The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-07-12
THE ATLANTIC CITY DISASTER.
Nearly Two Hundred Persons Injured
Description of tho Occurrence

Description OF the Occurrence.
ATLANTIC CITY, N. j.. July 1.-THE
gaiety and buBtle characteristic Of this
resort has given away, to degree, to
feeling OF depression in consequence OF
last nights disaster at the Baltic Ave-
nue. Casino. 1t is largely tempered,
however, by devout thankfulness thai
the catastrophe was no worse, and, in
deed, 1t Ia considered almost miraculous
that hundreds were not killed outright.
At the Pacific Avenue Sanitarium,
where the most seriously injured ore
being cared for, 1t was reported this
evening that only one of the patients
was In any immediate danger Of death.
This is Frederick Claproth, the cornet.-
list Of jennings Band. OF Camden. He
has been several times reported dead,
but Is still lowering between life and
death, to the wonder Of the physicians,
who ascribe 1t to rem arkably strong
constitu ton.
The other inmates OF the hospital, all
OF whom are progressing encouragingly
are. Mrs. S. b. Jspha, of New York,
compound fracture Of the thigh; ]. L.
P. Eckman, Mt. Holly, N. Y, fractured
leg; Anton Diamond, Philadelphia, frao-
tured leg; Leopold Fry, Philadelphia,
fractured leg; j. Melville Jansen, Of
Carncross minstrels. Philadelphia, cut
about head; Mrs. Jansen, thigh frac-
tured, and DR.. R. w. Fry, Roanoke, Va,
leg fractured.
The number Of the injured will aggre-
gate close TO two hundred, although 1t
is impossible to obtain exact figures.
Many Of the victims having left for their
homes, and the others being scattered
throughout the city in innumerable
hotels. 1t has been definitely learned
that the accident was caused by a rotten
wooden pillar which helped to support
the second floor of the Casino, Itself an
old and long disused structure facing
the board walk. Most OF the visit tors
had been on the lower floor which had
been used as a refreshment pavilion,
but the music from Jennings band
which was stationed above, attracted a
large majority to the upper floor. This
undou btedly prevented q great loss of
life.
There WAS party Of eight New York
delegates below and they remained
there chatting together. when there
suddenly came warning crackle, the
ceiling above them was seen to split and
they rushed for their lives, gaining the
board walk outside but moment be-
fore the crash came. The great weight
OF the crowd was primarily responsible
for the collapse, but measures will prob.
ably be taken to fix the responsibility.
1t having been generally known that
the structure was unsafe for multi
tude.
The accident occurred few moments
before ten o'clock. James J Armstrong,
the New York theatrical agent, had An
ished An address, and Grand Exalted
Ruler Detwiler had arisen to introduce
another speaker, when there was a
cracking sound, the pillars broke and
the floor collapsed into funnel-shaped
gap, forming 6" Nv" open at the apex to
the lower floor, which, fortunately,
withstood the shock.
The scene that followed was almost
beyond description. Within the radius
OF mile the town WAS panic stricken,
but was not long before every able
bodied person who escaped unh0rt be-
gan the work of rescuing the victims
from the mass Of timbers and minister
Ing to their sufferings. Help came from
all quarters and the police and fremen
responded handsomely to the sudden
and taxing call upon their services.