The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1922-02-01
PAIL OF SORROW
AT CAPITAL CITY
ROOF OF THEATER BUILD
ING COLLAPSES AND
MANY KILLED
OVER ONE HUNDRED
Persons Crushed To Death When
Weight OF Snow Brings One
OF Worst Disasters In
History OF Nation.

Many months have passed since a
national calamity has come upon our
country. The Chicago fire, the burn
ing Of the Iroquois theater, the sink
ing Of the Titantic, the ferry boat
disaster in New York, and death
dealing incidents of that character
stand out in their horror as killing
people wholesale 1t has been so long
since anything of the kind has occur
red that we had commenced to feel
that the country was to be spared
/ things so distressing and so heart
rendng Yet, last Saturday night, in
the capital city Of our nation, there
was an accident in the Knickerbocker
/ Thcater that hurled more than one
hundred souls into eternity, suutFed
out lives by wholesale, and brought
sorrow and sadness to the entire city.
Totally oblivious to the impending
danger, large audience was enjoy
ing the presentation of a comic film
The orchestra was playing a lively
air. In the midst of the meyriment
sound was heard as Of an avail
anche, the roof Of the building caved
in, and one hundred lives paid for
some mans carelessness or ignorance.
Snow had been falling upon tho
city of Washington for days 1t had
piled itself from two to three feet
deep over the city. 1t was banked up
on the roof Of the knickerbocker
Theater The roof Of the building
was none too strong, and, weight of
snow added to weight Of snow, the
roof caved in upon a crowd of people
who were caught like rats in trap.
More than one hundred bodies have
been recovered from the ruins and
identified. It is thought that the
fatalities will reach one hundred and
twenty.
The first telegram to the Dispatch
from Washington said; T''~
Washington, Jan 29.-Ofticial
police records at midnight placed the
known dead in the Knickerbocker
Thtater disaster at l07. The list Of
injured stood at 134, with II listed
as seriously injured"
Without regard to their own risk,
soldiers, marines, sailors, police, fire.
men and citizen volunteers had fought
their way beneath the wreckage over
the whole floor space Of tho
The body Of Mrs Virginia Farraud,
sister Of Julio Bianchi, Guatemalan
to the United States, was
tonight among those Of vic
Tins.
The exact number in the theater
when the steel and concrete span Of
the roof buckled and fell under its
-hree-foot load Of snow probably will
never be known.
Normally, the theater has had ev-
cry seat filled at that hour, and nearly
2 900 persons was its capacity. The
unprecedented snowfall which brought
death 10 the venturesome few, kept
many at home. Street cars had been
abandoned and streets and sidewalks
we're all but impossible with drifts.
There has been no time as yet for
lftcial inquiry as 70 the cause Of the
disaster The ruins themselves dis
lose, however, that the entire mass
# steelheld concrete that formed the
roof had come down. The crash
.wept the supports out from under
he balcony apparently, and this hing
"a down at an angle of 45 degrees,
adding 90 the tangled mass OF wreck
tge on the floor below.
The front rows Of the balcony were
.round 90 a twisted mass Of ruin In
he fall. There was no wood IA the
tructure It was all steel and con-
rete. but the enormous weight Of the
.alcony was itself sufficient 20 wind
he tortured beams into fantastic
hapes.
Washington is a city of changing
mbularces, hurrying surgeons and
grses. Grmfaccd citizens ard pitt
ul incidents attendant on the most
ppailIng thcateu tragedy since the
r0qu0is fire.
The exclusive Mount Pleasant 5oc-
ion is under military control Con
.aHtly gathering crowds, held back
y soldiers fr0m Fort Myer, police
len. hremen and volunteer rescuers,
.ven an impression that an Washing
n has gathered there.
Notable was the speed OF the Rcd
ross organization, whose local chap
rs forced their way 10 the tHeater
te across a city whose normal trans
irtati0n lines had paralyzed n the
low and set up canteers for the
5rkers. hospital facilities for the
5unded and ambulances for the
ad and injured who bad 20 reach
.eratirE ceuters. Scores cf surg
rs and nurses answered their sum-