Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-04-30

htNtE-lHk WEST PUNT MYSTERY.
New YoRK, April 26th, 1850.
1t is a painful subject that has furnished
town talk here for the past few days, one OF
the saddest of the wholesale calamities which
from time to time shock the community by
their unexpected suddenness, and the sharp
reminder which they furnish that we are all
defenceless against class of unforeseeable
catastrophes, one of which may at any mo-
ment fall upon the community like thunder
bolt from a cloudless sky, sweeping its UNI
suspecting victims from busy life into eter-
nifty.
On Wednesday evening last the great
Hahnemann Hospital Fair was at its height
at Gilmore Garden, which had been sumptu-
ously decorated for the occasion, and was
filled with gay colored booths Offering for
sale an endless variety of glttering trihes
flooded with light and music, and thronged
with ladies and gentlemen whom the brillian-
cy of the scene, as well as the noble object
for which it had been evoked had attracted
TO the building. With regard to the horrible
transformation of this gay picture, l quote
the next days papers without apology, as
they tell the story much better than / could
do.
At nine O'Clock last night there were over
1000 persons in the Garden. The ladies
were in their booths, pleading the cause of
charity and the excellence of the tempting
articles spread forth upon their tables with
that eloquence that is Demosthenian in its re-
sistless power On the western or Madison
avenue end Of the Garden, in the restaurant.
in the art gallery and in the tiny ball room
were groups Of fair visitors with their attend
ant cavaliers. A few minutes later and the
art gallery was deserted, the gas being turned
down and the visitors warned to leave lust
barely in time. In the ball room the tones
OF grand piano were heard in an enliyening
Strauss waltz and joyous couples were whirl-
ing around, thoughtless Of everything but the
pleasure of the moment. There was an ON.
inous noise proceeding from the direction of
the art gallery. and then came deafening
crash. choking cloud Of dust rolled out
from the fatal spot into the Garden. The
northwestern portion of the roof, with all the
additions that had been made last winter to
supply ball accommodations. had fallen. and
had carried death and ruin with it, 1t was
r.
which an instant before was a carnival of
pleasure and enjoyment, was suddenly
changed into a scene of death and destruc
ton
Instantly a scene of the widest confusion
ensued Frail women fell fanting to the
floor, and brave men turned sick at heart as
the full force of the awful calamity drove it.
self home with an all-impeling force This
lasted but moment, and was succeeded by
wild rush for the Fourth avenue and Twen
| ty.sixth street entrances. Strong men tramp
led and struggled with weak women, and in
that mad rush for the street all thought was
submerged in the one overwhelming one of
personal safety.
While this scene of terrible struggle for
life was being enacted within the building
brave men had rushed toward the scene of
| the awful disaster. The sight that met their
gaze no pen can describe The entire north
western portion of the building at the corner
of Madison avenue and Twenty seventh street
had fallen, and buried beneath the timbers
and brick were the mangled forms of human
beings who, but the moment previous had
| been in the full enjoyment of health and
strength. The walls had fallen outward and
across the sidewalk. and this fact doubtless
saved many lives. The loan exhibition of
paintings, or as it was called in the fair the
picture gallery, was located at this point, as
was also the ball room and supper room.
About three-quRrters of an hour before the
accident occurred, the attention of Mr.. AL
bert Mckay, the superintendent of the fair,
wa laA hyn Al.
the floor of the art gallery was cracking and
a lady and gentleman present also reported
that the outside wall appeared to be bulging.
Mr.. Mckay at once ordered all the people
out Of the gallery and had the gas turned
of Mr.. Mckay's manner of speaking caused
the guests to hurry out Of the gallery to the
long balcony running all the way across and
above the entrance, and overlooking the main
part of the Garden. The dancing hall on
the same floor was still full of people. Be
fore they could be warned of the approach.
ing danger, succession of loud reports was
heard, thrill went through the building
and the front wall suddenly fell out into the
street
large part of the roof which had been
supported by the wall Immediately caved in
upon the heads of the frightened dancers
burying many Of them out Of sight. Screams
and groans were heard on every side, and a
panic among those who had not been iniur-
ell followed as a matter of course A mo-
ment after the accident the floor of the dane
ing room settled, and there was a general
stampede out upon the landing and down the
staircase to the main part of the Garden.
Those who were out of danger when the roof
fell rushed forward toward the front of the
building, and seriously impeded those who
were trying to escape
Outside of the building the widest excite
ment prevailed, and the street was soon filed
with excited people eagerly inquirng the ex-
tent of the disaster. 1t was some time be-
fore it could be learned how many persons
had been injured by the falling wall and roof.
1t was finally ascertained that there were
four persons killed and fourteen seriously in
jured, while the number sustaining minor
damages was too large to be estimated The |
pecuniary loss is also very considerable, a |
large amount of the goods for sale being de-
stroyed The most serious loss, however, oc- |
CURED in the art gallery which CHANGED to be |
in the fated corner, and which was filled with |
the gems of a dozen private collections,
which had been loaned by their owners to |
add another attraction to the fair. There
were, altgether, 1870 pictures in the art gal |
lery. Their estimated value was $3.50 600, |
but this was based upon the statements of
their owners, and was probably good deal
higher than they could have been sold for.
They were insured, however, for $3.50, 900,
and were worth more than that sum. Under |
the piles of brick, mortar and timber at the
Madison avenue end of the Garden lie a large
number of the most valuable paintings in the