The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-08-26
IN A Death TRAP.
Walls Of a Building in New York
4 City Collapse.
AN APPALLING DISASTER.
Seventeen Oorpses Already Recovered from
Out Of the Ruins.
THE TOTAL LOSS OF LIFE

New YORK, Aug. 24-A most disas-
trous and terrible accident occurred
Saturday afternoon at 1880 o'clock in
Park Place At that time the street
was filed with hurrying people and
heavily laden wagons and trucks. First
small, white, vaporish cloud burst
from the ground floor of Nos. 70, 72 and
IA Park Place, then was heard dull,
deep, sullen roar, as If some monster
was trying TO break his bonds. The roar
was followed by an eruption, and
mass of brick, stone and timber was
hurled thirty feet heavenward. The
cries of terror OF men and the almost
human screams Of the horses were only
a small accompaniment of the terrible
scene which instantly followed.
Not more than second could possi-
bly, have elapsed before the front walls
Of Nos. 70, ~ and "A fell crashing into
the street. To those who saw the sight
it was horribly attractive. The great
walls slowly rolled and swelled out
with an undulating motion until, slowly
at first, but then more rapidly, they
gave way and in a moment there was
not stick or stone standing above
the first floor between the dividing
walls. The walls Of the standing build
ings were Jagged, as the bricks were
torn out in places There did not re-
main the slightest semblance of what
had been three seconds before an ap-
parently strong and well constructed
building. The mass Of brick, stone and
timber fell upon the sidewalk and filed
half the width Of the street
II is not known what caused the col
lapse. It may have been an explosion,
or the building may have fallen be-
cause It was overweighted, or by the
vibration OF the printing presses The
building was condemned thirteen years
ago. Some persons say that the boiler
in the basement exploded Whatever II
was, the wreck was complete and the
havoc awful The whole front wall Of
the building was torn out and dashed
into heap OF ruins, which extended
entirely across and partially blocks the
street.
Following the crash came an outburst
Of fame and In ten minutes all that was
left of the building was q solid wall Of
Are. The most terrible loss Of life oc-
ourrod In the Hudson restaurant which
occupied the ground floor. II was .
very popular restaurant and was well
filed. At the time Of the explosion fully
ffty persons were seated at the tables.
| In addition TO this number there were
| the walters. the cooks and ths proprie-
| tor and cashier, who, II the estimate Of
fifty customers Is correct, would swell
the list Of the dead in the restaurant
alone to hfty-eight or sixty.
On the little mound raised up by the
wreckage the fremen squatted, shield
| ing themselves rs best shey could from
the terrific heat, and throwing three
heavy streams OF water into the flames.
IL was one Of the swiftest and fiercest
fires known In New York for many a
day. The firemen with great difficulty
held them in check and kept them from
licking up three or four OF the sur
rounding buildings Hardly had the
first cloud OF smoke been blown away,
revealing the terrible results Of the ex.
plosion, when the police sent calls to
hospitals Calls were also sent in foi
the city dead wagons. Two ambulance,
from the Chambers street hospital were
the first 10 arrive. The surgeons at
tached TO the ambulances found half Q
dozen men crowded together at the cor
ner Of College Place. They were pu
into the ambulances and taken to the
hospital.
Seventy-five Italians were engaged
all through Saturday night and Sunday
removing the debris from the burneC
buildings. Two companies Of fremer
kept at their dreary task searching fo
bodies. Their efforts resulted in tn,
finding Of Ave badly bdrnei corpses.
Around the scene of the disaster anx
ious persous stood watching the men a
work, peering into the ruins for miss
ing friends This Gordon OF police de
tailed to guard the fire lines were KEEP
busy throughon. the night and day keep
ing the people back.
John Lowe, OF Brooklyn, called a
the morgue and after examining th
} bodies identified one as that OF his so
George, Is years old. The old man
grief at the sight OF the charred remain
OF his boy was unspeakable. Two othe
bodies were recognized later on as Gus
tave Ziclxler, Of $40 Washington stree
Hobollen, and Leonard Cole, of Brool
lyn. :.
} The 6remen and laborers worked di
igently last night, but made littI
progress. At eight o'clock 1t bega
: raining hard and steady downpoI
/ continued for over an hour. The me
, were forced to quit work and seek she
ter. All through the pouring rail-
however, anxious watchers stood ou
= side the fire lines, patiently waiting
hear OF some news that would gi,
q them a clew 10 missing friends or rel
tives
During the day inquiries were mad
at the police station near by for missir
persons and the list Of missing has be,
largely swelled. IL is now stated thi
tho number OF those missing is eight
six.
Just what caused the sad disast
was discussed from every point Of vie
by those who visited the wrecked bull
: ing. One thought that the buildir
collapsed from q jar of the machiner
and another that II was caused by I
4 explosion. Tho real cause may new
be known. Three other bodies ha
been taken out OF the ruins, swellil
the number Of those recovered 70 seve
'sen-