Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-19
A HOTEL HORROR.
NEARLY FIFTY LIVES SUPPOSED
TO BE LOST.
A Hotel at Hartford, Conn.,, Wrecked
by an ExpIosion--Most of Its In
mates Buried or Burned.
SPECIAL DIsPA1cHEs TO THE REcoRD-uNIoN.l

HARTFORD (Conn.), February 1sth.--A boiler
exploded early this morning in the Park Gen.
tral Hotel, blowing out the entire front and one
side of the house. The lower part of the main
building and all the steirscases were destroyed,
cutting off all chances of escape. The hotel
was a fve-story building built of brick, and had
eighty bed-rooms-all occupied last night A
fire broke out Immediately after the explosion
and very few men in the building escaped be-
tween sixty and seventy lives are supposed to
of two men, who went away leaving it to care
for itself. The result is great disaster.
The force of the explosion was terrific. A
woman lying on her bed was thrown into the
street The heavy outer-door of the houEe
1anded block away. The explosion occurred
about O'Clock. The steam and fire prevented
beginning the search of the ruins until O'Clock.
Great uncertainty prevailed for hours concern.
ing those known to have been in the house last
night. 1t was known early, however, that
nearly all the servants were saved. The miss
ing were the guests.
SCENES OF HORROR.
The scenes at the ruins were heartrending. In
the center of the spot where the building stood
were man, his wife and little girl. No help
could get to them. They finally fell back into
the flames and perished III PLAIN sight of the
man and woman uttered no word and in each
others arms met death bravely.
young lady was seen to fall from a beam
into the fire.
william Seymour and william Skinner were
employed in the boiler-room. Neither was
found this morning and probably both perished.
guest struggled from the half.wrecked room,
groped his way over half a-dozen burning
beams, missed his footing, and with shrek,
fell into the roaring flames below The pouring
of water on the flames increased the perils of
those in the ruins, the water turning to steam
and scalding the struggling survivors.
THE RUIN COMPLETE.
The house could accommodate about one hun
dred guests. 1t was favorite Sunday stop-over
place for CONNER cial tourists. The great boiler
was in the basement. The hotel was blown to
pieces. Only a small portion of one wall is
standing in the ruins. The flames Immediately
broke out in dozen places, and when the adj
vance guard of fremen and policemen arrived
the ruins were everywhere on fire, and dense
clouds OF steam prevented the fremen seeing
those who wildly called for help.
James, agent of the White Star Line, was
taken out at noon alive and not badly injured.
although not able to stand. He said landlord
Ketchum and his wife were under where he
laid.
A number of persons have been sent to the
hospital badly burned and otherwise injured.
Two assistants in the boier-room and the
night clerk ofthe hotel missing; also, Pendle-
ton, of Indiana, whose first name is unknown,
who was canyassing for subscriptions to the
monument for Thomas A. Hendricks
THE PECUNIARY LOSS.
The hotel had previously been unlucky 1t
was built fifteen years ago at cost including
furniture, OF s133, goo. The soil is soft and the
building soon settled bodily. The building is
now practically total loss. The insurance was
only S3S COO. and IL is said there is none in Pa
cific coast companies.
SOME THAT WERE RESCUED.
LATER.-Amid enthusiastic cheers landlord
Ketchum and his wife were taken out alive
The extent of their injuries cannot be ascer
tanned at present.
Soon after Walter Gay, New York agent of the
Higganum Manufacturing Company, was taken
out alive.
The dead body of ]. c. HILL commercial
traveller, was next taken out.
Daniel Morrison, a brakeman, and Frederick
Haines, fagman on the New England Rail
road, are undoubtedly in the debris. Mrs.
Frank Wesson and children are also reported in
the ruins.
Jennie Decker, of Unionyiiie. was badly
bruised and had both legs broken, and Michael
Kerrigan OF Unionyille, was badly bruised.