The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-09
APPALLING DISASTER
Fatal Collapse of a Building
in New York City.
Nearly Five Score of People
Lose Their Lives.

bursting into flames.
How many people were buried and burned
in the ruins was not known forty-eight hours
after the accident. The number was esti-
mated at seventy-ive. 1t may reach one
hundre;'.
TIL. lapse was Immediately proceeded
by al explosion, according to some OF those
within earshot Others say there was no
explosion that the walls and floors merely
gave way.
The fallen buildings comprised Nos. 6s, 70,
T2an a. Park place No. Is was vacant.
Occuoying the ground floor OF the remain
ing Tires Numbers were Louis Rosenfeld's
bronz4 and gold paint shop, A. w. Trips
drug store, and Andrew Petersen's restau-
rant
Ellis s. Macdonald's bool1bindery took up
the second and third floors of Nos. 20 and q,
and the South Publishing Company the same
floors of No. "a.
were occupied by Liebler & Mass, litho-
grapher<.
Careful estimates made the day after the
tragedy showed that when the fatal crash
came there were thirty men in the pressroom
of Liebler s. Mass who were buried III 1t;
twenty-five men in PeterSen'S restaurant;
twelve men and women IN Ellis q MELON
AIDS bookbindery; eight men and boys IN the
South Publishing Company; ten men and
women in the paint shop of Louis Rosen-
field; nine men and boys in the drug store OF
r. W. Trippe, and ten passers-by on the
Notwithstanding total of 10f.
There is a considerable difference Of opin-
ion as to the cause of the disaster. People in
the wrecked building who escaped say there
was no explosion, but those who were on the
street near the scene say they heard the re-
port of an explosion.
1t seems probable that the weight Of the
printing presses, which were on the upper
doors, together with the vibration caused by
their motion, proved too much for the build.
ing, and caused the collapse.
It was just the noon hour and Petersan's
restaurant in the basement was fairly we'll
filled. 1t accommodated sixty persons. In
the windows overhead girls and men could
be seen catching a breath of air as they
munched their luncheons.
There were several people passing in the
street, among them a woman with an infant
in baby carriage. Three little children
were playing together in front of the drug
store, and horse attached to an express
wagon was standing by the curb.
Above the noise of traffic in the street
could be heard the din of Liebler & Maass's
ten big presses on the upper floors. The
building vibrated and trembled with every
revolution, just as it had done for months
before.
Then there came low rumbling sound.
Some who heard it say it was accompanied
by heavy report, es of cannon fired. 1t
was followed by the crash Of falling walls
and the grating, rasplng sound or twisting
beams and timbers.
A dark cloud of dust filed the air and
rose to the height of the housetops. Before
it had cleared FIRE hurst from the debris and
Tapped over to the adjoining buildings to the
west.
The street was In an uproar in an instant.
A dozen or more who had been slightly IN
iured were helped into adjacent stores. One
man was discovered standing to his waist in
the debris. He had bad cash in his head.
He was pulled out and cared for.
Another had rolled down from the summit
of the wreck in big armchair. He was
helpel to his feet Comparatively unhurt.
he mother with her baby in the carriage
the three little children at play could NOT
IN.
,ntly. before the frightened people in
7sed building could collect them
,ttempt escape, there rolled the
ds of smoke and the roaring
one accord the people rushed
-ance, on Park place. Al.
assable. And then, almost
other, men and women,
anu fell down the fire
ch street side OF the
streams playing
md rear, while
ruins from
Fter tha fire.
been con-
the dead
first
ere
9