The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1891-08-28
A BIG BUILDING FALLS
AND MANY ARE CRUsHED BY THE
FALLING DEBRIS.

Fire Adds to tho Horror. Resulting in
the Cremation OF Several Bodies--A About
Eighty Supposed to Have Met Hor-
rible Death.
NEW YORK, Aug. M.--An explosion took
place in the six-story building extending
from 66 to "A Park place Saturday after
noon, and In a moment frightfuii rum
bling noise was heard, and the whole front
part Of the walls collapsed and fell out
wrrd in pile on the streat
About fifty people escaped from the
building with their lives. All the fire
engines in the lower part of the city were
summoned to the scene, the police were
called out and the widest excitement pre-
vailed throughout the city. The fire
burned fiercely, but the firemen by heroic
labor got the flames under ontrol within
an an hour and half, and the work of dig
ging at the ruins began for the bodies Of
the unfortunate victims Ambulances
were summoned from several hospitals
and the dead wagon came from the morgue
to remove the dead.
The building was occupied by John
Ebele & Co., book binders the Soutelle
Art Designing company; Ellis & Co.,
bookbinders. These firms were all on the
upper floors, as was the lithographing ard
printing establishment of Lieber & Moss
They all employed many men and girls
On the street floors was the drug store Of
Frippe & Co. and the restaurant Of An
drew Peterson. As it was the noon hour
the restaurant was crowded with Gus
toners and the kitchen in the basement
filled with help. Louis Rosenfeldt & Co.
had metal leaf and bronze factory on the
first floor, and A. w. Lindsay, type
foundry on the sixth floor. Although the
walls Of No. 6S to 81 collapsed, the build
ing entire, known as the Taylor building.
extended from 68 to "A. No 78 is on
on the corner of Greenwich street, and
some of the manufacturing lofts opening
from that part of the building which COL
lapsed into the corner building, means Of
escape were afforded In this way. ..:s'
Policeman Joseph Back of the Second
precinct was at the corner of West street
and Park place when be heard the explo-
sion. He ran to the scene, and when he
6sw that nothin9 oouId'be done Tor the
front Of the building be went through
on Greenwich street and then
made his way with Fireman Vredenberg
to the side wall Of the burning building
They had axes and crowbars with which
they dug an opening through the wall and
rescued three employees of the, restaurant
who had been imprisoned in the basement
Others could be seen in the basement, but
they were held fast in the ruins and the
Flames Soon Enveloped Them.
Michael Cronin, president of the volun-
teer Firemen's association, was standing
on the corner of College place. He said
the dust was SO thick he could not see
through it for several moments He saw
afterward that all the electric light wire
had been broken and that horses received
shocks. One man he saw running from
the scene of the wreck came into contact
with live wire and was knocked down.
NEW YORK, Aug. 25.-The work of dig
ging In the Park place ruins was con-
tinued through yesterday and last night.
Soon after o'clock in the morning thou
sands of people began to gather in the
blocks adjoining the scene Of the disaster.
For half an hour they could see nothing to
Interest them except the black ruins and
The work Of the Italians who lazily pick
up one brick at time and tenderly con-
veyed it to the street.
At $50 p. m. thirty-six bodies had been
iound, the following being
Eighty-eight other persons, supposed to
have been in the building, are reported
missing.
The Worst Part of the Tragedy
s yet to come as evidenced by fearful and
stencil which indicates un-
known horrors and an almost inestimable
number of bodies buried underneath the
weight OF rubbish and machinery. At
a terrible stencil came from the
'uins occupied by the restaurant. It is
that this spot will add fearful
ale, even to the present estimate of the
horror.
The loss on building, stock, machinery,
'tc., is placed at $500, 900. The building is
insured for 100000, and the property for
100000. Louis Rosenfeld & Co. IS stock and
valued at s25 900. was fully in
ured in a Hartford company.