Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-02-19
rsy telegraph to tho DisDssoa.l

commercial traveller; aud Mr.. STILES, SAFE
agent.
The help employed in the hotel we're saved.
! They occupied sleeping apartments IN The
auneN, which was only partially wrecked.
The scenes about the ruins were horrible.
IN the centre az the spot where the building
/ stood we're a man, bis wife. and little girl.
| 40 help could get 10 them. and they finally
/ fell back into the flames and pcri,hed IN
1 plain sight OF The spectators. The child
I cried for belp, but the man and WOnsn NJ
/ tered no word. but, embraced ~ each Diner
| arms. they met death bravely. The elri.ks
OF another woman caused the blood of spec
tators 10 turn cold a. they saw a young Lady
| lying with her body hslf across beam VITO
q look Of agony on her iace. finail7 me
support fell aad sac dropped out 81 sight.
| William Seymour and William skinner were
employed IN the boiier-rO0m. Neither cou.i
| be found this morning. and they probably
| persisted. Eddie Boyle was last seen 10 the
| hotel. lie l. probably dead. The shock o.
/ the explosion blew ont every window in the
sotth side Of the Earle House, Just north oi
the Park Central Hotel. Women with their
faces blancbed with terror and strong men
pale with fright rushed besdlOng into the
street in their nightclOthcs. Charles VI.
Webster, insurance agent Of this city. IS
missing. Mr.. Pond, OF ludans, was guest
at the hotel, and Il supposed TO be among
the killed. Amos Risley and Alexander
Thayer we're In charge Of the boiler. II was
reported first that they were both killed,
but there are parties who say they have seen
both men since the disaster.
TAKEN OUT ALIVE.
At about | O'Clock, amid enthusiastic
cheers from the crowd, Landlord Kctchum
and wife were taken out alive and able 20
drink some hot coffee with rellsh-no small
wonder, considering they had been I'M
prisOned I'm their night-clolhes in the cellar
with the flood Of water pouring 10 on them
The extent OF their Injuries cannot he asccr-
tanned at present. They were taken TO q
hospital. Others taken ont dead are: >. {.
Hi, commercial traveller; Mr.. and Mrs.
Bronson. and George NJ. Gaines. nig0t porter.
The rescue OF living but injured persons
continues from time 10 time. Tie flames IN
the wreck have been quenched. The hotel
wss Duiit about fifteen yesrs ago. and cost with
furniture 100000. The SOIL was soft, and
although the bpilding Has carefully built it
soon settled badly. About five years ago
ketchum took lease and renovated and re-
furnished tue house Insurance, S3S.OOO. NO
thing has been found up TO this writing TO
explain the disaster. I he boilers have not
been reached. The explosion broke the
glass IN buildings a block away. hOst Of
the bodies thus far found came from the tier
OF sleepinQ-rooms on the south side. The
persons rescued alive were all asleep aud
can offer no suggestion. There are reports
ailoat that the night engineer was dissipated
and was in the habit Of leaving his post and
drinking. The suggestion Is made taat be
did this last night and finding The wafer low
in the boiler when he came In turned more
1T. a. Lnriar IL il aVnnNspG
to be dead in the ruins.
Since 4 Z. NJ. the following bodies have
been recovered: George Ketchum, brother
OF the landlord; Freddie Keichus, land
lords son, eleven years old; George W.
Root, Rockp port, New York, traveller for
Waite, Williams d Co, Boston; A. +. Til
lotsson. traveller for Merrill Chemical Com
pauy, Cincinnati; unidentified body Of
man OF about forty years, young daughter
Of MIR. and Mrs. l.. Ii. Bronson, whose
bodies were recovered earlier.
Extra electric lights have been put In
around the ruins and the search Will be
vigorously pushed through the night. All
the trains have brought curious crowds, and
the vicinity OF the wrecked building has
been thronced all day. The spectators are
kept at a safe distance by Gordon OF SOL
dlers from the First regiment, Connecticut
NhllOnti Nutlus 0NtUt VI Ait hNNiN1 uAN
much disfigured and Durne |, but the faces
OF many are not much injured, but wear
lue.Hke expression. 10 Is now estimated
that not far from fifty persons were IN tue
building. OF whom tWenty-inree have been
accounted ior-thirleen dead and ten alive
in the hospital.
EXTENT or THE CALAMITY.
The magnitude OF the calamity cannot be
realized, and, in fact, its extent is not yet
known. The register OF the hotel has not
been found, aud young Perry, the night
clerk, i buried in the ruins; but from the
hest estimates that can be procured from the
landlord and others II Is probable tnat there
were not far from dity people in the hotel
proper. Oi these perhaps five have escaped
unuiured amid the confusion OF the early
morning hours, leaving i0rty-tye to be
accounted for. Tea are in the hospital,
and up 10 this writing IN z. NJ SIX dead
bodies have been taken from the ruins.
leaving nineteen still missing. But there
NAV be several more than this. Andrew F.
Whiting, actuary OF the Hartford Life ana
Annuity Insurance Company, and wife, Rev.
DR. Lavalette Perrin, agent OF the Memorial
Hall Association, and wife, and Edward
Perry, night clerk, are known to be still In
the ruins.
The cause OF the disaster was undoubtedly
the explosion Of the boiler IN the basement
This boiler OF sixteen-horse power was built
BY PiIkins. OF this city, 10 1882 IL was not In
sured by the Hartford steam-BOller Inspec-
ton and Insurance Company, but was In
spected by an officer OF that company last
August, and was then pronounced all right
No engineer was on duty at lbe time oil the
explosion, the custom being for the night
L a. ,,,flntvbt M an
10 bed. lie does not sleep In the hotel.
ENGISEER ARRESTED.
Tho engineer, Alexander Thuer, vas ar
rested this afternoon on an Indictment
charging msusisughter, aud is locked up at
The police station. 1t Is coniectured that
Gaines. the colored porter, may have started
the pump, throwing cold water into an over
heated boiler. But this is only conjecture
and Gaines Is dead.
The force OF tie explosion was terrific.
People In ali parts OF the city were awakened
by the shock. Huge stones were shattered
and iron pipes bent and twisted. windows
An the adjoining buildings and across the
street were demolished and panes OF glass
two blocks away were cracked. At the new
railroad depot, block away, huge pane OF
plate glsss was cracked and many states were
dislodged from the newIy-compieted roof.
The night employees In the railroad station
and the Offices fed 10 the street In terror.
EXPERIENCES OF SURVIVORS.
The experiences OF the survivors were re-
markable and their escapes miraculous.
walter NJ. Gay occupied a room adjoining
thai Of Landlord Ketehum and bis vile.
when be swoke be fen the bed sinking with
him. Soon IL became stationary. tie was
living on bis left side aud pinned down by
he ceiling, &c., IN spch manner that he
was entirely unssIe TO move, although has
right arm was free. lie soon heard the
voices OF Mr.. and Mrs. Ketcbum, and con-
yersed With thea concerning the chances OF
s.esne. Before he was rescued the water
mad nearly covered his face.
Esos James Iaot an agent OK the White
Star Lac. a. beretofore reported occupied
reom directly over the keichums and also
heard their voices. When he Was taken out