The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-19

FsrAB11sHED 1850. INCORPORATED 1885.
J. H. ESTILL, President.
A HORROR IN A HOTEL.
The Boiler EzplOleS and the
Building CollapSeS.
HALF A HUNDRED L IVES
PROBABLY LOST.

Five O'Clock IN the morning Cn0 LIMO
of the Disaster and Nearly Every
body in the Building Asleep-Two
or Three Theories as to the Cause of
the xplosion-Miraculous Escape of
the Proprietor and His Wife and
Two or Three Guests-Heartrendi
Cries Heard from the Ruins Immedi-
ately After the Crash and the Break
ing Out of the Flames.
HARrFoRD, CONN, Feb. 1S-A boiler in
the Park Central hotel in this city blew up
with terrific force at o'clock this morn
ing, totally wrecking the entire front of the
structure. which was a fve-story brick
building. The entire fire department and
police reserves were summoned. The ruins
took fire, and the work of the firemen was
greatly impeded by dense volumes Of smoke
and steam. At least fifty people wer9
buried in the debris.
Every window in the house, right across
Allen street, was broken, and the walls
were smashed in many places The noise
Df the falling walls aroused the whole city,
and in a very few minutes large crowd
surrounded the scene. 1t was a sight of
horror and one that will never be forgotte
by the spectators. Flames completely en-
veoped the ruins, aud the shrieks of the
wounded and dying rose high above the
hoarse notes of the iremen and police
TWO HORRIBLE SCENES.
The entire main section of the hotel is
gone, only pile of brick and timbers re-
naming. The scenes about the ruins were
horrible In the center Of the spot whore
the building stood were a man, his wife
and little girl. No help conld get to them,
aud they finally fell back into the flames and
perished in plain sight of the spectators
The child cried for help, but the man ami
woman uttered no word Embraced in
zach others arms they met death bravely.
The shrieks of another woman caused the
blood of the spectators to turn cold as
they saw a young lady lying with
her body half across beam with
Hook Of agony on her face.
Finally the support fell ami she dropped
out Of sight. The shock of the explosion
blew out every window in the south side Of
the Earle house, Just north of the Park
Central hotel. Women with their faces
black in terror, and strong men pale with
fright, rushed headlong into the street in
their night clothes.
The Park Central hotel was situated at
the corner of Allen and High streets, about
one block from the union depot, and was
principally paronized by commercial men
and theatrical tToupes. A special alarm
was sent out at 10 o'clock bis morning for
the city companies of the state militia for
the purpose Of aiding in the rescue of the
ufurtunates Of the accident; and also to
form a Gordon around the standing walls,
which looked very threatening.
ADDITIONAL BODIES RECOVERED.
Since o'clock the bodies Of the follow
ing have been recovered:
GEORGE kETCHUM, brother of the land
lord
EDr = U-rrrEI fha 1a,,s a IL
II years Of age.
GEORGE W. RooT, of Brockport, n Y,
atraveler for Waite. Williams & Co., Of
Boston.
A. +. TILLOTsoN, a traveller for the Mer-
rll Chemical Company, of Cincinnati.
The unidentified body Of man about 40
years of age
A Young daughter of MIR. and Mrs. L. H.
bronson, whose bodies were recovered ear
her
Extra electric lights have been put in
around the ruins, and the search will be
vigorously pushed through the night. All
trains have brought curious crowds, d
ile vicinity cf the wrecked building has
been thronged all day The spectators
are kept at a safe distance by Gordon
OF soldiers from the Firstsregment, Con-
IeGucut National Guards. Some Of the
191les are much dis6gured and burned,
uuI the races ot many are not much injured
ana wear lifelike expression. 1t is now
esumated that not far from fifty persons
were IN the building, of whom twenty
three have been accounted for-thirteea
uead and ten alive at the hospital
ALMOST BEYOND REALIZING.
HARTFORD, Feb. 1s, II M.-The magni-
.l1e oI the calamity cannot be realized,
S''u III TACT It's extent is not yet known. The
tseIs'er OF the hotel has not been found,
l.a ,t.rl,t tg,1a-
:" lue runs. But from the best estimates
'py can be procured from the landlord and
vC.eis' IL Is probable that there were
IyV lar from fifty people in the hotel
A pVpeF. Ot these perhaps five have escaped
u1'u Ju'e ed amid the confusion of the early
no,nlng hours, leaving forty-fve TO be &C
counted for. Ten are in the hospital. and
up 70 this writing, II p. NJ, sixteen dead
u.eS nave been taken from the ruins,
4 m,uIs may nineteen still missing. But there
may De several more than this.
STILL IN THE RUINS.
pA9,,sreyw f. Whiting, nctuary of the
TO- uoId lAte and Annuity Insurance
8poApany, aud wife, Rev. DR.. Lavette
c,eFn agent Of the Memorial Hall Asso-
uouoi, aod wife, and Edward Perry, the
ruins w w ''"A ~ 'N0
ssj. ne cause Of the disaster was undoubt-
4 M. - sion OF The boiler In the bas'-
wo1I ms boiler, Of sixteen horse power,
was built by Petkius ofIthis city in 1872 II
RRS not insured by the Hartford Steam
%%,"er inspection aud Insurance company,
1o. was inspected by an officer Of
wa. company last August, and
NJ then pronounced all right
t,,U,yHugiueer was on duty at the time of the
enDg,sion' the custom being for the night
gANeir 10 bank his fires at midnight and
e0 10 bed. Ho docs not sleep in the hotel.
THE ENGINEER ARRESTED
,o.,asS rnlS engineer, Alexander Thuer, was ar
cSa.u TINS afternoon on an indictment
ba sing MN with manslaughter and
rau locked up at the police
cIJ.lon; 1t is conjsctured that Gaines. tine
Mra.el. porter, may have started the pumps,
& boUGnlhg cold water into an overheated
Gaiea. But this is only conjecture, and