Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-06-26
THE DISASTER AT SYRACUSE.


We have the following additional particu-
lars of the disaster at Syracuse, N. Y, caused
by the falling of the church floor in that
place. The despatch is dated the Gath, and
saws.
The scene of the disaster was visited by
thousands during the entire day. "A squad OF
police have possession OF the building pend
ing the coroner's 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 the Sunday school rooms, occu-
pvinp the first floor, and the church parlors
occupying the second floor. This part OF the
edifice was in use for the festival and con-
cert. At the time of the accident supper was
being served in the central parlor which had
been prepared for the occasion, with tables,
&c. The room which was forty feet square,
was filed with people, the session room be-
low being deserted save by few persons.
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 in one OF
the ante rooms being prepared for the AN
cient 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 V shaped vortex formed by the
falling floor. At the moment of the falling
of the floor the scene within the parlor was
one of happy enjoyment. Without sign OF
warning the floor suddenly sank beneath, and
in an instant the happy throng found them
selves buried in mass OF struggling humanl-
ty, intermxed with falling timbers, furniture,
IorH a having
been extinguished by the breaking of the gas
pipes. The descent of the floor was accom-.
panied with terrible crushing of timbers,
and from the endangered human beings went
up horrible cries for aid. An instant after
the fearful descent 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 in agony; I'M
medately after persons were seen issuing
from the doors and windows, which were
smashed out by the frightened people, and an
alarm was sounded. The uninjured within
the church who were able to free themselves
from the mass, began at once to assist in res
cuing others. The firemen and police were
quickly on hand and labored nobly in the work
of rescue. Entrance to the church was at
once stopped and none allowed to enter 1t
except those engaged in taking out the IN
mates the scene WITHIN the DdlloinB was TER
rible, and that without the edifce was heart
rendng indeed. Fathers and mothers search
ing for their children; husbands looking for
their wives; wives enquiring for husbands.
Brothers for sisters, and children for their
parents, of whose fate all were uncertain and
in dread. Quietly but rapidly the work OF
extricating the people was carried on by the
aid of lanterns, large number of which were
secured, while some busted themselves with
snoring up and slanting sections of the floor;
many others were aiding the men, women,
and children to free themselves, and as fast
as the living and dead were rescued they
we're passed out through the windows and
doors, where ready hands assisted to convey
the dangerously injured and dead to the ply
sicians' offices and neighboring houses. The
work was vigorously but slowly prosecuted,
and before midnight the last CT the living and
dead had been taken out. The excitement
without the church was terrible, and as each
body, either dead or severely injured, was
being carried to the adjoining houses, the
mass surged back and forth, all terribly anx-
ious to ascertain who it was, and whether
dead or alive. At the height of the excite
ment not less than ten thousand people were
crowded into Montgomery and Jefferson
streets and in adjoining premises. The ex-
element at the scene did not subside till long
after midnight, at which hour the dead had
been either removed to their homes, or vari-
GUS undertaking rooms, about which excited
groups were to be seen at two o'clock this
morning discussing the terrible details.