davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30

Of the snow. The automobiles him
dered the rescuers' work. They were
picked up bodily by groups of men
and lifted out of the way.
Ambulances and private machines
gathered up the injured as they were
brought out. Finally a string of army
ambulances arrived from Walter Reed
hospital with sacks fun of bandages
Doctors came from everywhere, army
and navy and civilian doctors.
All through the night the work Of
rescue went on. It was evident that
nothing could be done for mony Of the
victims until the weight of the wreck
age could be lifted a call to the navy
yard Drought blue packets and by
draulic jacks and oxy-hydrogen Jets TO
burn through the steel beams. The
jacks were lined IN under the edge Of
the fallen balcony ard little a. time
its weight was lifted. Rcscuers took
their lives in their hands to creep
under and release people there.
As daylight came the task became
easier. Engineer officers from the
army could see what must be done.
They traced each twisted beam and
saw where it would be safe to cut and
where a steel girder might be dragged
out of the pile with safety to those be-
low. Holes were cut through the wall
and with ropes and tackle the soldiers
and sailors heaved away slipping and
falling IN the mushy snow outside.
Meanwhile, all Washington, II
seemed, was heading for the scene.
With street cars stopped, every street
was black with strings of people STUN
bling over the banked snow. They
tramped form every corner Of the city.
and the soldiers and police held rigid
lines about the theatre TO keep them
back
Hour by hour through the day the
death toll rose. Less than half Of the
total had been recovered when full
daylight came, despite hours of labor.
Gradually the work was organized
Some of the men who had worked all
night were relieved by comrades tel
sleep and prepare for another night
Of it. New police and fire crews came in
After the center of the main floor had
been cleared of victims dug out of the
wTeckage by main strength, a more sys-
tematic search began and it was still go
ing tonight without a halt. The workers
or injured persons, began to turn over
the tons of debris, pling it in that space
or dragging beams and slabs outside
During the day electricians came tC
string wires and set rows of lamps il
place to aid the work when darkness
fell. On the street, the glare of fires
lighted by the soldiers to warm them
selves as they waited to heave on a
rope threw additional lights on the mass
within the rooflass shell where hundreds
labored INCREASINGLY.
As the gas jets came into play. brilliant
spurts Of fame lighted the scene. Show
ers of sparks rose as the live heat hit
through inches of steel to free another
tangle. High on the walls, sailors and
soldiers peSched on hanging beams or in
window lodges to cut lose the end of a
girder and let it be dragged away. Out !
side the piles of debris rose steadily on
both streets.
The final turning over of the wreckage
was well underway soon after dark to-
night. When the weight Of the last sec |
ton of the gallery had been lifted on !
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30
FFRE Is MORE ABOUT
KNLCKERB0CKER
STARTS ON PAGE ONE

danger proved to be just double. Few
of those seated there could have es-
capped. Even if the failing concrete
slabs and steel word Of the roof missed
them. the solid mass of the balcony
front came down on the first wreck
age with crushing weight. The gleam-
ing brass rail that adorned the bal
cony front lay spread over the wreck
age of roof Is feet below when res
cuers reached the scene.
Those farther back on the main
floor probably all escaped. The beams
that supported the back end of the bal
aony did not let go their clutch on
he wall. The wide sweep OF seats
they supported tilted down until the
wreckage below took the weight Of
the front end and then stood covering
he hack rows of the main floor like
a tent.
The front rows OF the balcony were
ground to a twisted mass of ruins in
he fall There was no wood in the
structure. 1t was all steel and con-
crete but the enormous weight of the
balcony was itself sufficient to wind
the tortured beams into fantastic
shapes.
Here again chance played a part IL
educing the number of victims. The
front rows Of the balcony, four or five
iers deep, We're known as reserved"
seats. They were priced above the
succeeding rows and, except when the
house was damned, commonly. were
not all osee1Iniad With the small at
enhance of last night probably only
few had paid the extra price for
these seats.
And many of those behind scrambled
up the steep slope of the fallen bal
cony to safety, although many were
struck down in the first blow whe,
the roof caved in. Some were hurled
down into the pit wheckage when the
,alcony front fell and even some Of
these escaped with bruises. There is
40 record, however, OF any survivors
among those in the foremost balcony
seats.
Frantic calls for aid went out as
soon as those in the double walled
structures which form the Eighteenth
street and backwall Of the auditorium
realized what had happened These
two three floor wings form the offices
a store along the Eighteenth street
front and house the stairways and the
approaches and exits both on that side
and along the back wall and they
were not included in the disaster,
which was confined to the auditorium
itself. Later the store and corridors
became the first aid stations as the
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30
HERE IS MORE ABOUT
]. H. SMITHWICK
STARTS ON PAGE ONE

