds
gathered in Capitol park for a snow
carnival.
Power Lines Down
MARYSVILLE, Jan. 80 = Power
lines were broken by heavy weight of
snow in the foothills near Marysville
today.
Two inches of snow fell in the town
while Brownsville, Colgate and other
nearby points had snowfall during the
night and this morning amounting to
six inches.
1t was the first snow here since JAN
uary, 1916.
No Let-Up at Modesto
MODESTO, Jan. 30-Snow, which
began falling here at 10 A. M. this
morning covered the ground to a depth
of an inch at noon today, with no signs
of a let-up.
Trains Narrow Escape
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 30-A three
car train on the Mount Lowe railway,
carrying n passengers, narrowly es-
capped plunging over cliff at Gran
ite Gate today when trolley pole
broke under weight o. snow and ice
and fell directly across the trac,k ks, ac-
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
Press Leased Wire Brings Reports of Unprecedented
Weather Prevailing in Every Corner of California
High Winds Work Destruction to Shipping
Los Angeles Streets Under Water in Some Places to
Depth of Five Feet-Snow in the Orange Belt and
Ice is Feature in Stockton

cording to a report to the Pacif
Electric railway here today.
The train was brought to a stco b
fore it struck the pole. 1t was =
rallied. as. first reports recei,
company headquarters idicated.
Granite Gaze is one of the most "a
gerous spots on the entire .mounta
line. The track at this point verg@
out on a cliff with sheer drop y
hundreds of feet.
The passengers and trainmen a
tramping three miles through til
snow to Echo Mountain, at the top
the incline railway. If this line is +
commission, they will be brought dow.
to Pasadena.
Coolest Maximum
RIVERSIDE, Jan. 30-Sunday was
one of the coolest days ever exper-
fenced in this city. The maximum tenn
perature was 43 and the minimum 81.
Rain fell all day and the record for
the storm up to six o'clock this mo1m-
ing was 1.79 inches. Snow fell here and
in other low sections of the county.
Reports from Beaumont this mor1lir ;;
state that from ten to eleven inches
of snow has a1reaoy fallen and eigl
, inches in Banning. Shade trees a7e
breaking down under the weight of the
snow.
The mountains across the lake from
Elsinore are covered with a foot #
snow.
Hemet reported rainfall of 2. o
A heavy southwest gale is blown
IL, G. Co. t,o hoe o
no damage to citrus fruit because Of
the wind.
Ice at Stockton
STOCKTON, Jan. 30-A heavy coat
of ice and snow remained today from
yesterdays storm.
About three inches of snow fell.
Rain alternated with the snow, the
total precipitation being 1876 inches.
Several traffic accidents occurred,
but no fatalities were reported.
A big auto stage turned over On
Dublin Hill near Canyon Inn. Several
passengers were slightly hurt.
Crops Threatened
OAKLAND, Jan. 30-Crops worch
thousands of dollars which were
threatened by the cold wave were
saved yesterday by the snow which fell
throughout Alameda county, accord
ing to farmers. The crops, blanket d
in snow have been saved from :
elements, thew say.
All Records Broken
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 30-All knoS "A
wind records were shattered here 1
day when Sc mile gale swept or
San Diego. our U. S. destroyers brc
from their moorings and were sa d
from serious damage by mineswet =
er which rescued THIN. A big M y
seaplane was also seriously damas !.
Natives Think Snow is Mamma
RIVERSIDE, Jan. 30-When fes j.
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
EXPERIENCE
BRINGS us TO
NOTICE
Citrus People SIT Up as Result
of Valleys Apparent I'M
munity from Killing Cold

George M. Hill, pioneer orange
grower of the Yuma Mesa country,
Frank f. Todd and Mr.. Longstreth,
formerly farm advisers of Yuma coun
ty were IN the valley over Sunday to
look over the country. With 0. w.
Affleraugh, the party travelled over
most of the county and We're frankly
surprised to find that citrus fruit
trees of this section had practically
remained untouched by the recent
cold wave In the opinion of. these
experienced horticulturists, Imperial
Valley and Yuma Mesa have won the
right to be designated as the only
frCstless betl in the two states of Ari-
zona and California. 1t is a record of
which all should be proud said Mr..
Afflerbaugh, who was himself an ex-
pert grower and shipper of citrus
fruits before coming from Pomona
valley to FL Centre few years ago.
The acreage in Imperial county IS
not large, but is being greatly ex-
tended this year by the setting out
of large orchards of grapefruit. And
it is a matter Of wonderment that
more tangerine orchards are not
planted in the valley; the fruit grows
here to perfection and is of a fine
flavor and quality. A car load OF
tangerines at Christmas time would
represent small fortune to the
grower in the opinion of those who
keep close tab on sucn things.
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
The Press is moved.

