The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-08
UNDER FALLING WALLS.
Men Burned and Crushed 10 Death nt Allen
town. Pa.-Iieartrending Scenes at Fire.


An Allentown (Pa.) telegram OF the 7th
says: A Gre broke out last night in the ex-
tensiye furniture-factory OF Grossman q
Kluenter, IN this place. Fire had caught
in the frame structure used az q bending
factory by Becker & Brother. All tne
bending was done In the frame where the
fire Is supposed TO have caught. The en-
gines were quickly at work, Tor this place
has one OF the most efficient volunteer nre
departments in the country.
CRUSHED BY FALLING WALLS.
II was probably ten minutes after the
alarm before the firemen mounted the
building. This structure had been erected
as fire-prOof, hence there was no hesitation
in going In. The roof was Of brick and
arched with iron girders. Hardly bad the
firemen put their ladders up when the heat
or steam inside burst the building with q
loud explosion, and sheet OF flame some
fifty or sixty feet in width swept out with
a horrible hiss. Ladders and men went
down beneath the falling walls. 1t was n
terrible sight as the walls crumbled, bury
ing the men in the ruins.
The flame that illumined the scene died
away almost as quick as 1t had startled
those who were watching the progress OF
the fire, leaving all in darkness, with the
wounded lying almost within reach OF their
friends. The report that many citizens
were buried beneath the ruins spread like
wild-fire, and thousands rushed to the spot.
The buried men were known to every one
who stood around the blazing mass, and
they came forward TO save them.
TAKING OUT THE VICTIMS.
One OF the first taken out was Harry X.
Kurtz. superintendent OF the Allentown
Gas-Works, and son OF w. W. Kurtz,
broker, No. 10 south Third street, Phila.
delphia. His leg is broken below the knee,
and face badly burned. He acted brave as
lion; for while his gas-works were
threatened and his life I'm the balance he
said, Leave me and help those that are
on the ladder" His life was only saved
because he stood near doorway. When
he was taken out there was almost panic
for every one at first supposed him dead.
Then rumors spread that other prOmi.
nent citizens were in the burning build
ing. People rushed frantically about call.
ing for relatives and friends, and all the
doctors i'm the city were at once summon
ed. One after another OF the wounded
men were taken out, until by A. NJ. the
known list of casualties was five killed and
eleven seriously injured.
1t is impossible to describe the picture
that is presented as people are frantically
digging in the ruins to succor those that
are supposed to be beneath them. The
explosion was so sudden that no one was
prepared for the emergency, and who may
yet be beneath the ruins no one knows.
1t is now O'Clock, and the citizens are
still working with energy approaching to
madness to clear away the Debris and give
relief to the wounded. There is Il feeling
Of intense sorrow throughout the commu-
nifty. kilograms are coming in from all
the surrounding towns with offers Of
assistance. The factory is complete loss
say $4,000, but no one can yet tell the
actual loss Of life.
The engines are working with their tire
less whirr, while hundreds OF people are
standing about in breathless suspense. il
is the greatest disaster that has befaller
this city for years.
A subscription for the families OF thC
dead and injured has already been circu
lated and generously responded to.