Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-02-19
BURIED IN 4 BLAZING PRISON,
The Victims Are Smothsred or Roasted
to Death.
INCIDENTS OF THE CATASTROPHE.
Miraculous Escapes---HOtel Register Missing
and the Clerk PiniOned in the Wreck
"A List of the Dead Taken From
the Debris---The Injured
Engineer Arrested.

shock of tremendous explosion awoke the
residents for blocks around the corner OF
High and Allyn streets at about o'clock
this morning On that corner stood the
Park Central Hotel, a fve-story brick
structure. about thirty feet front and one
hundred 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 ahrieks and grOsns of
msny 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
partment, ard sn immense crowd, attract
ed by the explosion and fire alarm, soon
packed the streets.
The flames prevented any attempt at res
cuing anyone, aud the ruins were flooded
with water before any work could be pros
ecuted. A few dead or dying persons were
taken from the edge of the debris, how
ever, within an hour after the explosion.
The force of the explosion threw bed,
with a sleeping woman upon it, fer into the
street, whils one Of the heavy doors landed
d block away.
Every window 10 the Earl House, right
across Allyn street, was broken, and the
walls were smashed in many places. The
noise of the fall aroused the whole city,
ana in very few minutes a large crowd
surrounded the scene. 1t WAS sight Of
horror and one that will never be forgotten
by the spectators. Flames completely en-
veloped the ruins, and the shrieks of the
wounded and dying rose high above the
hoarse notes of the tiremen and police who
had been summoned by an alarm from the
fire department.
Nearly all the help employed in the
hotel were saved. They occupied the
sleeping apartment in the annex which
was only partially wrecked by the explo
sion. Some forced their way out them
selves and others were helped out.
The entire main section Of the hotel is
gone, only pile Of brick and timbers re-
manning. The scenes about the ruins
were horrible. In the center Of the spot
where the building stood were man, his
wife and little girl. No help could get to
them, and they faslly fell back into tine
flames and perished in plain sight Of the
spectators. The child cried for help, but
tho msn and woman uttered 20 word.
Embraced in each others arms, they met
death bravely.
The shrieks OF another woman cause5 |
the blood Of the spectators to turn cold as
they cav ayouDg lady lying with her body
half across q bean, look Of sg0ny on her
face. Finally the support fell and she |
dropped out Of sight.
VIM. Seymour and VIM. Skinner were
employed in the boiler room. Neither
could be found this morning, AID they
probably perished. Eddie Boyle was last
seen in the hotel. He was probably killed.
By9a. m. the flames were so far sub
dued that the TescueIs were enabled to
get at some Of the victims Some were
pinned beaeath heavy timbers upon which |
rested masses OF masonry, rendering the
work of rescue extremely hazardous.
At ten o'clock special call was sent in
for the city's companies of State militia, |
for the purpose of aiding in the rescue of
the victims of the accident, and also to
form Gordon around the standing walls,
which lock very threatening. Up to that
hour five persons had been taken from the
ruins, four probably fatally injured, and
the fifth in a dying condition.
A report that members of the Hood
man Blind" Theatrical Company were IN
the ruined hotel was found to be incorrect.
Mr. Munroe, the business manager, says
some of the company applied TO the hotel
last night for accommodations, but could
not get them. The fact that they were re-
fused accommodation does not indicats
that the hotel was crowded, but simply
because that they desiring rooms for 81
or So, could not be furnished on account
of previous engagement of apartments By
Legislators
The dead body Of D wight Buell., jeweler,
WAS taken ont about ten o'clock. The
bodies of Louis II. Bronson, stove dealer,
wife and child, were discovered as about
the same time. Harry S Suflle, COM
mercial traveller of Phlsdelphia, who
roomed on the third floor, was taken out
severely bruised, but remarked that ne
Aas ''all right.
The house hsd accommodations for
about 100 guests, and was favorite over
Sunday stopping place for commeTcisl
travellers. An intending guest, who ap-
nlied for a room late Saturday evening,
was informed that they were full, so 1t
seems probable that at least eighty per
sons were in the house at the time OF the
exploeion, of which perhaps twenty es'
capsd. The latter were mostly employees,
who occupied a wing of the hotel which
has not yet fallen.
At about o'clock this afternoon, amid
enthusiastic cheers from the crowd, Land
lord Ketcbum and wife were taken ont
alive and able to drink some hot coffee
with relish-Do small wonder, considering
they hsd been imprisoned in their night
clothes in the cellar, with a flood OF water
nouring in on them. The extent OF tnelr
ininries cannot be sscertained at present.
They were taken to the hospital.
Soon after Walter Gay, New York agent
Of the Higganum Manufacturing Company
was taken out alive and sent to the nos
pital. ,,, ,.,r,ar
cial traveller, who occupied room -, nas
eIso been taken out Daniel Morrison,
brakeman. and Fred Hsines, fagnan, en-
The New England road, had rooms 10
the hotel asd are undoubtedly in the
debris. No additional dead bodies nave
yet been recovered.
The recovery of bodies was slow owing
To the immense accumulation OF DEBRIS but
At nearly regular intervals one or two
bodies were found during the sfternoop'
When claimed by friends, they were Ken
to undertakers. As a rule, the corp9es bore
but slight marks of fire, dying either iiom
snffocstion or bruisiDg. The magnitude oi
the calamity cannot be realized, and, IN
fact. its extent IS not yet known;;
The register Of the hotel has not nesn lounu S
and Young Perry, the night CLERK IS oui-
led in the ruins But from the best esu-