The Press is moved.
Literally, that may be taken in two
ways-that the modern, well-equipped
plant of The Imperial Valley Press
is now located in its spacious new
quarters formerly occupied by the Ell
Centro Progress, and
That the big, 12-ton Goss "Comet"
press is moved, without mishap, and
was ready early this afternoon to
begin grinding out the papers bear
ing world and local news to the people
of Imperial Valley.
Early Saturday afternoon, after
The Press had been run off, small
army of movers swarmed in the
old quarters on Main street and be-
gan moving the plant. The problem
of moving the big press was the
greatest, but under the able guidance
cf George Heffelman, an Imperial
Valley resident who for years was
with the Goss people, the work pro-
ceeded expertly so that no delay in
publication was experienced. With
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
Recent Appointee Arrives
on Scene With Staff from
Mexico City
WHO'S TO BE BOSS?
Question Which Fill Minds
of Politicians Below the
International Border
Special to Press

MEXICALI, Jan. 3O.--Jose Inocen-
to Lugo. newly appointed governor
of the northern district of Lower Cal
ifornia, arrived here today to take the
oath of office as chief executive Of
the northern Mexican territory, ac-
cording to official announcement
from the State house.
Governor Lugo, formerly sub sec
retary of the department Of interior
in Mexico City, will be inducted into
office Wednesday without ceremony
or formality, itewas advised. The de-
lay in Lugo's being sworn in is occas-
ioned by the absence from Mexicali
of Epigmenio Yybarra, present exec
utive whom Lugo is succeeding.
Governor Ybarra is expected to re-
turn from Ehsenada tonight.
Speculation as to whether or not
there will be a shakeup. In govern
mental circles mere was rife today.
Chief comment centered around
the office of secretary of state for
the northern district, now occupied by
Senor Benito. That official today
was unable to say whether he would
be supplanted by the new governor,
but he announced definitely that he
would tender his resignation immedi-
ately upon Lugo's induction into
office, pending action by the COVER
nor.
. Governor Ybarra plans, to depart
shortly for Mexico City, where it is
understood he will be assigned i'm
portant duties in official circles.
A change In commanders Of the
military in the northern district is
contemplated, it was reported this
afternoon. General Rodriguez, COM
mander Of military forces under
Ybarra's regime, is expected to be re-
placed by General Garcia. who has
had command in the interior. This
change presages no military disturb
ance, it was declared, but is in keep
ing with President Obregon's nation
al policy of requiring all generals to
be entirely familiar with the entire
republic.
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
By CARL d. GROAT
United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON. Jan. 80. - The
death toll caused by the, collapse Of
the Knickerbocker Theatre roof here
Saturday night-one of the greatest
movie picture theatre catastrophes in
the history of the country-stood at
ia today. 9tt..'
Deaths were reported hourly from
the hospitals throughout the city
where 144 injured victims of the dis
aster, many of whom are near death,
were being cared for.
With the death list constantly
mounting, police officials and rescue
workers believed it would pass 1875.
E. H. Shaughnessey, second assist
ant postmaster general. is in a crlti-
cal condition today from injuries in
Cured in the theatre horror. His
legs were mangled and be suffered
from internal injuries. Three blood
transfusions were made during the
night. He is not expected to live.
The rescue squads which have work
ed frantically for 36 hours to extri-
cate those trapped in the gaping
hole in the theatre believed this
morning that all the dead had been
removed.
Workers were still carrying out
debris, however, and making q final
search.
Several Investigations as to the
cause of the catastrophe will be
started at once.
Senator Capper, Kansas, in the
senate today will demand that the
senate district committee make com
plete investigation. A similar re-
quest will be made in the house.
The district commissioners. the
local building inspector and the cor
oner, all have ordered comprehensive
probes.
The coroner's jury probably will be
summoned today.
When dawn crept over the stunned
city, the nightshift of marines doing
rescue work, was relieved and an
other was called.
They had picked, shoveled, burrow-
ed and hauled many weary hours,
practically combing the debris twice
street about the theatre.
Inc marine ana army Officers sup
erintending the labor agreed that the
pit had given up all it's dead.
The last body, that of James Shea,
south Hadley Falls, Mass, medical
student of Georgetown University,
had been recovered about 8 o'clock
last night. Shortly before the ma
rines had dug out the mutilated body
of Shea's companion, pretty Virginia
Meraud, sister of Guatemalan minis
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
SECRETARY COYLE
RETURNS TO
DESK
Brings RsneWed Inspiration
and "Pep" from Meeting of
Secretaries at Los Angeles