chunk of plaster that had fallen on
me. I really believe II weighed all OF
500 pounds And | think / moved that
plaster with my shoulders Anyway,
crawled out between the seats 10
where I saw a small hole In the plas-
ter above forced myself up through
that hole, weighing and showing. Then
crawied out over the snow and plas-
ter, over the tangled debris. 70 the
doors on the Eeighteenth street side
Across the aisle from me when the
crash came was little fellow uevel
saw him again and [ wonder If he Is
dead--who laughed and reared al every
especially funny part of the film.
don't know what became of him OF
the others In the balcony after we
were showered with plaster.
"As the ceiling broke the plaster fell
first, In chunks. It was just like ar
ice pond breaking up. The roof didn't
give way in one crash. II seemed t.
break up everywhere. That let in TIN
snow, which came in through tn
broken places where the ceiling haG
given way.
TITS queer, but was conscious al
the time when I was pinned dow
under there by that great piece of cell
ing, my mind, when I saw the ceilin
falling and afterward. was just a.
clear and collected as II is now.
knew ! was hurt some, but / didn
know how badly. II seemed that m
time had come lived year, tel
you, pinned down between the seat
'Tt wasn't until / got outside that
nnffna6 hlnA6 falling
and hands. I got out myself. No ont
helped me. Icrawled over the broke
seats and plaster and snow to TN
door. on the way saw a young fel
low lying half curled UP. moaning anr
crying for help. I leaned over to lif
him and then everything went blacl
The next l remember was at tn
door, wiping the blood from my eye
and mouth. don't know how I go
out / didn't see any other injure
ones as / crawled out. can't remem
Der about that part of 1t. My onl
thought then was to get home befo
/ should die. My chest panied me, my
back seemed broken. my face was
dripping with blood. All wanted
do was to get home and tell my wifi
and little girl what had happened an
how was hurt. 1 thought was go
ing to die"
Representative Smithwick, who live
about a block from the theatre. sal
no staggered home without overcoa
or hat through the snow drifts. PLY
sicians were summoned immediatel,
who found him suffering from shocl
bruises and possibly internal injuries
81 think it was a miracle that cam
out alive" said the Florida represer
tative. but think of those poor chill
dren and men and women who were
not so fortunate. don't see how any
WHO were under that balcony escaped.
" those below could have seen the
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30

Mrs. Bateman Adams: John Klenner;
Mrs. Howard kneesi; Henry T. Lacey:
S. n. Lee Clarence Long; john 4. Mar
got: Oreste Maullo; Lillian Masse; Johnl
T McEIrIey. Mrs. Julius Mckinney; Mr.
and Mrs. Jones Aichleas; Scott Montgom-
cry; John A. Morgan; II. p. Moses; Her
bert and Mildred Nash; John and Kath-
erine Nesbit: Clarence NewilirS; Mrs. =.
PasquaIe: Alice Pssquaie; Henry Pear
Miss Virginia Poole; Miss Ruth T..
Posuey; Mrs. Henry 5. Powell; Henry
Wilson and Miss Evelyn Wilson: John
Presioso; Marie Rhea; Belle Rembo; Ed
ward \. Sacks. New York City; Harry
F. Sacy; Walter Urd Sacy; Mrs. Matte
Schwab; L. II. Shaughnessy, second as
sistant postmaster general, Mrs. 4. IL
Shaughressy; Myrtle Shaughnessy; Ruth
Shaughnessy: Representative John II.
SmIthwick. Of Florida; Albert r. Sward E
Martha Strayer; Mrs. Gertrude Taylor:
Lieutenant Colonel Taylor. L. s. A:
Leonard and Elizabeth Theunisseau.
Crr,stiana Thompson, "a years old; Eta
Underwood; Caroline Upshaw; Nathan ].
Urd0ng. Alphonozo Van PoucSe: Colonel
e RI Wesson; Nancy Wesson; Miss Ma
RE Young; Miss Josephine Younger; Lieu
tenant Commander Zalasili, medical off,
Ger Of marine barracks and his wife.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30

