Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-02-19
AN APPALLING CATASTROPHE
Fuller Particulars of the Terri BILE
Disaster at Hartford,
Connecticut.

vicinity of High and Allyn streets
which had been the site of the Parl
Central hotel. Those who hurried t.
the spot found huge pile of stone an,
brick and splintered timbers, from whicl
white clouds of steam arose up, streaket
and blackened by wreaths of smoke tha
rapidly grew more dense. Then tongue
of fame leaped out here and there, grad
ually growing stronger, until the ruiz
was a roaring heap of fire. Cries an(
moans came from the pile which mad,
the
BYsTANDERs SICK WITH HORROR.
The fire department was soon on thu
scene and many streams of water were
directed upon the flames. AS daylight
came on the helpers at the ruins could
see behind it the annex to the building
in which were the house servants of the
hotel, and which Yves spared. A portion
of the tiers of rooms at the rear of the
main building had remained standing
but the partitions were torn away and
the rooms opened to the air. The floors
of many of them had partly given way
and tumbled the occupants and furniture
upon the confused ruins below. The
frightened employees were safely taken
from the annex by ladders.
THE FIRE MASTERED.
Finally the flames were mastered by
the firemen and sank down from sight
within the ruins, where the water vet
hissed and steamed among the hot
stones and bricks. AS soon as the ruins
were sufficiently cooled hundreds of
willing hands set about the herculean
task of removing the immense heap of
masonry, and the enormous throng,
which, by this time, had gath
cred, waited and watched with
breathless suspense. The first person
rescued was George Gaines, colored
porter, who died soon after being taken
out. Helen Leport, Jenny Decker and
Jacob B. Turpin were taken out and
found to be only slightly injured. Rachel
Craner jumped from window, breaking
her leg. At 9 O'Clock Harris
Stiffle, traveller from Philadelphia,
was rescued from beneath mass of
timbers. with but slight injuries. Near
him was found the dead body of Dwight
H. Buell.. who had evidently been suffo-
Gated. By this time the crowd of spec
tators had increased to such proportions
as to greatly impede the work of the
rescuers. Accordingly the militia was
ordered out to aid the police, and rem
dered excellent service during the day
and night in keeping the crowd wit in
bounds.
ANXIOUS FRIENDS 1NQU1RING.
BY noon to-day kilograms of anxious
inquiry we're pouring in from every part
of the country, and friends of those sup
posed to be in the ruins were arriving on
every train, together with an immense
crowd OF curious people from the sur
rounding towns. The lower floor of
large wool warehouse was made tenn
porary morgue. The bodies were
taken there as fast as recovered
and an opportunity offered for identi-
fcation by friends. Those not identified
were taken in charge by the csty. The
injured were promptly sent to the hos
pital. The recovery of the bodies was
slow, owing to the immense accumula-
ton of debris, but at nearly regular in
tervals one or two bodies were found
during the afternoon. They we're recov.
cred in the order of the list given.
This catastrophe was devoid of the har-
rowing details, hair-breadth escapes and
thrilling .rescues, attending an uncon-
trolled confagration. One terrible crash,
smoke, flames, quick rushing streams of
water, and all was over. For this reason
the disaster simply overwhelms. The
magnitude OF the calamity cannot be re-
allied. In fact it's extent is not
yet known. The register of the hotel
has not yet been found and Mr.. Perry,
the night clerk, is buried in the ruins
but from the best estimates that can be
obtained from the landlord and others,
it is probable that there were not far
from fifty people in the hotel proper.
OF these, perhaps, five may have es-
capped uninjured amid the confusion Of
the early morning hours, which would
leave forty-fve unaccounted for. Ten
are in the hospital and, up to writing
(midnight), sixteen dead bodies have
been taken from the ruins, leaving nine
teen still missing. But there may be
more than this.
The cause of the disaster was undoubt-
edly the explosion of the boiler in the
basement. No engineer was on duty at
the time, the custom being for the night
engineer to bank his fires and 60 to bed.
He does not sleep in the hotel. This
engineer, Alexander Thuer, was arrested
this afternoon on an Indictment for man.
slaughter. 1t has been conjectured that
Gaines, the colored porter, may have
started the pumps, throwing cold water
into the overheated boiler and thus caus-
ing the explosion, but this is only con-
lecture, and Gaines is dead.
The force of the explosion was terrific.
All the people in that part of the city
were awakened by the shock. Huge
stones were shattered and iron pipes
bent and twisted. The windows in ad-
Joining buildings and across the street
we're demolished and panes of glass were
smashed two blocks away. 1t ia be-
lieved tonight that Mrs. Weeson, ol
Springfield, was in the hotel with hel
five children and servant. She has
not been seen. If this proves true, the
aggregate loss of life would be raised BY
the addition of these seven victims.
A NARROW ESCAPE.
The experiences of the survivors were
remarkable, and their escapes marvellous
Walter M. Gay occupied room adjoin
ing landlord Ketchum's. When HI
aWoke he found the bed sinking with
him. When it became stationary h'
found himself pinned dowE by the cell
ing and timbers in such o manner tina
he was unable to move. He soon heart
the voices OF Mr.. and Mrs. Ketchum
and conversed with them concerning tin
chances of escape. Before they wer
rescued the water poured into the ruin
hv the firemen had nearly covered hi