EXAMINING PATTERNS OF ITALIAN IMMIGRATION TO ...

10, 1908. It became the meeting place for many of the Italian societies and the focal point
for the Italian community itself. However, what made the Italian Hall known nationwide was
the so-called Italian Hall Disaster of December 1913. During the 1913 copper miners’ strike,
members of the Western Federation of Miners decided to organize a Christmas party for the
children of the union members on the second floor ballroom of the Italian Hall. Almost 700
children and parents were attending the party on Christmas Eve when somebody allegedly
shouted that there was a fire. Seventy-three people died (only three of them were actually
Italian) in the attempt to escape the Hall, although there was no fire. Several investigations
never found out who caused the panic hollering fire. Nobody was prosecuted.
Figure XXIV. The Italian Hall as it appeared on the front page
of the special edition of Il Minatore Italiano (October 13, 1908)
on the day of the dedication. The article describes the dedication
ceremony and introduces many of the persons who attended.
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