Secretary Coyle of the Chamber of
Commerce is back at his desk after
attending the regular meeting of the
secretaries of Chambers of Commerce
at Los Angeles Saturday. Sixty-five
secretaries were present and were ad-
dressed by Frank Virgins and Pres
ident Fredericks of the Los Angeles
Chamber on subjects pertinent to the
work. The president of Occidental
College also spoke inspiringly before
the assemblage.
Luncheon was served in the BAN
uuet room and plans for the annual
convention to be held in FL Centro
were thoroughly discussed. In view
of the fact that the Valley Masons
are to have their big annual meet on
February %, the date of the conven-
ton of secretaries was set forward
to Feb. 1926. 1t is assured that $50
will attend the convention.
The subject of membership delin-
uuencies was discussed at length, the
concensus of opinion being that said
delnquencies are most often due to
lack of interest because the work of
the organization is not understood.
The monthly bulletin containing in
condensed form a resume of chamber
activities has been found helpful in
overcoming this difficulty and the
idea was favored. The Ell Centre
chamber issued such a bulletin last
week and it has been received with
favor by members. 1t is thought that
through this method, closer rela-
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
VALLEY DRENCHED
SNOW in THE
HILLS
D0wnpOur FOll0lUs Day Brisk
Southeast -Gales-Precipita-
.tiOn Figures ShOlU .28 Inch

Escaping the severity Of the ex-
traordinary storm which yesterday
swept California from north to south,
Imperial county nevertheless expert
enced a thorough drenching for few
hours last night, following day
marked by high southeast winds.
The precipitation was .28 Of an
inch at the. Experiment Station.
Rain began falling about O'Clock
Sunday afternoon and soon gave in
dication of continuing throughout the
night. Within few hours, however,
it stopped suddenly and the bank Of
rain clouds began to break and drift
before the wind.
Snow flurries swept over the noun
tains to the west Of the valley and
the blue peaks were mantled in white
this morning. Temperatures, how
ever, remained mild, furnishing va
ration from usual experience.
Farmers and irrigation experts
were quoted today as viewing the
rain with displeasure," owing to the
fact that, because of the unprece-
dented precipitation of few weeks
ago, the water level in the irrigation
district will be raised too high. How
ever, no harm is expected.
The rain was a severe downpour
while it continued last night, and the
downtown streets gushed water in the
cutters like mountain freshets. AT
some points down town planks had
to be stretched from curb to high
points in the paving to bridge the
stream.
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
Nev Enterprise Across Line
WiH'Add To Valley Interests
Chinese Capitalists Will Experiment With Peanuts Strawber
Tomatoes, All Gazing Intensive Cultivation
and Yielding High Priced Products

For the purpose of experimenting
with peanut growing and of produc-
ing vast quantities of tomatoes, let
tuce and other garden truck, as well
as heavy crops of strawberries, 2,7OO
acres of fertile land in Mexicali, near
the international line, has been
leased by Mexican ranch corpora
ton to number Of Chinese and Jap
anese, according to word received
from Calexico today.
The land is situated within II mile
and half of the border. Chinese cap
italists Of Fresno and Mexicali farm
crs of the best class have taken 1900
acres of ten tract. Four hundred
. fifty acres has been leased by a
Fresno japanese, and Brawley Jap
anese took AGO acres. -'.' -,
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
THEATRE DISASTER SHOCKS COUNTRY
WILD RIDE DOWN THE
GRADE BY PAIR
SUNDAY
Car Turns OUer At Bottom but
Tragedy is AUe1ted-Men
In HOspitdL

