The national leader., 1889-02-23
FALL OF A HOTEL.
ART OF THE PARK CENTRAL HOUSE,
In HARTFORD, in RUINS.
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT UN-
KNOWN N-TWENTY-NINE BODIES
RECOvERED-19 DEAD.
l0INJURED.


RECOVERED-19D DEAD,
10INJURED.
HARTFORD, Conn, Feb. 1S.-The
shock of a tremendous explosion awoke
| the residents for blocks around the
corner of high and Allyn streets, al
about o'clock this morning. On that
corner stood the Park Central Hotel, a
| five story b.ick structure, about 80
feet front and 100 feet deep. The first
| to arrive on the scene found this build.
! ing heap of ruins, from which issued
smoke and steam in dense clouds, and
the spectators were appalled, by the
shrieks and grOans of many human be.
ings who were imprisoned in the mass
of timber and masonry, from which
| flames were already bursting.
A general alarm Immediately sum-
moned the entire Fire Department,
and an immense crowd, attracted by
the explosion and the fire alarm, soon
packed the streets in the vicinity. AT
first the fire and smoke entirely pre-
vented any attempt to rescue the
victims, and 1t was not until food of
water had been poured upon the ruins
that the work could be prosecuted. a
few dead or dying persons were taken
from the edge of the debris, however,
within an hour after the explosion.
The force of the explosion threw a
bed with a sleeping woman upon it far
into the street, while one of the heavy
doors of the house landed block
away. BY 8 O'Clock the flames were so
far snbdued that the rescuers were able
to get at some of the victims. Some
were pinned beneath heavy timbers
upon which rested masses OF masonry,
rendering the work Of rescue extremely
hazardous.
The catastrophe is generally supposed
to have been causei by tie explosion of
the boiler, although some doubt has
been expressed on this point. as the
building had been popularity supposed
to be unsafe. 1t was built on ''made"
ground.
The hotel was built about Is years
ago, and cost, with furniture, $l20,0 600.
The soil was soft, and, although the
building was carefully built, it soon
setIloG badly. About five years ago
Mr.. Ketchum took the lease, and
renovated and refurnished the house.
Insurance is S38, 600.
1t is stated that no fragment Of the
boiler has yet been found, which mill
tates against the theory Of a boiler ex-
plOSiOn.
THE LANDLORD AND WIFE RESCUED.
About l o'clock amid enthusiastic
cheers from the crowd, Landlord Ket-
chum and his wife were taken out alive
and conscious and able to drink some
hot coffee. They had been imprisoned
in the cellar In their night clothes for
eight hours. with floods of chilling
water pouring upon them. The extent
of their Injuries cannot be a>certained
at present. They were taken to the
hospital.
Soon afterward Walter Gay, New
York agent of the Higganum Manu-
featuring Company, was taken out,
also alive. and sent to the hospital.
The dead body of j. @. He'll, a COM
mercial traveller. has also been taken
out. 1t may help to locate him to
state that he has been travelling of
late with toy goods drummer named
Cotton. His name was ascertalned by
n Oil LILO
Daniel Morrison. brakeman, and
Fred. Haines, fagman, on the New
England Railroad, had rooms in the
building, and are undoubtedly buried
in the ruins.
No additional dead bodies have yet
been recovered.
The force of the explosion shattered
all the glass in buildings adjoining and
opposite the hotel. and broke windows
block away. Its cause is stlll mys-
terry. as it will take some time to
uncover the boiler.
Mrs. Frank WessOn and children
are reported to be in the ruins. Moth
ing tangible to substantlate or dispute
the rumor can be found here.
at 2 O'Clock the WOrkmen discovered
small black-and-tan dog alive. and
exhibiting gratitude at his release.
Thus far most of the bodies discovered
have come from the tier or sleeping
rooms ON the south side.
The persons rescued alive are nat
urally In very exhausted condition,
and the physicians refuse to allow them
to be interviewed. They were all
asleep when the accident occurred, and
of course, know nothing except the
horrors of their Imprisonment and
their almost miraculous escape.
The cause of the disaster was un-
dOubtedly the explosion of the boiler IN
the basement. 1t was of 16-horse
power, butt by Pitkin, OF Hartford, In
1852, and was inspected and approved
last August by the Hartford Steam
Boiler Inspection Company. The
engineer G es away at midnight. bank
ing the fires. He has been arrested on
a charge of manslaughter. His name
Is Alexander Iseur.
1t is coniectured that Gaines, the
porter, may have started the pumps
and caused the explosion by turning
cold water into an overheated boiler,
bat as he is dead no light Is likely to
be thrown upon this subject. The
shock was felt all over the city. Win
dows for block around were mashed.
Out of the so inmates of the hotel
it is thought five may have escaped
unhurt Immediately, leaving 45 to be
accounted for.
HARTFORD, CONN, Feb. 19.-Two
additional bodies have Just been taken
from the Park Central Hotel, both
badly burned. One was identified as