WELCOME TO FLEET

Evening Star, Issue 19002, 25 July 1925, Page 4

WELCOME TO FLEET

Hwlrs asm

DAD ACCIDENT IN MELBOURNE

CROWDED VERANDAH COLLAPSES MANY PEOPLE INJURED v = Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright l; . .Australian and N.Z. Press Association. ' MELBOURNE, July 24. It is estimated that over 500,000 peor pie gathered at vantage points along the.. ninety miles of the, bay .front to welcome the fleet. Admiral Coontz’s’squadron comprises ■, forty-four vessels of various tonnage. It took nearlv two hours for the whole fleet to pass‘'the Heads. Tlyj journey up, following on tlio heels of the pilot boat, was very slow, owing to the mudbanks and other dangers. The monster 1 flagship Seattle had to do considerable manoeuvring before she was berthed at the Princess pier at Port Melborune. It was late in the afternoon before the admirals landed to pav the official calls. Subsequently -4,000 men were given shore leave, and they invaded the city at night, enjoying themselves freely; but the full-toned welcome which Sydney was able to give the parading n;ivai men yesterday was reserved hero for to-day.

ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE INJURED

SAILORS HELP POLICE. The fleet festivities which the late arrival held- up yesterday are. in tub swing to-day. . The procession of sailors, the chief feature, was marred by a sensational accident. Enormous crowds gathered *■ along the route of the procession and watened from' windows, verandahs, roofs, and other points of vanthgb. Some fifty persons were standing on a cantilever verandah at Hoyt’s picture , theatre in Bourko street, when it suddenly’ collapsed just ns the procession, was passing. The sound of rending timber warned the people packed on the sidewalk below, but the crowd was so dense that many were unable to get clear. Amid a terrified rush and the screams of the spectators the procession was stopped, and the seamen and marines from the warships rushed to help the injured and assisted the police to keep the crowds back, As the verandah gave- way a number of those upon it were hurled upon these below, amid a scene of wildest cscite- . ment and disorder. The rescuing of the victims from the debris occupied a considerable time. Many of those beneath the verandah, besides those who fell, received cuts and injuries. A number wore removed to hospital, where pathetic scenes were witnessed,, people arriving, in crowds in search, of relatives.

DISTRESSING SCENES

1 Hundreds of persons were collected directly beneath and around the veran- ; dah when it crashed. _ Some were ! pinned beneath the debris, and others were thrown forward among the dense crowd lining the street. In the wild scatter for safety the barriers guarding the street broke down, and people tum- ( bled pell-mell into the road. The police and then' men from the fleet gradually pushed back .the crowds into Swanston and Collins streets, and when some order was restored ambulances and nurses score quickly on the scene attending to the wounded. Over 100 persons who were more or less injured were removed to the Melbourne Hospital for treatment. For an hour after the accident ambulances were removing people from tho mix-up and attending minor injuries due to crushing, mostly when the crowd was forced back from tho scone. Besides Hoyt’s verandah, that of Spencer’s drapery premises adjoining was involved in the collapse. , The crash came at the height of the excitement, when everybody was cheering and applauding the passing procession, and occurred simultaneously with the blowing-of the whistle for the American bands to strike up. Instead came the screams of frightened women and excited men and the cries of little children, followed by the piteous groans of the wounded. With military precision the Americans halted, moved off the road, unfixed their bayonets, and with the assistance of the police quickly threw a barrier round the scone .of disaster. Others, holding their rifles in front of them, Held back the crowd and prevented a threatened stampede to the spot.

There were terrible scenes of disorder as the wounded from the collapsed verandah were carried to the ambulances. Crowds rushed to the scene, impeding the rescuers. The verandah collapsed'as though .it was made of paper, and the people standing* on it were hurled on the heads of the crowds below. The casualty rooms in the hospital resembled a war clearing station, with the injured on stretchers crowding the promises.

FIVE DEATHS REPORTED

' A later report states that four men and one elderly'woman died from their injuries. THE DAY SPOILT. The march through the city was marred not only by the regrettable verandah collapse, but through the streets being made sodden and muddy by,the rain. The decorations as a consequence presented a forlorn appearance. After the march the seamen enjoyed a bounteous lunch at the Exhibition , Building. INJURED TAKEN TO NEARBY BUILDINGS. MELBOURNE, July 24. '(Received July 25, at 1.30 li.m.) '"When the verandah collapsed the stage hands and, office staff of the Tivoli' Theatre, right opposite, rushed to the scene and carried some of the injured to the theatre, where first aid was' administered. One old man died at the theatre. The paucity of details may be explained by the fact that many of the injured were taken to the surrounding buildings, where they received attention without being reported to the hospitals; So far the names of the dead ere unknown.

LATER DETAILS

NO DEATHS REPORTED. SYDNEY, July 24. .(Received July 2-5, at 1.35 a.m.) ■ Advices received at a late hour from Melbourne state that there were no deaths in the verandah, crash. Three of the 100 people who were injured were seriously hurt. '

INJURED HIST GROWING,

MELBOURNE, July 25. (Received July 25, at 9.45 a.ra.)

One hundred and eight people were injured in the verandah collapse. In the bustle of giving first-aid all sorts of makeshifts had to bo pressed into the service. In son cases silk stockings from drapers’ shops were used as bandages. Three of the victims are in a critical condition.

AT SYDNEY

MEN ON SHORE LEAVE,

SYDNEY, July 24. In fine wca thcr 1.000 of the personnel of the American fleet are to-day enjoying a taste of shore leave. The streets are everywhere enlivened by groups of bark-blue uniformed sailormen with white caps, and by a sprinkling of marines, who are distinguished by their light-blue nether garments under dark jumpers. All are busy shopping, discussing the goods in the shop windows, and sightseeing.. Altogether -they are a fraternal .crowd, readily conversing with people in the streets, and freely expressing their opinion on things Australian. These opinions are mostly complimentary. A fair number are taking advantage of being outside the bounds of a dry regime, and are finding their way to the hotels.

On the whole the visitors display less uniformity of stature, are thinner in the flank j not so well sot up, and are decidedly of a more mixed nationality than the personnel of the British Navy. Three parties totalling 700 strong loft on picnic excursions, which will be continued daily.

Over 5,000 men of the fleet spent a long day making themselves acquainted with the city and enriching the shopkeepers, freely spending their money. The functions to-day and to-night included a further exchange of official calls, a parliamentary reception to the admirals and. officers by the Englishspeaking Union, the Lord Mayor’s smoke concert to the warrant officers, and a dance at Government House.

MESSAGE FROM COOLIDGE

NEW YORK, July 23,

Mr Coolidge has issued the following official statement“ The welcome accorded to the American fleet on its arrival in Australian waters by the Government and. people of the Commonwealth is most gratifying. My hope is that the visit of the American fleet to the far Pacific will emphasise the cordial relations which now- exist between the United States and the other nations of the world.”—A. and N.Z. Cable.

SYDNEYITES NOT IMPRESSED

SYDNEY, July 24 (Received July 25, at 1.30 a.ra.)

The American Jack ashore failed to impress the Sydneyites favorably. Perhaps this was due to the acts '.of a small minority, but there were manyregrettable brawls and cases of drunkenness on the first free day that the visitors experienced.