Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-07-01
THE SYRACUSE HORROR.
Particulars of the Calamity.

CURED
SYRACUSE, N. Y, June 24.-Further
search this morning in the ruins OF the
Central Baptist Church failed to find
any more bodies. The list of killed
numbers thirteen. Last nights list is
correct except in the case OF the report
ed death of the boy Ostrander. The
number of wounded foots up one hum
bred, of whom twenty are seriously
injured. There have been no deaths
to-day. A squad of police hace posses
sion of the building, pending the Cor
oners inquest.
The occasion of the gathering last
night was festival, given by the ladies
of the church, and concert by " the
Little Old Folks" At the rear Of the
church are Sunday school rooms, &C.
cupying the first floor, and the church
parlors occupying the second floor.
This part of the edifce was in use for
the festival and concert at the time OF
the accident.
Supper was being served in the cell
trail parlor, which had been prepared
for the occasion with tables, etc. This
room, which was 40 feet square, was
filed with people, the session loom be-
low being deserted save by a few per-
sons. The number in the supper-room
is variously estimated at from $50 to
500, mostly grown persons. At the
time the floor gave way the children of
the congregation were III one OF the
ante-rooms, being prepared for the
"Ancient Concert" But for this fact
the list of dead must have been very
much larger, as many of the helpless
little ones would have been crushed to
death in the mass of humanity, crowded
into the "V" shaped vortex formed by
the falling timbers. At the moment Of
the falling of the floor, the scene within
the parlor was one Of happy enjoyment.
While all were pleasantly engaged,
without single sign Of warning, the
floor suddenly sank beneath them, and
in an instant all were buried in mass
Of struggling humanity, intermixed
with falling timbers, furniture, ETC., and
in utter darkness, the gas having been
extinguished by the breaking of the gas
pipes. An instant after the fearful de-
scent had been made, all was silent as
the grave, but Immediately after heart
rending appeals for help were to be
heard from hundreds of those who were
in agony. Immediately after persons
were seen issuing from the doors and
windows, which were smashed out by
frightened people, and an alarm was
sounded. The uniniured within the
church who were able to free them
selves from the mass, began at once to
assist in rescuing others. The tiremen
and police were quickly at hand, and
labored nobly in the work of rescue.
The scene within the building was
terrible in it's details, and that without
the edifce heartrending indeed. Faith
ers and mothers searching for their
children, husbands looking for their
wives, wives inquiring for husbands,
brothers for sisters, and children for
their parents of whose fate all were I'M
certain and in dread. Quickly and
rapidly the work of extricating the
people was carried on by aid of Ian
terms. AS fast as the living and dead
were rescued they were passed out
through the windows and Indoors, where
ready hands assisted to convey the
dangerously injured and dead to the
physicians offices and neighborlng
houses. s
The excitement without the church
was terrible, and as each body was
being carried to adjoining houses the
mass surged back and forth, all terribly
anxious to ascertain who it was, and
whether dead or alive. At the height
of the excitement not less than ten
thousand people were crowded into
Montgomery and Jefferson streets and
in adjoining premises.
The floor which fell was suspendedby
iron rods from wooden truss under the
roof. These rods went through the
lower, but not through the upper chord
of the truss. The lower chord had been
spliced the wrong side up, and that
point was first to give way. The floor
| having no props beneath it, sunk in the
form Of letter V. The most of the
deaths were caused by falling timbers
of the truss some, however, were
smothered by plastering. The floors of
the church were supported originally by
iron pillars. A short time ago the
church Building Committee, with the
consent, as they say, of the architect,
removed the iron pillars. The truss was
very imperfectly constructed, besides
being spliced. The most prominent
builders in the city declare that it was
rotten. It was put in green, and has
the dry rot.
The wounded are doing well. The
Coroner's inquest will be held to-mor-
row.
A Fast Train.