The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-29
TWO FEET OF SNOW
CAUSES PLAYHOUSE
ROOF TO COLLAPSE
Police, Firemen, and Marines
Burrow Beneath Debris to
Rescue UnfOrtunateS.
CONGRESSMAN SMITHWICK
is AMONG THE INJURED
People of Every Walk of Life In
cluded in the List of
Manned and Injured.
tsy The Assoolatsd Pressl

tBy The Associated Prees)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2s-Fifteen
persons at least are believed to have
been killed and scores injured tonight
III the collapse under weight Of two
feet OF snow OF the roof of the KnislS-
erbocker theatre, motion picture
house located in the heart OF Wash
ington,s fashionable northwest section.
Two hours and u half after the
crash, which occurred about 9 o'clock.
definite Information as to the number
OF dead and injured was wholly lack
ing as well as estimates of the num-
bsr or those in the theatre at the time
these estimates ranging from 15o to
500 although the theatre, one of the
finest motion picture houses in the
city, had accommodations for more
than 1000 spectators.
All was confusion for hours after the
crash while police, firemen, marines
from the nearby barracks and soldiers
from Walter Reed Military Hospital
strove to burrow beneath the mass of
debris and bring forth those buried
hereunder. i,
Scores had been removed from the
edges OF the debris and hurried to hos
pitai but police engaged for twenty
four hours in battling the worst snow
storm to visit Washington in a decade
were unable to check up the number
of those taken to the hospitals or
whether any or how many had died
after reaching the hospitals.
Every fire station in the city was
called upon to send its crew to the
ing apparatus only added to the con-
fusion.
With the arrival OF the marines,
however, order began to be restored.
Emergency hospitals were set in the
neighborhood, some in the homes of
high officials OF the government.
Finding the roof was composed OF
steel and concrete almost immovable
and impenetrable. the street railway
companies of the city and the Wash
ington naval yard were called upon to
supply acetylene torches. With these
more rapid progress was made and it
was hoped that within few hours it
might be possible to reach those buried
beneath the debris.
Attaches of tho British embassy re-
been made of the staff Of that embassy
and none found to have been in at
tendance at the theatre Belief was
expressed in some quarters that the
final list of injured and possibly that
Of the dead would contain names of
Wen known persons inasmuoh as the
theatre was situated in a section of
the city TN which many government Of
ficlals live.
The management of the theatre
which was owned and operated by the
Harry M. Crandan Company, owner OF
a number OF theatres in the city, de-
clared that the building only recently
had been inspected and approved and
that the collapse of the roof only could
have been caused by the tremendous
weight imposed by the heaviest snow
fall that has visited Washington since
1899.
The roof fell with such force as to
drive three concrete pillars through
the orchestra floor, up near the stage.
however, Its force was arrested so that
the platform successful acted as
buffer. For this reason, it was said,
several OF the musicians escaped.
Every expedient was resorted TO in
the work OF rescue, volunteers assist
ing the firemen, police and marines
without regard to possible collapse of
The walls. a prospect which was re-
garded as all too imminent. One case
was observed OF q small boy crawling
through a small aperture in the tangl-
ed mass OF concrete. steel and wood 10
a man. woman and child who were
pinned down, and giving them water.
AS the night wore on the work OF
rescue continued feverishly but some
officials expressed doubt II the debris
could be completely removed for sew
eral days, leading TO the possibility
hat the last body may not be recov-
cred for some time.
The Gordon Of police, firemen and
marines was reinforced also by troops
OF boy scouts who stood guard through
the long night.
At midnight the following list Of
dead was ascertained:
Mrs. r. II, coven, Miss Costley, Wiz
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