Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-19
CRUSHED AND BURNED.
Hartford Adds to the List Of
Hotel Horrors.
In Entire Building Raled and IN Flames


Hartford, CT. Feb. ls.
The main portion OF the Park Central hote
st Hartford, facing on High and Allyn streets
fell down or was blown up by bursting boil
ers this morning few moments before nvs
O'Clock. The chief theory at present is thA
the boilers burst in the basement.
Every window in the E.rle house, directly
across Allyn street, vas broken and the walls
we're smashed in many places.
The noise Of the tall aroused the whole
city and . large crowd soon surrounded the
scene.
was q sight Of horror. Flames com
pietely enveioped the ruins, and the shrieks
Of the wounded and dying rose high above
the hoarse shouts of the tiremen and the noise
Of the engines
The force of the explosion threw . bed
with sleeping woman upon IT far into the
street, while one Of the heavy DOOR Of the
house landed block away.
By 3 O'Clock the hAmes were 90 far sub
dneu that the rescuers were enabled TO get
q some Of the victims. Some were pinned
between aesvy timbers upon which rested
masses of masonry, rendering the work OF
rescue extremely hAzardous.
The entire main section Of the hotel il
gone, snly pile Of brick and timbers re-
naming.
The scenes about the ruins we're horrible.
In the center Of the spot where the building
stood were q man, his ~ife and little girl.
No help could get to them and they hnally
fell back into the hxmes, and died IN plan
sight of the spectators. The little one cried
Tor help, but the man and woman uttered not
q word, but, embraced In each other . arms,
met death bravely.
At about one o'clock this afternoon, amid
enthu,iastic cheers from the crowd, Landlord
ketchum and his wife were taken out alive
and conscious, and able TO drink some hot
coffee with great relish, no email wonder
considering that they had been imprisoned Ia
the cellar in their night clothes Tor eight
hours, with floods of chilling water pouring
upon them. The extent of their Injuries
cannot be ascertained Ut present. lhey
were taken to the hospital.
w to s oc ock 10 DouieS have been re-
coved from the RUNS, eight dead aud eight
still alive. Il is thought Mrs. ketehum, wife
OF the proprietor vi not strive, As sie IS
suffering from q severe confusion OF the
.pine. The transient guests Killed already
identified are J. M. Hausmznn, travelling
agent for the Revere Rubber Co., Boston,
residence, Brooklyn, NY, George W. Root,
drummer tor Ws.ts, William Co., dealers
in oils, Boston A. +. Iiliotison aud drum
mer for Morrill, Chemical Co, Cincinnati.
A New York drummer who resides in
Portland, Me and who slept last night In
the annex or eastern end of the hotel. part
Of v hlch is left standing, says he teit some
thing Of shock and heard sound bat
nothing like what should accompany = ooiler
explosion.
Did not believe it had been one. Did not
even deem it advisable to get up Heard
shrieks of women and children Felt fioor
going and bounded out Of bed, grabbing grip
sack and escaped IN ght clothes. Among
fragments blown into the windo~s of the
Earl House on the opposite side OF Allyn
street was piece of paper upon which VAS
written, George 4. Harrington, No. lO
Grand street, Waterbury; card marked
with rubber stamp, "A. 5 Ferris, 80 Wash.
;ns.-- ..-a., So",h N.-~.ik" siao ta.A"d
in room. A paper in wrapper addressed to
Miss Bella Jaras, Box 3ls, Hartford, was
picked up on the street.
4. 2. Robertson, head waiter, says; Was
awakened by . shock. Hurried my clothes
OIL. There MAS great commotion among the
employees in ann, Z, girls tsp. claily being ex
cited and anxious to leave the building.
first thought the hotel ~ss on fire. N,
room was shaken up, the furniture being
dlsarranged and lamp globe broken. Find
ing annex all right, returned to my room
flushed dressing and aided others in getting
out.
Up to 42O no more bodies were recovered
from the wreck.
1t is estimated that the number who los,
their lives will exceed 30.
The Latest List OF the Dead.
As near as can be ascertained nearly 5C
persons were in the hotel at the time OF the
explosion. Ten are now in the hospital aht
up to II o'clock l6 dead bodies had beer
recovered and 10 persons still missing.