The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-06-25
TERRIBLE DISASTER.
Fall Of the Floor Of q Church
During q Festival.

bodies have been recovered from the
ruins OF the Central Bsp'ist Church, the
fioors OF which fell last night during 8
festival. Ofthe injured two died to-day,
and others are not expected to live,
while several will be crippled for life.
The number OF minor casualties Is
nearly or quite one hundred; among
them there are about twelve persons
with broken limbs aud ribs. The
cause OF the disaster was the detective
construction OF the building. The sup
porting truss WAS composed OF planks
spiked together. The excitement in the
community continues very great
SECOND DISPATCH.
SYRACUSE, June 24.-Further search
this morning in the ruins OF the Cen
tral Baptist church failed 10 find any
more bodies. The list Of the killed
numbers thirteen. Last nights list is
correct except in the case OF the report
ed death of the boy Os,rander. The
number wounded !oots up One hundred,
Of whom twenty are seriously injured.
There have cen no deaths to-day. A
squad OF police have pesse ssion OF the
building, pending the ceremonies OF
the inquest. The occasion OF the
gathering lsst night was festival given
by the aides of the church and con-
cert by the little Old Folks. At the
rear OF the church are the Sunday
sch ool rooms, Occupying the first floor,
Cd the church psrlors, occupying the
second floor. This part OF the editice
WAS IN use Tor the festival and concert.
| AT the lime OF the accident supper was
being served in the central psrlor,
which bad been prepared for the occs-
zion wi,h tables, &c. This room, which
was iorty feet square, was filled with
people, the session room below
being deserted save bv q few
persons. The number in the supper
room is verously estimated at from
$50 to 500, mostly grown persons. AT
the time the floor gave way the children
of the congregation were in one OF the
anti rooms, being prepared Tor the An
cieut Concert." But for this TACT the
list OF dead must have been very much
larger, as many OF the helpless little
ones would have been crushed to death
10 the mass Of humanity crowded into
the V shaped vortex formed by the fal-
len timberp. At the moment OF the
falling OF the floor, the scene within
was one OF happy enjoyment, and while
all were pleasantly engaged, without q
single sign OF warning, the floor sud-
derly sank beneath them, and IN an
instant all were buried 10 q mass OF
struggling humanity, iutermixed with
lslliug tmbers; furniture, etc, and In
utter darkness, the gas being extingulsh-
ed by treaking the gas pipes. An instant
after the fearful decent had been made
all was silent ss the grave, but lmme-
dlately after hesrt-rending appeals
tor helm we're tn be heard from hum
Idreds OF those who were iu agony. I'm
mediately after persons were seen 49,
suing from The doors aDd windows
xhisb Y xf5s :, smashed mas out by the fright !;
The uniniured within the church who
were able to free themselves from the
mass began al once to assist IN reeculng
| others. The firemen and police were
quickly at hand aud labored nobly in
Inc work of rescue. The scene within
the building was terrible in its details.
and that without the edifice heart
rending indeed. Fathers and mo,hers
searching for their children husbands
looking for wives; wives enqulrlng for
husbands; brothers Tor sisters. sisters
and children for their parents, oil whose
fate all were uncertain and in dread
Quietly but rapidly the work OF extrl
eating the people was Carried
on bv the aid of lanterns. As last az
the living and dead were rescued, they
were passed out through the window'
and doors where friendly hands assisted
to convey the dangerously injured an,
| dead TO the physicians offices anc
neishboring houses. The excitemen,
without the church was terrible, And
as each body was being carried to tht
adjoining houses, the mass surged
back and forth all terribly anxious tc
ascertain who it was and whether
| dead or slive. At the height ol
the excitement not less than $1,000 peo
ple were crowded into Montgomery snc
Jefsrson streets, and in the adjoining
nTemses.