Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-08-26
FIFTY LIVES LOST.
Explosion in a New York Business Block,
Followed by Fire.


o'clock in Park Place, between Green
wich Street and College Place. At that
time the street was filled with hurrying
people and heavy laden wagons
and trucks First a small, white
vaporish cloud burst from the
ground floor of Nos. 20, y and
a 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 81
most human screams of the horses were
only a small accompaniment of the ter
rible scene which instantly followed.
Not more than second could pos
sibly have elapsed before the front
walls of Nos. 20, y 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 standiD.
above the first floor between the divid
ing walls. The walls of the standing
buildings were jagged as the bricks were
torn out in pieces. There did not re-
main the slightest sembiance of what
had been three seconds before an ap-
parently strong and well-constr1cted
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. 6S. At
least fifty men had clambered up on
the pile of ruins, hoping to rescue
were known to. be buried in the ruins.
They were driven from their posts by
the fire. which spread rapidly.
While the flames were bursting forth
from the building and unrestrainedly
ieaping 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 a repetition of that
awful occurrence. However, the trains
continued to run all the afternoon, al
though later only the down track was
used.
As soon as the flames were under con-
troll the work of recovering the bodies
of the unfortunate persons who were
buried beneath the ruins was begun.
About forty manly firemeH climbed
upon the great heap of bricks that filed
the street, and began the search for
bodies.
New York, Aug. 23.-When it was 2
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
inc for the dead was cut off at that hour.
But there came no abatement then In
the systematic and ceaseless work of
the firemen. The Juggling and delvlng
and hosting went forward urelessly,
hour after hour, among the blackened
timbers and the tumbled stone and
brick Occasionally there came 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 tonight that less
than half the bodies have so far been
recovered from the wreck, and it is
thought that altogether not less than
fittv were killed in the disaster. Some
means will be provided in the morning
TO remove the heavy iron Orders and
machinery which must be taken from
the ruined building before the men can
make any efectual progress In clearing
away the debris. There is no doubt but
a 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.
70 hn
cause of the disaster. Chief Reilly, of
the fire department, was of the opinion
that boiler had exploded. Another
believed that the boiler in the restau-
rant had exploded and caused the die
aster. Then it was said that some chem
icals 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 1t
is taken into consideration that the
building was condemned thirteen years
ago. There was practically no mortar
between the bricks, and when they
were looked at after the smoke and fire
had subsidized they were as bare as a
board.
The building which was wrecked by
the explosion covered the city lots Nos.
20, ~ and IA Park Place, and was five
stories high. Brick walls divided it in
to three parts up to the second story.
Leo Resented, of No 103 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 l28 West Sew
enty rst Street, dealer in drugs, had
his store on the ground floor of No. y,
and occupied the basement for the
storage Of his stock. Andrew Peter
sons restaurant was on the ground floor
of No. "a. and his kitchen was in the
| basement. The entrance to the upper
part of the building was at No. rs, and
| tie entire second floor was occupied by
Ellis x Mcdonald, printers, whose office
extended from No. 20 to 70. Liebler u
Mass, photographers, occupied the up
per part of the building, having their
offices on the third floor, their litho-
graphic stones on the fourth floor, and
n rraccaC in III q 4n