The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-19
AS TOLD BY ANOTHER WRITER.
The Appalling Scene Which First
Presented Itself

The Appalling Scene Which First
Presented Itself
HARTFORD, CONN, Feb. 18-"Another
account Of the disaster reads as follows:
| The shock of a tremendous explosion
awoke the residents for blocks from the
corner of High and Allen streets, about
o'clock this morning. On that corner
| stood the Park Central hotel, five-story
structure, with about 30 feet front and 100
| feet deep. The first to arrive on the scene
found this building a heap of ruins, from
which issued smoke and steam in dense
clouds and the spectators were appalled, by
the shri ks and gToans of many human
beings who were imprisoned in the mass of
timber and masonry, from which flames
were already bursting. A general alarm
summoned the entire fire department, and
an immense crowd, attracted by the eXplo-
sion and fire alarm, soon packed the streets.
The fl mes prevented any attempt at rescu-
ing any enc, and the ruins were flooded with
water before any work could be prosecuted.
THE FIRST REsCUEs.
A few dead or dying persons we're taken
from the edge of the debris, however,
within an hour after the explosion. The
force Of the explosion threw a bed with a
sleeping woman upon it far into the street,
while one of tie heavy doors landed block
subdued that rescuer5 were enabled to get
at some of the victims. Some were pinned
beneath heavy timbers, upon Which rested
masses of masonry, re ldering the work of
rescue extremely hazardous.
A report that the members of THE
Hoodman Blind" theatrical company were
| in the ruined hotel was found to be inc Dr.
rect. f. +. Munroe, the business manager,
says that some of the company applied to
the hotel last night for@accommodations,
| but could not got them and went to an
| other hotel. The fac that they were re-
| fused accommodation does not indicate that
the hotel was crowded, but tn refusal was
SIMPLY because they desired rooms for 81
| or So which could not be furnished on ao-
| count Of previous engagements Of apart
meuts by legislators.
DEAD WITH HIS FAMILY.
The dead body of Dwight Buell., jeweler,
was taken out about 10 o'clock.
The bodies of Louis II. Bronson, stove
dealer, his wife and clild, were discovered
about the same time.
Harry S. Stiffle, a commercial traveller,
of Philadelphia, who roomed on the third
floor, was taken out severely bruised, but
remarked that he was "all right
The house had accommodations for about
100 guests, and was favorite over-Sunday
stopping place for commercial travellers.
An intending guest, who applied for room
late Saturday evening, was informed that
the hotel was full so it seems probable that
at least eighty persons were in the house at
the time of the explosion, of whom, per-
laps, twenty escaped. These were mostly
employees, VINO occupied wing of the house
which did not fall.
SOME DOUBT AS TO THE CAUSE.
The catastrophe is generally supposed to
have been caused by the explosion of the
l. mi hoe
pressed on this point, as the building had
been supposed to be unsafe 1t was built on
"made" ground The railroads furnished
their forces of laborers with jacks, ETC., and
the work of searching for bodies was soon
going forward Systematically.