G The steering rod of their 6
6 automobile broken, H. H. New 9
g berry and Harry Maloney, en- 6
8 route to Mountain Springs {
g camp, rode with death in :
6 terrifying dash down Noun
8 tain Springs grade late yes {
q terday and won only by the :
6 narrowest margin after the
g ear turned turtle in a precipit- {
g GUS ravine far below.
6 Suffering serious injuries,
6 the men were brought to {
8 local hospital last night after
9 they had lain in agony beside
@ the wreckage of their car
g Neither Newberry nor Ma
6 loney is able to determine
g what caused the accident. {
8 Driving the tortuous roads Of {
g the grade, the car suddenly s
g shot out of control and hurtled
s off the highway and down the 6
g side Of canyon wall at ter
g rifle pace. 1t was too late to
g try the brakes; death beckon 8
6, ed them if they leaped from {
s. the flying car. They stayed .
8 with the rolling, plunging ma :
6 chine until the last grinding s
g crash. They were then picked 8
g up unconscious by passersby.
g According to DR.. Brooks, 9
S who attended their injuries, Z
g they are in critical condition. 6
g Newberry sustained a broken 6
g leg and other serious injuries. s
g Maloney's hand was crushed s
G and other hurts, probably in 9
@ ternal, make his condition :
g grave. DR.. Brooks advised. 6
6 6 g g e g g g 9
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30

The experiment with peanut grow
ing is attracting the interest of
farmers throughout Imperial Valley.
Peanut crops in Texas, one of the
chief centers of that product, are said
to be splendid paying projects, yield
ing $50 to the acre with but insignif-
icant cost of planting and cultivating.
There is scarcely any waste to the
crop, those familiar with peanut
growing pointed out. The crop can
be sold as nuts or stock feed, besides
which the vines of shay" constitute
excellent stock fodder, it is said.
If the experiment proves success
full on the Mexican side, many Imper.
ial Valley ranchers consider planting
considerable acreage to the humble
"goober."
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
FL CENTRIC OVER TOP
ON HOME DRIVE
Rotary Club Puts Punch into
CanUass-CaiexicO Also
Makes Good

s Ell Centre hoped over the 3
g top today in its drive for .
s funds for the Imperial County 8
3 Orphans Home. according to .
8 announcement by Ray Edgar, =
9 chairman of the committee 8
8 which undertook the financial 9
8 drive. -
$ With the quota set at $1,50O 9
6 the local Rotary club volun- g
6 teered to take over the task :
g of raising the sum for the :
6 Home and appointed teams to 9
g canvass the city. With an in :.
9 tensive campaign conducted, s
g the fund was soon obtained. 6
g Reports from The Press s
g correspondent at Calexico to- 3
g day credited that city with al 9;
8 SO having gone over the top :
g on its $1,000 quota. Reports :
8 from some other valley towns s
q were not so favorable, how :
&, ever, it was said. i
g = 6, :, :, g p . s. 3 g g g
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
Press Force Puts Over Big
Stunt In Moving The Plo,
With Strong Pull All Together Office is Transferred FIR
Old Quarters CommodoS Location at Sixth ana State
Ready to Go Today

him worked Pressnan
ana Jack Horsley, boil
staff.
Extensive alterations and in,i "
ments in the new quartrs were n
under the direction of ]. l.. Tray
local contractor.
New wiring necessitated by
largements of the plant in its Il v
quarters was superintended by c. .
Ferguson, while the Pioneer T'r' K
company took charge of haulage, c.
j. c. Cooper, expert in NOV x
newspaper plants, was imported II n
Riverside to supervise the gene 81
task of moving.
Sign painting and other such work
was done by Jack Steiff. while Gosa
and Livingston contracted gene u
painting work.
1t is the opinion of The Press ST. Y,
all of whom aided Loyalty in the m i-
ing, that they now have one Of 80
most modern and attractive newsp o.
err plants in Southern California, OK.
cspting metropolitan eentsrs.
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
COTTON MAKiK EFT

NEW YORK, Jan. 30.-Cotton op-
ened barely steady. March $l6.55,
off 10; May $16.28, off 49,; July
$16.02, off 8. ".'.
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30

tionship between members and board
of directors will be brought about to
the mutual benefit of both.
Imperial Valley press., 1922-01-30
q {, Is g p s. s. . 81
WEATHER

Southern California tonight
and Tuesday rain.
Los Angeles and vicinity
: rain tonight and probably
? Tuesday. u
? s. 6 6, g 8 q 3 g g g g