Evening star., 1922-01-30

When catastrophies such as the one
which befell the Knickerbocker The
ater Saturday night occur, and people
eagerly beseech the newspaper OFFICES
for information and CLEAN every line
in the paper itself about the accident,
there is perhaps little thought given
to the organization which must be
maintained to gather that informa-
ton. In the military service there Is
no better generalship, and the forces
in the field are no better trained.
Such occurrences as that OF Saturday
must be handled without notice, and
there is no time to map out a cam
paign.
Just a few minutes after 9 o'clock
Saturday night the big fire alarm
gong in The Star office rang out box
Sly. 1t showed it was 1stE and CO.
lumbia road, and the city editor
knowing every part of the city, vis-
ualized there was possibility of Sc
rious trouble there, because he knew
there was a big theater in the vi
cinity.
call up the Knickerbocker," he
called to an assistant.
The order had just fallen from his
lips when his telephone rang, and the
reporter who always stays at pollce
Headquarters said:
"The Knickerbooker Theater has
collapsed!
REPORTERS Rushed to Scene.
That was enough. Two reporters,
working on their regular night news.
were dispatched Immediately. One OF
them had been brave enough to bring
his car out in the storm, and In q few
the snowdrifts. bound for the scene.
In twenty minutes they were there,
and went right into the wreckage to
ascertain its extent:
Once the city editor knew he had
two men to start the work Of covering
ME scene, he began marshaling the
other reporters The Associated Press
was notified and in q few brief
minutes the first news Of the disaster
was known throughout the news
paper offices of the country.
Additional men were dispatched to
the scene as they were reached on
their regular assignments. and others
were sent to the hospitals to assure
accuracy in the lists of injured.
Arriving at the scene OF the disaster.
line Of communication with the
office by telephone was established IN
the National Sport Shop. on 18th
street, just opposite the theater.
Call to Injured for Names.
The first two reporters on the scene
set about getting the names of people
in the ruins by calling to them, and
getting information from those who
were conscious. Each person who
was brought out was interviewed to
get every bit Of information. which
made possible some early forecast of
the extent Of the dead, MANNED and
injured.
Dressing stations were established
in various houses. The reporters had
to locate them. and everybody who
was sent out was followed by a re-
porter to ascertain where he was be-
ing treated. Once these sources Of
information were established. more
attention could be given at the scene.
Many Of the first identifcations Of the
dead were made by The Star men flrSt
on the scene. When q body was laid
aside they searched pockets for pa
pers or other means Of Identification,
eager to provide information for fran
tic people who knew they had re1a-
tives or friends In the house at the
time.
Frantic Appeals for Relief
A scramble through the ruins, a
voice heard, a frantic appeal for re-
lief, or q request to notify "home."
The renorfAr woOld croNch on hands