Quotation from: The Valley of the Moon

Written by: Jack London

But they were ghetto people, and were not to be quieted. Some
woman who could not see the cause of the uproar, out of her
overwrought apprehension raised the cry of fire and precipitated
the panic rush for the doors. All of them were screaming the
stupid, soul-sickening high note of terror, drowning the
forewoman's voice. Saxon had been merely startled at first, but
the screaming panic broke her grip on herself and swept her away.
Though she did not scream, she fled with the rest. When this
horde of crazed women debouched on the next department, those who
worked there joined in the stampede to escape from they knew not
what danger. In ten minutes the laundry was deserted, save for a
few men wandering about with hand grenades in futile search for
the cause of the disturbance.