Wichita eagle., 1889-02-19
The Park Central Hotel, at Hartford,
Conn.,, Demolished by an
Awful Explosion.
Many Victims Imprisoned by the Debris
and Consumed BY the Uncon-
trollable Flames.
Sixteen Dead Bodies Already Taken From
the Ruins and Score or More Be-
Eeved to be Unrecovered-Lists
Of the Dead and Injured.

and Allyn streets at about O'Clock thi
morning. On that corner stood the Parl
Central Hotel, a five story brick. structur
r about thirty feet front. The first to arriv
on the scene found this building heap o
ruins, from which issued smoke and steam
in dense clouds. and the spectators wer
appalled, by the shrieks and groans o
many human beings who were imprisoned
in the mas of timber and masonry from
which flames were already bursting.
general alarm summoned the fire depart
ment. and an immense crowd, attracted
by the explosion and the fire alarm
soon packed the streets. Flame
prevented any attempt at rescuinl
any one and the ruins were flooded will
water before any work could be prosecuted
A few dead or dying persons were takeI
from the edge of the debris, however, with
in an hour after the explosion. The force
of the explosion threw bed with sleep
ing woman upon it far in the street, while
one of the heavy doors landed a block
away. BY 8 a. m. the flames were so fan
subdued 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.
a report that members of the Hoodman
Blind Theatrical company were in the
ruins was found to be incorrect Mr..
| MunrOe. the business manager, says that
some OF the company applied to the hotel
last night for accommodations but could
not get them. The fact that they were re-
fused accommodation does not indicate
that the hotel was crowded, but simply be-
cause that, desiring rooms for 81 or So could
not be furnished on account of previous
engagements of apartments by legislators.
The dead body of Dwight Buell., jeweller,
was taken out about 10 o'clock; the body
of Louis H. Bronson, store dealer, wife and
child, were discovered at about the
same time; Henry S. Stifiie, a COM
mercial traveller of Philadelphia, who
roomed on the second floor was taken out
severely bruised but remarked that he was
all right. The house had accommodations
for about one hundred guests and was a
| favorite over-Sunday stopping place for
| who applied for room late Saturday eve
| ming was informed that they We're full. so
! it seems probable that at least eighty per-
sons were in the house at the time of the
explosion, of which perhaps twenty es-
capped These were mostly employees who
occupied wing of the hotel which has not
fallen.
Those known to be buried in the ruins
are Rev. DR.. Perrin and wife of Britain:
Andrew +. Whiting, secretary of the Hart
| ford Life insurance company, and wife,
and Wellington ketchum, proprietor of
the hotel. wife and son.
About six persons have been sent
to the hospital Owing to the destruction
of the register of hotel the names of many
of the guests of the hotel cannot be OBJ
tanned. The catastrophe is generally sup
posed to have been caused by explosion of
the boiler, although some doubt has been
expressed on this point, as the building
had been supposed to be unsafe. 1t was
built on made ground.
The railroads have furnished their force
of laborers with jacks, etc. and the work
of searching for bodies is now going for
ward Systematically At 10 a. m. the MIL
itarv call was sounded on the fire bells
calling out the military companies to as
sist in the preservation of order and assist
ing in che work of rescue.
Max Galody, editor of the Hartford Her.
aid; George J. Engier. drug clerk; Harry
Pool, night clerk of the hotel, are in the
ruins. 1t is understood now that the
bodies of Mr.. Bronson, wife and child
have not been recovered. George Ketchum.
brother OF the proprietor, is also in the
ruins Mr.. Pendleton. of Indiana, who
was soliciting subscriptions to complete
the monument of Thomas \. Hendricks, is
among the missing. Mr.. Jones' an agent
OF the White Star line, was taken out at
noon alive. and not seeming to be very
badly injured, although not able to stand.
He says that Mr.. ketchUm and wife were
under where he laid and were still alive.
Buried in the ruins: John NJ. Housmau.
of the Revere Rubber company. Boston,
Geo. W. Root, traveller for Wait, Williams
& Co., of Boston; a. Z. Tillotson, traveller
for Merrell Chemical company of Chicago
Taken out dead; Geo. NJ Gaines, night
porter.
At the hospital: Jacob Turpin, colored
waiter: Helen Lapointe, guest; Jennie
Decker, Unionville, badly bruised and
both legs broken: Michael Kerrigan. I'm
ionville, badly bruised.
The hotel was built about fifteen years
ago, and cost, with furniture, SI20 100
The soil was soft, and although the build
ing was carefully built, it soon settled bad
ly. About five years ago Mr.. Ketchum
took the lease and renovated and refur-
nished the house. Tie insurance is
SIS. 900.
It's stated that no fragment of the boiler
has yet been found which initiates
against the theory OF IA boiler explosion.
At about l o'clock amid enthusiastic
cheers from the crowd, Landlord ketchum
and wife were taken out alive and able to
drink some hot coffee with relish-no small
wonder considering they had been imprs-
onad in their night clothes in the cellar
with food OF water pouring in on them.
The extent OF their injuries cannot be as
certaiued at present They were taken to
the hospital. Soon after Walter Guy,
New York agent OF the Higginson Manu-
featuring company, was taken out alive
and sent 10 the hospital.
The dead body of J. c. Hill, CONNER
cial traveller who occupied room 90. had
also been taken out. Dan Morton, brake
man. and Fred HAYNES, fiagman on the
New England railroad had rooms in the
Il tyat,h re n " IN =,
No additional dead bodies have yet been
recovered.
The force OF the explosion shattered all
the glass in the adjoining buildings and
broke single papes in buildings a block
away. Its tcause is still a mystery
and it will take some time 20 recover the
boiler.
Mrs. Frank Wesson and children are re-
ported TO be in the ruins.
This fac most OF the bodies recover ed
have come from the tier OF sleeping rooms
on south side. The persons rescued salive /
are naturally in very exhausted condl- (
ton and physicians refuse 60 allow them |
10 be interviewed.
They were all asleep when the disaster !
occurred and OF course knew nothing ex- |
cept the horrors OF their imprisonment
and miraculous escape. One young man. |
a guest, was violently Ill on account OF q /
spree. He had left his room about min |
ute before the disaster 10 20 to the bath /
room in the anne, and thus escaped.
The arrival OF the national guards. or l
dered out by Mayor Root, has been of /
great benefit in keeping the rabhle at = !
distance and giving the workme1 good /
chance. The soldiers have also aided the 4
police and hreuIen in removing rubbish /
Workmen are now arranging electric |