New-York tribune., 1922-01-30

An,ong1njurcd,
Depicts Horror
Deluee of Plaster, Bricks.
Snow and Steel as Orches-
ira Played anG Comic Film
Was Run, Says Smithwick
Sharp Crack, Disaster
Cries of v omen andChildrc,
and Shouts Of Men Awful:
Own Escape a Miracle

so,,atoi Press An avalanche oe
broken plaster. bricks. snow. splinter,
wooden and twisted steel beams cata-
rulting uron tho audience while tho
orchestra played and comedy film
ground out is the description Of tn.
Nnicserbocker Thoater disaster given
,o.dsy by Representative John II
Snl'ET *, of Pensacola. Fla He was
70 ne naiconv Of The thcatcr when the
rpcf CO apsed under its weight of snow
s1d escapcd unaided Just how he can
70: recall with more or less serious
ssrts.
Tho orchestra was playing beautiful
Esslc and comic film was running. ''
na ar. Smlthwick. lying in his bed
asncaEed and with his face and hands
;orered with cuts. "Suddenlv thcrn
Fss sharp crack. looked un and
ssw great lssure running across the
esihnf. IL was right over my head. I
instantly realized what was happen-
lrs. ne plaster began to fall, drop-
Fng down IN large and small chunks
sll over the theatcr, it seemed to me
Vhile was looking up a great piece
Hght over my head started to fail. 7
5ackcd, crouching involuntarily, sup
-ose, down between the seats. The
aioce struck the seat right where had
reen sitting. The force was broken bv
he seat, but it pinned me down where
was crouching.
shrieks Midst the Roaring
THE noise was awful 1t was a
.reat tremendous roar. 1t was simnly
,descrbable. | never can forget it.
TN the midst Of the roaring wero
ssrieks and cries OF women and chill
aren and a few shouts Of men. There
we're cries for help. groans and worst
o. all, the means Of those in terrible
pain. 1t was awful. | cant describe it
see y an the time, those poor chill
'fen ana mon and women crying and
:roaurg there.
"incfe we're only a few of us in the
'sicory. Luckily, there weren't more
iae balcony gave way and crashed
soon after the ceiling began to fall. on
aesc 90 the lover floor. They were
a-sht the worse. We in the balcony
vsre more fortunate.
y guess there was 4 lapse Of mavbe
Heiiy seconds. hardly more, before
u' balcony fell. Funny, but it spun
1eand kind Of twisted. as its support
Eve way. and 1t swung down on those
nv" II didn 60 straight down. lust
s'a Of sild sidewise and slanting,
,'pcsc from the weight OF the debris
81 fHH fallen on us up stairs.
Like Ice Pond Breaking Up
y don't know how got out from
stere was crouching under that
bunk Of plaster that had fallen on
1e really believe it weighed all Of
a@ pounds. and think | moved that
'aster with my shoulders. Anyway. I
raw'ed out between the seats to
were saw a small hole in the plaster
'oro forced myself up through
at hole. Wriggling and showing, then
led out over the snow and plas-
'T over the tangled debris. to tire
i's1s on the Eighteenth Street side.
Across the aisle from me when the
'ash came was a little fellow-I never
a~ sn again and wonder if he is
'eaa vino laughed and roared at every
%7ecislA funny part of the film.
ioH't know what became of him or the
'.'er7 i'm the balcony after we were
'aowered with plaster.
; As the ceiling broke the plaster
;sN first. IN chunks. 1t was just like
an Ice pond breaking up. The roof
4ian't give way on one crash. IL
'eemed 10 hroals up everywhere. That
.ei IN the snow. which came in through
Tie broken places where the ceiling
aad given way
Everything Went Black
us queer. hut was consciou. all
,ao time when ! was pinned down under
,.erc h that great piece of ceiling.
NY mlrd, wncn saw the ceiling fall
Mc. and aftervard. was Just as clear
'oo collected as it is now. I knew |
ls, "ss hurt some. but | didn't know how
"aaiy II seemed that ny time had
1me l lived year. tell you, pinned
aoEi between tho seats.
II wasn't until got outside that
.Dueed GOOD falling from my face and
's,.os eot ont myself. No one
0s'pe' me-. ] crawlcd over tho broken
ses's and rlastcr and snow to She door.
5u INC WV saw Young fellow lying
.ai G Gun icd u7 moaning and crying for
eeN' loancd over to lift him and
l-a o'erftA,Hg went black The next
/ ''n,o mnor was at tho door, wiping
N ploof rom MY eyes and mouth.
~" know now got out. ! didn't see
o'hor injured ones rs J crawlcd
- can remember about that part
~ w only thought then was to Get
~.N' before should die Ny chest
.'peN me- my hack seemed broken and
e,' was dripping with blood. All
.rSaNled to do was 20 get home and
mF .wiic and little girl what had
,sspened and how 7 was hurt
'psh' WAS gong to die
These RcloN Balcony Helpless
"e9rosortative Smithwick. who lives
s' h'ock from the thcatcr. said he
sseiec home without ovcrcoat or
through TIC eucwdrifts. Physi
| esS We're gmwcned Immediately. who
! % r.o HH eufcrinc from shock
| ,., sss and pos e'big informal injuries.
... '1'e'Fk = was p miracle that : came
| tbi, saie tho congressman. But
sns olo-o poor childrcu and men
Men Vho voro not so fortunatci
H.. SOC nov any who we're unde-
.os,s 's''oH. escaped IF those below
no., IaVe seen the ceiling breaking
IN. .l,..,, nou,d have had tlnc to rush out
e9yldS,. INC doors hu, guess they
rbaso see like We in the halcon-.
ru.s, underneath us had no chance.
tA., keep thinking ot +. al, the tim.
I ths i.S lui roaring and the crashing Of
pss,ia 'SonV on its way down to those
| n,.'. NJ oe,o" 1t was all over in half
- guess, but II seemed hours"