decided IT, rasnAee1ens CT The
LOUISIANA Coastal Deveiopr,eak Cor
poratioE TO initiate drilling tests
for oil and other minerals at several
points on their holding during 1922.
The largest natural gas well in the
world is located near part of the
clubs properly, whereas another part
of the property is located near the
worlds largest sulphur. mine
Land Improvement
A portion of the million dollar
capital of the Corporation will be
directed to land improvement, as q
considerable part of the acreage is
subject to reclamation at a nominal
cost When reclaimed such land IS
readily salable as farm land at =
handsome profit The fertility Of this
virgin land surpasses in productivity
the far famed valley Of the Nile IL
produces abundant crops of many
varieties such as rice. sugar cane.
corn and cotton, also truck and
semi-tropical fruits. The mineral
and land development plans which
will be Immediately inaugurated will
inevitably result IN a source of Goa
siderable revenue 10 club members
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30

mangled victims were dragged from
the wreckage.
Firemen fought their way through
heaping snow drifts in answer to a
general alarm. Police patrols filled
with men churned and skidded
through the white muck and, in an
swer to a summons, marines from the
barra cks clear across the city came
at double time. painting through the
heavy going At Fort Meyer. across
the river, the cavalry was turned out
and started in truck load sto the res
cue, only to find roads blocked with
snow. The men shoveled their way
franticaly, but finally four mule
teams rom the fort and from the en-
gineers' barracks were called on.
At the scene of the disaster there
was wild confusion for a time. Those
who first made their way to the audi
torium doors saw before them dim.
mysterious heap of wreckage family
lighted py a string of colored e}ectrics
on the stage that still stood intact
And by the reflected glow from the
leaden skies above the void where the
roof had been.
Minute by minute the crowds about
the door thickened. The lash of the
falling roof had drawn many, some
who had relatives in that mass of ruin
and melting snow inside. The Clang of
fire apparatus brought other hundreds
and until the marines came painting up
the police weer powerless to fight off
the crowd.
Firemen plunged into the wreokage
with lanterns. Men with electric torch
es came from all sides to aid. And it
was a daunting task they faced. They
stood on the debris they must lift to
reach those dead or dying below. On
the Columbia road side the single wall
lowered menacingly above their heads,
stripped almost bare except for the
-.... XII Sos marking the way out
of the balcony. now q crumpled mass
below. Not a window in the long VOL
was broken.
With infinite care the rescuers be-
San work. Every beam they touched
might let another mass of concrete
down if it was moved too swiftly.
There were some groans i nthe dark
ness below and no one knew how many
men, women and children had been
crushed or trapped there. The huge
slabs Of the concrete from the roof.
torn from their steel supporting grid
3us, stood in crazy attitudes. A touch
might send them topping.
But against every difficulty, the
oldiers and sailors mad firomen and
police and citizens toiled desperately
and a slow stream of dead and injured
began to trlckle out through the door
ways. Nearly every house and store
in the vicinity became 4 rescue station.
.ousewives made up pots of coffee
for rescuers and rescued as the night
On the 18th street front a row of
pa. >eu Automobiles stood waiting for
owners killed or hurt in the crash in
side. They were hub deep in snow
and only a narrow lane was opened to
60 ~ the street itself as The street
cars could not get through because
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30

instead OF the club beng an expense
as IS ordinarily the case
Club Organization
The personnel OF The Hunting
and Fishing Club Of America is com
posed Of successful men Of the high
est reputation and business Standing
They arc President Newton W.
Gilbert, Lawyer, Of New York Vice
President, T A McCreary, Exporter
and Importer. New York City, Sc
eretary-TreasureT. w Il Timber
lake, formerly with the Irving Nat
ional Bank, New York City: General
Manager, r. Kendall, formerly Of
Shreveport. La. now Of New York
The above Officers together with The
following constitute the Board az
Directors z r Rarcliff. President
Of the InvincibIe OIL CorpoTat;or
New York; John s. STANLEY. F.
porter and Importer, New York: e
3. Baldwin. President CT the Tan
syivaHia Oil COMPANY. IIruting,or
West Virginia. and ". I RodSers
Capitalist, also Of Huntiuxton. ".
Va
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30
LIST OF INJURED
tsy The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON. Jan. 29-Among the
injured in the Knicherbocker theatre dis
aster were:
Mobile Tomasso Assereto. third secre-
tarY Of the Italian embassy; June Berg
man; Miss Hazel Buehler: z. J Bowen;
Mrs. r. ]. Bowen; Mrs Bernard Bress-
lau; Joseph c. Bruce, Milford Mass; e.
lott Bromhaugh: Gilbert Captain: NJ L.
Castney; Mrs. Mary Chalmers; c. Claf-
fin; Miss Margaret Cole; James A. Cur
tain, Florence. Mass; +. W Dodson; I.
B. Dodson; J. L. Durland: Mrs. J L.
Durland; Mrs. Guy Eldrdge; Miss Mary
Forsythe; Miss Ruth Fouts: William A.
Galloway; DR.. Clyde NJ Gearhart; Nor
man L. Gibson; Hugh Glenn; Moe Gold
Dr.. Gusts Hall Ivy Hamilton; Or. Z. =.
Hayden, his wife and two children: War
rem Helphen; Mrs. Douglas Hlllyer: Cap
tain J. II. Hills and wife; NJ. ?. Hin:
Miss Helene Hopkins: Margaret John:
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30
HERE is MORE ABOUT
STORM
STARTS On PAGE ONE

