The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1891-08-29
FIFTY LIVES LOST.
Explosion in "A New York business Block,
Followed by Fire.

y n. z. n
dent occurred this afternoon at l2.3Q
o'clock in Park Place, between Green
wlch Street and College Place. At that
time the street was filled with hurrying
people and heavy laden wagons
and trucks. First small, white
vaporish cloud burst from the
ground floor of Nos. 20, - and
II Park Place. Then was heard
a dull, deep, sullen roar, as if some
monster was trying to break his bonds.
The roar was followed by an irruption
and mass of brick, stone and timber
was hurled thirty feet heayenWard.
The cries of terror of men and the al
most human screams OF the horses were
only small accompaniment OF the ter
rible scene which instantly followed.
Not more than Il second could pos
sihIy have elapsed before the front
walls of Nos. 20, - and Il iell crashing
into the street. To those who saw the
sight ii was horribly attractive. The
great walls slowly rolled and sWcllcd
out with an undulating motion until,
slowly at first, but then more rapidly,
they gave way and III Il moment there
was not stick or stone standing
above the first floor between the divid
ing walls. The walls of the standing
buildings were jagged as the bricks We're
torn out in pieces. There did not re-
main the slightest scmbiance of what
had been three seconds before an APP
parently strong and well-constructed
building. The mass Of brick, stone and
timber fell upon the sidewalk and filled
half the width of the street. In few
moments fire had broken out and was
licking the lower part of No. IS. Vt
least fifty men had clambercd up on
the pile of ruins, hoping to rcscue
some of the unfortunate people who
were known to be buried IN the ruins.
They were driven from their posts by
the fire, which spread rapidly.
" hle the flames were bursting forth
from the building and unrestrainedly
leaping in all directions, the crowd was
Mortified to see train on the Ninth
Avenue elevated road gliding slowly
directly by the burning building. The
falling of the walls in the first instance
had led those assembled TO believe that
there would be repetition of that
awful occurrence. However, the trains
continued to run all the afternoon, al
though later only the down track was
used.
y
troll the work of recovering the bodies
of the unfortunate persons who were
buried beneath the ruins was begun.
About forty manly firemen climbed
upon the great heap Of bricks that filled
the street, and began the search for
bodies.
New YoRK, Aug. 23-When it was >
O'Clock this morning the newspapers
went to press with the details of the ter
rible explosion calamity in Park Place
yesterday, and the story of the search
ing for the dead was cut Oft at that hour.
But there came no abatement then IN
the systematic and ceaseless work of
the firemen. The tugging and delving
and hoistmg went forward tlrelcsSly,
hour after hour, among the hlaCkcned
timbers and the tumhied stone and
brick. Occasionally there came 4 break
n the work, when silence fell and men
were huShed and one more of the lost
went out and away upon tender, smoke
grimed arms.
The opinion prevails to night that less
than half the bodies have so far been
recovered from the wreck, and 1t Is
thought that altogether not less than
fifty were killed in the disaster. Some
means will be provided in the morning
machinery which must be taken from
the ruined building before the men can
make any effectual progress in clearing
away the debris. There is no doubt but
large number of the persons now re-
ported missing will be found IN an un-
recognizable state beneath that huge
mass of brick and mortar.
The total number OF bodies taken from
the ruins up to the time the men stopped
work tonight is twenty. The number
identified is sixteen.
There are many theories as TO the
cause Of the disaster. Chief Reilly, OF
the fire department., was of the opinion
that a boiler had exploded. Another
believed that the boiler in the restau-
rant had exploded and caused the dig
aster Thenit was said that some chem
cals had exploded in the drug store.
The most plausible theory OF all, how
ever, is that the wreck was caused by
the shaky condition of the building
and the vibration of the heavy presses
running in the lithographing and PRINT
ing establishments on the upper floor.
1t is generally admitted that there was
an explosion of some kind. But the
collapse is accounted for in no other
way than the one mentioned. when II
IL taken into consideration that the
| building was condemned thirteen wears
ago. There was practically no mortar
between the bricks, and when they
| were looked at after the smoke and ire
had subsidized they We're as bare as a
board.
The building which was wrecked by
the explosion covered the city lots Nos.
| 40, - and II Park Place, and was five
stories high Brick walls divided it in
| to three parts up to the second story.
| Leo Rosenfeld, of No. lO5 East Eighty
first Street. occupied the first floor and
basement of No. 20. He was dealer in
gold paint and bronze. Eight young
women were employed in the basement.
Frederick W. Trippe. of l2S West Sew
entv-first Street, dealer in drugs, had
his store on the ground floor of No. -,
and occupied the basement for the
storage Of his stock. Andrew Peter
sons restaurant was on the ground floor
of No. Il. and his kitchen was in the
basement The entrance to the upper
part of the building was at No. lh, and
tie entire second floor was occupied 10y
Ellis 4 Mcdonald, printers, whose office
extended from No. 20 to -. lAebler x
Mass, lithographers, occupied the up
per part of the building, having their
offices on the third floor, their lItho-
graphic stones on the fourth floor, and
their printing presses IN the top story,
The building was said TO be owned by
a Mr. Crane, who recently bought IT.
and was said to be insured for SO, 900
Property in the building was said to he
worth not less than S123,tO.