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The photo
above pictures afternoon apparel of the type worn
to the matinee performance of Mr. Bluebeard
at the Iroquois Theater in 1903.
Note the slight train on the skirt. Some women tripped and
fell to their knees when the crowd stepped upon
their skirt hems. Once down, without
assistance from a very strong and possibly
aggressive person to stop the onrushing crowd and
force those standing on her skirt to step aside,
rising became difficult to impossible.
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Arthur Hill of Woodstock, IL
described the experience of two
grown men helping get their two
lady companions to safety:
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To put this in
perspective, note
that Hill and his
friends were seated
on the first floor
of the theater where
only a handful died
and some escaped
without knowing
there were
fatalities until
reaching their
homes.
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Less
danger > less terror > less rushing
and pushing > fewer hems trod
upon > less falling > fewer trampled
and killed
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