The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1889-02-27
A SIGHT OF HORROR.
ONE THAT WILL NEVER BE
FORGOTTEN BY THE
SPECTATORS.
The Loss of Life Is Estimated at
From 20 to 20.


HARTFoRD, Feb. 18.-The boiler
in the Park Central Hotel, this city.
blew up With terrific force, at 8
o'clock this morning, totally wreck
ing the entire front OF the structure,
which was a five story brick building
The entire fire department and po-
lice reserves were summoned. The
ruins took FIRE and the work Of the
firemen Was greatly imp. ded by dense
volumes of smoke and steam. line
ioss of life 10 estimated at 40 To 10,
but may be much less. Four per-
sons, all probably fa ally injui.d,
have been taken from the ruins.
The main portion Of the Park Cen.
tral Hotel, facing on High and Allen
streets. fell down this morning few
minutes before 8 o'clock, burying in
the debris at least tifty people. The
cause Of the accident Is not at pre-
sent known, but il is supposed TO have
resulted from the explosion Of the
boiler in the basement, and from the
havoc created in adjoining buildings
the explosion theory seems most pro-
bable. Every window in the Earl
House right, across Allen street. was
broken. and the walls were smashed
in many places The noise Of the
fall aroused the whole city and in q
very few minutes large crowds sur
rounded the scene. II vas q sight OF
horror and one that will never be for
gotten by the spectators The flames
completely envelop.d the ruins and
the shrieks of the wounded and dyr
ing rose high above the hnarse notes
II the hremeu and the police who
had been summoned by the alarm of
the hre department.
Al 3 O. IN IL was impossible 10
give = detailed account, ss the peo-
pie who escaped from the annex were
too frightened TO be able to talk in,
telligently. II is the most horrible
catastrophe that has ever taken place
IN Hartford and when the list Of the
dead and wounded il completed it
will be found TO be q horror equal 10
any that has taken place within the
last half century. The loss Of life 10
believed not to be less than fifty,
but il cannot be stated definitely, ~
the nightclsrk 10 among the missing
and the books are destroyed.
Nearly all the help employed in
the hotel were saved, They occupied
sleeplng apartments In the annex,
which was only partially wrecked by
the explosion. some forced their
way out themselves; Others we're
helped out The entire main section
Of the hotel is gone. only q pile OF
brick and timber remaining. The
scenes about the ruins were horrible.
IN the centre Of the spot where the
building stood we're o man. bis wife
and little girl. No help could get to
them, and they finally fell back into
the flames and perished in plain
sight Of the spectators. The child
cried fr help but the man aud wo'
man uttered ne word. Embraced Ia
each others arms they met death
bravely. The shrieks Of another
woman caused the blood Of the spec
tators 20 turn cold, a. they saw {
young lady lying with her body hal
across 9 beam with Q look Of agon,
on her face. Finally her support
fell and she dropped out Of SIG u.
| The shock Of the explosion blew
out every window in the south sid,
Of the Earl House, Just north Of th,
Park Central Hotel. Women will
their faces blanced in terror an,
strong men pale with fright pushe,
headlong into the street in thei
night clothes.