Potosi journal., 1922-02-01
10 KILLED lnD
$50 INJURED N
1AEATER DISASTER
PROMINENT MEN AND WoMgM
.AMoNo THooG FOUND DEAD
AFTER ROOF CAVES IN.
WHOLE FAMILIES WIPED OUT
Several Mere PsreeWs, Gent 70 Hee
pltals, Nay Die and lnersass
Death Toll, u 10 eeAred-
harding Shocked.

Washingtoh. least no perSOna
are dead and about $50 injured In the
collapse under the weight Of two feet
OF snow Of the roof 0f the knicker.
booker Theater. motion picture house
here.
The disaster has taken It's place
among the greatest tragedies Of the
kind In many years. A count Of the
known dead put the total IT ITO. and
Il is feared that several men and
women who are In the hospitals will
die. The number Of injured. including
those who were given first aid and
taken to their homes, IL easily more
than 2HO.
Men aud women prominent In the
social and political life Of the nations
capital were among those who were
taken dead from the wreckaKe Or who
died at the temporary mOrgue aud first
aid station In u nearby Church U
Christ. Scientist. and In the hospitals
OF the city. The tiieater is situated
In select residential section, within
n short distance Of several OF the em'
bNssies and legations. One Of the
boasts Of the management had been
that not week went by without nj
least one cabinet member attending
u performance.
While the severe weather had kept
down the attendance. the list Of dead
and injured showed that Ii had been
no "rdinar. moving picture audience
as such things 20.
Among the dead were Sonora vir.
ginia Faraud. sister Of Dr. Julis
Bianchi, the Gua tsmalan minister, nnd
DR.. James Y. Shea, of Hadiey Falls
Mass. n student of George Washing
ton University. who had accompanied
Sonora Faruud TO the performance.
Another victim wns Guy =. Eidridge. III
Salt Lake iit.. brotter.in.inw u Sena'
tor lteed Sm"ot II Utah Reported dy,
Ing In Walter Reed Hospital Is Edward
II. Shaughncrsy, second assistant post
as postmaster general IN the absence
Of WIN II. Hays ahi his first assistant
Shanghnessy's wife and daughter were
serionsi, injured.
These were but = S.s- of the nniurs
Of men and women well known In The
life If Washington who were ,lctiins
of the tragedy. There were army and
navy officers, men prominent In the
business and professional life, and
others In official circles who. while
moi ranking with cabinet officers aud
foreign diplomats, held prominent
posts.
There were grim stories Of whole
families wiped out. caught beneath ths
enveiopinr blanket formed by the fall
Ing roof aud each hour brought Sosns
extent Of the tragedy. as the weary
rescue parties worked IN riays
throughout iis day and night TO clear
up tn. tansIr IT plaster. bricks and
twisted iron gir,ler>.
Prcsid-n' Harding took official cog
nizancc II the situation after report
hmd been made. to him of the extent 0t
the tragedy. The President said:
Il have experienced tn" same ~
founding .i,,sk and the snine ln"xpres
sibic sorrow which has come 10 Wash
innton and which win be sympRihei
icsliy felt throughout thu land II
know aught to..ny to soften the sor
row ~ hundreds who are suddenly he
rrnvrti. " I could say u word 10 rhcri
the maiiH-d aud suffering. ] would
elndl, do II,
"Th. terrible tragedy. staged In tie
midst Of the great storm. has deeply
depressed all ~ us ana left ns wonder
inI about the rc,oivIng fntes."
The President also vent his personal
physician. Er,g. t'rn Sawyer. TO walter
Rsrd Hospital to make inquiry about
the condition ~ Assistant Postmaster
General Shnughnessey and about other
government employees Injured In the
wreck.