Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-07-01
Terrible Casualty.

SYRACUSE, N. T., Ju,e 23.-Ar
appalling catastrophe occurred here to-
night. A strawberry festival was be-
ing held at the parlors of the Centra
Baptist Church, when, without any
premnltion, the floor gave way, pro.
cipitating the room into the story be.
low The parior was on the second
floor, and the room underneath was al.
so full. A fire alarm was immediate
ly given, and the hurried to the scene
Soon 10000 people were there, and
tremendous excitement prevailed. L
is impossible to give particulars at this
hour. Five dead bodies were taken
out, and the work has hardly com-
menced. Probably 100 persons are
more or less, injured, many were seri,
ously.f
SECOND DEspATCH.--The following
are among the dead bodies recovered
Dr. .. Wainwright, Mrs. Wainwright
Miss Minnie Thomas, a child named
Os1ander, a little girl named Leonora
little girl named Holton, Mrs. Thee
dore Holmes and a little girl named
Minnie Collins Rev. Geo. r. Dowling,
pastor Of the church, is dangerously
injured, and also his wife, who is not
expected to live. Rev Fl. j. Eddy is
seriously injured. Altogether 200
persons are injured, some dangerously.
A still later dispatch says the fol-
lowing were taken out dead. DR.. O.
W. Wainwright, Mrs E Austin Barnes,
Mrs. James M. Crow, Mrs. J. E. Carr,
Miss Gussie Carpenter, Mrs. Abijah
Veeder of Utica, Miss Oracle Holmes,
Miss Winnie Collins, aged l3 years to-
day, Hattie Leonard, 5 or 6 years old
John Austion Ostrauder, boy about 9
years old: Miss Minnie Thomas,
Frank Collins, aged IA, Lulu Harton,
uged II. Mrs. DR.. Wainwright will
undoubtedly die. Ex-Alderman Aus
train Barnes is very seriously injured.
Rev. DR. Fl. j. Eddy is slightly in
jured. Tho bodies are supposed to be
all recovered now. 1t is impossible to
get the names of the injured tonight.
The city is filled with lamentations.
The scene in the streets around the
church battles description. Thousands
are gathered there asking after friends
waiting for the dead and attending to
sthe lnju,,d The entire police force
and tire department were called out
and took charge of the work Of recover.
ing the dead and wounded. The
broken timbers were hoisted up with
difficulty. The walls of the church
did not fall in, but are seriously dam
aged The church is comE a "atively a
new one.
A few minutes before the floor gave
wayit trembled SO that many persons
left the room fearing an accident,
whi,h had been predicted by many.
Theaccident was caused by the giving
way of the jois s that SUI ported the
foo. The joists ran from both sides
of ihe room to cross-stringer, the
middlr of which was supported by iron
rod' from the roof. The stringer gave
way, pulling ceiling and roof down up
on The people and precipitating them
down into the room below. The work
of recovery was exceedingly slow, as
it lad to be done in the dark, and it
was feared every moment the walls
would fall in.
. SYRACUSE, N. Y, June 24.-Four-
teen dead bodies have been recovered
from the ruins Of the Central Baptist
Church, the flooring Of which fell last
night during festival. Of the in
jured two died to-day. Others are not
expected to live, while several will oe
crippled for life.
The number of minor casualties is
nearl or quite one hundred, among
them about dozen persons with
broken limbs and ribs.
The cause of the disaster was the
defective CONSTRUCTING Of the building.
The supporting truss was composed OF
planks spiked together. The excite.
ment in the community continues very
great.