Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-02-21
A HORRIBLE CREMATION
Over Fifty Persons Meet a Most Fear
full Death i'm the Flames.
A Hotel in II Hartford. Conn, Wrecked
by the Explosion of a Boiler.
The Work of Recovering the Bodies
Continued All Last Night.

daylight this morning, the city was
startled by the sounds of moster explo-
sions, and Immediately persons in that
vicinity near the capitol were further
started by the sound of crashing walls
and falling timbers, mingled with the
sc: cams and shouts of men coming from
the vicinity of High and Allyn streets,
which had beer the site Of the
Park Central hotel. Those who bur
rIed to the spot found high pile
of stone and brick and splintered
timbe1s, from which white clouds of
steam rose up, streaked and blaokened by
wreathes of smoke, that rapidly grew
more dease. Then tongues of fame
leaped out here and there, gradually
growing stronger, until the rain was
roaring hesp. Cries and means came
from the pile which made the bystand-
ers sick with horror. The fire depart
ment was soon on the scene, and many
streams of water were directed upon the
flames as daylight came on. The helpless
at the ruins could see behind 1t the annex
TO the building, in which the servants
of the hotel were, and which
was spared. Portions of tiers o. the
rooms at the rear of the main building
had remained standing, but the parti-
I
opened to the air. The floors of many of
them haC partly given away, and tumbled
the occupants and furniture upon the
confused ruins below. The frightened
employees were safely taken from the
annex by ladders. Finally the flames
were mastered by the fireman and sank
down from sight within the ruins where
the water yet Kissed and steamed among
the hot stones and brick. As
soon as the ruins sufficiently
cooled, hundreds of willing hands set
about the herculean task of removing
the immense mass of masonry, and the
enormous thropg which had by this time
| gathered, waited and watched with
| breathless susp ense. The first person
rescued was George Gains, a colored
| porter, who died soon after being taken
| out. Helen Laport, Jenny Decker and
Jacob B. Ter pin were taken out and found
to be ouly slightly injured. Rachael
Cramer jumped from window, breaking
her leg. At 9 O'Clock Har
ris Stff1e, a traveller from
! Philadelphia, was rescued from
| beneath mass of timbers, with but
slight injuries. Near HIM was found the
dead body of d wight FL. Buell., who had
evidently been sUffJcated.
By this time the crowd of spectators
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 rendered excellent
service during the day and night, keep
ing the crowd within bounds. By noon
kilograms of anxious inquiry were pour
ing in from every part of the country,
and friends of those supposed to be in
the ruins were arriving on every train,
together with an immense crowd of
curious people from the surrounding
towns. The lower floor of a large wool
warehouse was made temporary
morgue. The bodies were taken there as
fast as recovered, and an opportunity
was offered for Identification by friends.
Those not identified were taken in charge
by the city. The injured were prom pity
sent to the hospital. The recovery of
the bodies was slow, owing to the i'm
mense accumulation of the debris, but at
nearly regular intervals one or two bodies
were found, during the afternoon. They
were recovered in the order of the
list given. This catastrophe was
devoid of the narrowing details
of the hair breadth escapes, and the
thrilling rescHes attending an uDcon-
trolled COL hagration. One terrible crash,
smoke, fl amss, Quick rushing streams of
water, and all was over. For this reason,
the disaster is overwhelming, and the
mag uitude of the calamity cannot be
realized; in fact, it's extsut ia not yet
known, as the register of the hotel has
not been found. Mr.. Perry, the night
clerk is buried in the ruins. From the
best estimates that can be obtained from
L.
probable there were not far from
so people in the hotel proper.
Of these, perhaps five may have esca ped
early morning hour, which would leave
forty five unaccounted for. Ten are in
the hos pital, and up to this writing (mid
night sixteen dead bodies have zen
taken from the RUNE, leaving nineteen
still missing. But there may be more
than this. The cause of the disaster vas
undoubtedly the explosion of the boiler
in the basement. No engineer WA on
duty at the time, it being the custom for
the night engineer to bank his fires and
go to be bed. His engineer, Alex. Thuer,
was arrested this afternoon on an In
dietment for manslaughter. It has been
onjectured that Games, the colored por-
ter, may have started the pumps, throw
| ing cold water in the overheated boiler
thus causing the explosion. But this is
only con lecture, and Gaines is dead.
The force of the explosion was terrible.
All the people in that part of the city
were awakened by the shock, and huge
stones were scattered and iron pipes bent
| and twisted. The windows in the ad
| joining buildings and across the street
were demoli3hed, and panes of glass
smashed two blocks away. 1t is believed
tonight tLat Mrs. Weston, of Spring field,
was in the hotel with her five child
rem and servant. She had
not been seen. If this proves true, the
| aggregate loss of life would be raised by
the addition of seven victims. The ex-
periences of the survivors we're remark
able. Walter NJ. Gay occupied room
adjoining Landlord Ketcham's. When
he awoke he found that the bed was SINK
ing with him. When it became
stationary he found himself pinned down
by the ceiling and timbers In such man
ner that he was enable to move. He soon
heard the voices of Mr.. and Mrs. Ketch
am, and conversed with them concerning
the chances of escape. Before they were
rescued, the water poured into the ruins
by the fremen had nearly covered his
face.
plete list of the bodies taken out
up to midnight, is as follows: ID. Wight,
Fl. Buell., George Gains, (colored porter
Geo. EGgler, of Hartford, John W. Huus
mau, comm o-cial traveller, of Boston. j.
G. Hill, commercial traveller, Buffalo, |
Louis b. Bronson, Sec'y. Hartford S5ove |
Co., his wife and child, Gee. Ketchum,
brother of the landlord, Endie Ketchum,
IL