Omaha daily bee., 1889-02-19
HOTEL HORROR AT HARTFORD.
Fifty People Crushed to Death
Under Failing Walls.
CAUSED BY A BOILER EXPLOSION.
The Ruins developed in Flames and
Many OF the Imprisoned I'm
fortunates Roasted TO Death
The Missing.
\ Terrible Disaster.

the capitol were further startled by the
sound of crashing walls and falling timbers,
mingled with the screams and shouts of men,
coming from the vicinity Of High and Allyn
streets, which had been the site of the Park
Central hotel,
Those who hurried to the spot found a
huge pile of stone and brick and spintered
timbcrs, from which white clouds of steam
arose, streaked and backoned by wrcaths of
smoke that rapidly grew more intense. Then
tongues of flame leaped out here and there,
gradually growing stronger until the ruin
was q roaring heap.
Cries and means came from the pile which
made the bystanders sick with horror. The
fire department was soon on the scene aud
many streams of water were directed upon
the flames. As daylight came on, the helpers
at the ruins could see behind it the annex to
the building in which were the servants of
the hotel, and which was spared. Portions
OF tiers of rooms at the rear of the main
building had remained standing, but the par
titions were torn away and the rooms opened
TO the air The floors of many of them had
partly given away and tumblcd the occu-
pants and furniture upon the confused ruin
below. The frightened employees were safely
taken from the annex by ladders. Finally
the flames were mastered by the iircmen and
sank down from sight within the ruins.
where the water yet Missed and steamed
among the hot stones and brick.
AS soon as the ruins were sufficiently
cooled hundeds of willing hands sct.about the
hercuean task of removing the immense
mass of masonry, and the enormous throng
which had by this time gathered waited and
watched in brcathlesS suspense. The first
person rescued was George Gaines, col
ored porter, who died soon after being
taken out Helen Leport, Jenny Decker and
Jacob B. Turpin were taken out and found
TO be only slightly injured. Rcchal Cramer
jumped from window breaking her leg. At
3 o'clock Harris Sttfle u traveller from Phil
adephia, was rescued from beneath a mass
of timber with but slight injuries. Near
him was found the dead body of Dwight III.
Buell., who had evidently been suffocated.
BY this time the crowd Of spectators had
increased to such proportions as to greatly
impede the work of the rescuers. Accord
ingly the militia was ordered out to aid the
police, and rendered excellent service during
the day and night keeping the crowd within
bounds
BY noon kilograms of anxious inquiry were
pouring in from every part of the country,
and the friends of those supposed to be in the
ruins were arriving on every tram, together
with immense crowds of curious people from
the surrounding towns.
The lower floor of large wool ware
house was made temporary morgue. The
bodies were taken there as fast as recovered
and opportunity offered for Identification by
friends. Those not identified were taken
charge of by the city. The injured were
promptly sent to the hospital.
The recovery of the bodies was slow owing
to the immense accumulation of debris but
at nearly regular intervals one or two bodies
were found during the afternoon. They
were found in the order of the list given.
This catastrophe was devoid of the harrow
ing details and thrilling rescues attending an
uncontrolled contagration. One terrible
crash, smoke, flames, quick, rushing streams
Of water, and all was over. For this reason
the disaster simply overwhelms. The mag
nitude of the calamity cannot be realized. In
fact, its extent is not yet known. The regis
ter of the hotel has not yet been found, and
MIR. Perry, the night clerk, is buried in the
ruins. But from the best estimates that can
be obtained from the landlords and others,
il is probable that there were not far from
fifty people in the hotel proper.
OF these, perhaps five may have escaped
uninj ured among the confusion of the early
morning hours, which would leave forty-five
unaccounted for. Ten are in the hospital,
and up to this writing (midnght) sixteen
dead bodies have been taken from the ruins,
leaving nineteen still missing. But there
may be more than this.
The cause of the disaster was undoubtedly
the explosion of a boiler in the basement.
No engineer was on duty at the time, the Gus
tom being for the night engineer to bank his
fires and go to bed. He does not sleep in the
hotel. This engineer, Alexander Thuer,
was arrested this afternoon on an
indictment for manslaughter. 1t has been
conjectured that Gaines, the Colored porter,
may have started the pumps, throwing cold
water nto the oyerheated boiler, and thus
causing the explosion. But this is only con-
jocture and Gaines is dead.
The force Of the explosion was terrific. All
the people in that part of the city were
awakened by the shock. Huge stones were
scattered and iron pipes were bent and
twisted. The windows in the adjoining
buildings and across the street were demo-
ished and panes of glass smushed two blocks
away
1t is believed tonight that Mrs Weeson, of
Springfield, was at the hotel with her five
ceildren and servant. She has not been
seen. II this proves true, the aggregate
loss of life would be raised by the addition
OF these seven victims.
The experiences of the survivors were re-
markable and the escapes miraculous. Wal
ter M. Gray occupied room adjoining Land
lord Kctchum's When he awoke he found
the bed sinking with him When it became
stationary he found himself pinned down by
the ceiling and timbers in such n manner
that he was unable TO move. He soon heard
the voices of MIR. ana Mrs Ketchum, and
convcrsed with them concerning the chances
of escape. Before they were rescued the
water poured into the ruins by the iiremen
had nearly covered his face.
The complete list of bodies taken out up
TO midnight is as follows:
DWIGHT III. BUELL..
GEORGE GAINES, the colored porter
GEORE ENGLER, of Hartford.
JOHN w. HOUSMAN, a commercial
traveller of Buffalo
LOUIS IL. BRONSON, secretary OF the
Hartford Stove company, his wife and
child.
GEORGE KETCHUM, brother of the land
lord.
EDDIE KETCHUM, aged eleven, son of
the landlord
GEORGE w. ROOT, commercial tray
eler from Boston.
A. II; TILLErsoN, a commercial traveller
from Cincinnati.
MAMMALIAN GALODY, proprietor of |
the Hartford Herald, and his WIFE
MRS. ANDREW WHITING.
Two unknown men. |
The victims at the hospital are ali doing |
well, most of the injuries being superficial, |
although oil are suffering from chill and ex- |
posure. Some of the bodies Of the dead are |
much dishgured and burned, but the faces of |
most OF them are not injured and wear q |
lfelike expression. Electric lights have |
been put in and around the ruins and the |
search will be vigorously pushed all night.
AT 2 q, IN, the list of dead has been in |
creased TO twenty-five. Eighteen injured /
are in the hospital, and ten persons are |
known 10 he still in the ruins.
An Alabama Cyclone.