drifts and with the snow, in some
cases drlfted over the tops.
The population of the city. despite
the blockading snow suffered little
from a scarcity OF toodstuffs. Bread,
which was unpurcha seable last night
in the residential districts. was deliv-
cred TO stores throughout most of the
city during the day.
Taking warning from the theatre
catastrophe, many apartment houses
and business houses issued orders
early in the day for removal of the
snow from the roofs. Many porches,
however, collapsed.
Daybreak was welcomed by the city
,iremen and police, who described the
preceding hours as "a night of horror. ="
Tres were reported in nearly dozen
widely separated sections last nigh;
fter practically all the fire fightin
pparatus had been sent to the seen,
the theatre disaster as a precau-
ionary measure.
Reflecting the tie-up of railroad
transportation hundreds slept last
light in the Union station on cots Sent
here by the war department. Many o.
.hese stranded travellers were still IN
ne capital tonight and, while some
tad obtained hotel accommodations
theirs slept as they did last night. To
lid In the transmission of mails Sec
etary DENLY early today ordered so
larines from Quantico, VA $50 miles
ON the marine barracks here, into
re railroad yards to remove snow.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30
qERE rs MORE AROuT
PITIFUL SCENE
'APTS ON PAGE ONE

as directing her release. One man
inned beside his dead wife. was free'
rom pain with hypodermic needle and
'urvived the long night to a safe re-
moval.
moment after the crash, Father John
F1oersch, priest of a nearby church,
inferred the ruined theatre. Knee deep
the snow that covered all, for the
,eneft of the dying around him, he gave
;eneral dissolution and the final rites of
Ne church to the dying. Then he
lunged into the rescue work.
Notably was the speed OF the Red
ross organization, whose local chapters
'orced their way to the theatre site
across city whose normal transporta-
tion lines had parallzed in the snow and
set up canteens Tor the workers, hos
pitaI facilities for the wounded, and am
balances for the dead and the injured
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30
DUCTS, -NsUzrd md. ZaAL -@=%-E=55
35I5oE or CUBS Preserve 70 6Sz.z,.
.ea7- LIEyb -NoIge

streams angling for trout. bass and
other gamey beauties; fishing in the
salt water area On the Gulf Coast,
within an hours run BY motor
launch or sail boat. IN quest OF the
festive tarpon, sunfish, diamond
back terrapins, reddish and racL,eral,
returning to comfort and an evening
at tie club where he viii be pro-
vided with every entertainment and
convenience giving zest and enjoy
neut after the days sport
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30

of cypress, live oaks and nines, the
numberless peltries derived from wild
animals-deer. bear, wildcats, pam
Their, martens, etc, highly priced in
the markets OF the world."-l735-I79
and he cites that "a party of hun
tiers in four days filled their p;rogue
Tor boat) with bear tongue tailow
and oil, leaving scattered around an
infinite quantity of meat for which
they bad no use
Few Changes in a Century
Portions Of this Louisiana domain
are to-day still in a primitive eondi-
ton, the natural home of all sorts Of
wild game, bear, deer, fish and fowl
II is in the heart OF this primitive
section of the state that The Hunting
and Fishing Club of America has
selected its acreage as national
sporting ground for purposes Of a
recreative nature for the hunting and
fishing fraternity of the United
States, to be operated under efficient
club management Presumably. il is
the first institutionsof its kind of nat
ASAtat 9NbpN gt6S ANCA
IN response 10 and in consequence of
the wide general interest in such q
sporting project.
A Natural Habitat of Game
Here ducks and geese and many
varieties Of wild fowl have their win
ter feeding and breeding grounds;
fresh water and tidewater fish con-
stantly mingling, many varieties en-
tering inland waterways or within q
few hundred yards Of creeks, bayous
and lakes of the inland waters con-
tanning bass. pompaDo, trout, snap
per and reddish. The greatest of all
bird refugees. Louisiana is the largest
producer Of commercial furs aud
leads all others IN wise and liberal
laws Tor the conservation Of game.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30
Times Have Changed

Times Have Changed
Today there are many white men,
both young and old, who would ac-
cept il with avidity because of re-
cent years the strenuous nature OF
our business life has produced a
reaction in many which fills them
with a desire at times to get away
from the towns and cities and back
to the solitude of the forests and
streams to hunt and to fish as the
Indians did. and to enjoy the great
big out Of doors Unfortunately the
opportunities for this sort OF pleas
ure and relaxation. as our country
has become more and more settled,
grow less and less.
The announcement therefore just
made, that in the South some prime
val tracts where good hunting and
fishing are still TO be found. and of
the organization OF The Hunting and
Fishing Club OF America for the
purpose Of utilizing these tracts is
real news OF significant importance to
sportsmen all over the United States
This club was recently incorpo-
rated in the State OF Delaware and
in cooperation with the Louisiana
Coastal Development Corporation,
It's holding Company, II has acquired
come 100000 acres Of virgin wild
lands on the Gulf Coast in South
western Louisiana for a perpetual
private game preserve,
Many Historic Features
Here in Acadia, the home of Long
fellows Evangeline, the heart OF the
territory of la Sale, Bienvilie, Iber-
vile and others of historic fame, Is
the area of which Don Aessandro
O'Reilly second Governor of the
state OF louisiana, wrote: at IS al
, most impossible to conceive the album
dance Of the forests the many miles
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30

world He liable moment meet the sealthy pan
Their and the huge bear his pursuit OF the more
valuable game which he required His became like the
eagles his caught the slightest sound and by acquired
quickly detected sign and OF animal lite
broken bough crushed leaf fallen grass attracted his ate
ton He studied the habits OF ANIMALS and birds and could m
their calls and and thus lure them their fate
At of the councils held between the Virginia colon
lists and the sachems Of the forest the white desiring to
favor what they regarded tribe OF
offered take five OF their TO the old William and
Mary College and educate then the OF the white
Indians important proposition
great soenty they took under consideration and made
no answer until the following day Then the chief said that
while appreciated the good motive that the
proposition the time they decline for the
years before of their young had gone
the college, and when they returned they could
neither defend camp build boat take the deer in fact they
were good for nothing"
show the good will of their tribe and
appreciated the generous offer m the white
five their young with them back the forest they would
of them In the primitive days this offer
it was appreciated and the ~')re declined
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30

Jacks and men had crawled beneath 20
drag out the last mangled body more
speed was possible and the mass that
formed the bottom Of the great shell open
to the sky was moving in a steady orderly
course under the keen eyes OF the army
engineers. Daylight should see the last
Of it examined and tho toll Of death
brought by the great sIfbw fan completed
Accidents will happen so play safe
with Fisher-Brown Insurance.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30

equal area in the United States
Foxes and wolves are found and rae
coons, 'possuns and rabbits are most
plentiful while even the otter may
still be found in limited numbers,
This whole hunting field may be
7ched within u few hours travel
from our advancing civilization which
calls loudly for rest, recreation. travel
ard climatic variety for those n
quest Of a stimulating atmosphere,
tor the brain worker and man Of &C
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30
Game in Great Variety

The canehreaks and tirnbered areas
OF Southwestern louisiana also
abound with ulallard, teal, snipe, par
tridgcs, pheasauts. spoonbill and
wild turkey. Fisherman win find the
placid streams, bayous ard coastal
areas 4 source Of delightful sport.
Making his headquarters 1t the COM
uodious club houses or. in his pri-
vate cottage, tire sportsman will have
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30

If you tell your wants IN the
classified column you are sure
Of getting what you want.
We viii write your ads for
you. Phone 1900 for informa-
ton.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-30
Clubhouse and Cottages

Commodious buildings with tele-
phone and telegraph. near to tran
sportation and within 100 miles of
New Orleans the winter Capitol of
America, viii be constructed Lib
eral tracts of land win be provided
for private cottages with ali club
house privileges for members, in
Guiding competent guides and the
best OF service The finest table deli