The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-12
OF the 1000 or More Elks In the
Building Nearly One-Fourfh Were
Hurt, hut Only One Fatally.
DUE TO A ROTTEN PILLAR
ONE OF THE SUPPORTS OF THE Sec
OND FLOOR GAVE WAY.
Responsibility to He Fixed by nm In
vestigatfon-Omccfs Elected by
the Grand Lodge of EIks.

ATLANTIC CITY. y. J.. July 1.-THE
gayety andb ustling character OF this
sort has given way in degree TO
feeling of depression in consequence of last
nights disaster at the Baltic-avenue Ca
sino. II is largely tempered. however. by
devout thankfulness that the catastrophe
was no worse and. indeed. IL is considered
marvellous that hundreds were not killed
outright At the Pacific-avenue Sanitarium.
where the most seriously injured are being
cared for IL was reported this evening that
only one of the patients was in any inn
mediate danger Of death This is Frederick
Claproth, the cornetist OF the 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 it TO a rs-
markably strong constitution. The other in
mates of the hospital are all progressing
encouragingiy. Among the injured are:
c. NJ. FOOT. Minneapolis. collar bone and
arm broken.
c. r. LOMBARD. Boston. feet mashed
and arm fractured
]. r. DUKE. Joliet. ILL.,. badly cut on the
ia JAMES S:s' LONG. Phiisdeiphia, injured
about face and nose broken.
GHIE Les fsTasn onMh hurt csmasn leg
GEORGE GEORGE ]. PEcHIN. Camden. Les
JAMES ARMSTRONG, exalted ruler OF
the New York Lodge, internal injuries: his
ten-year-old daughter also received some
injuries about the limbs.
Mrs. JAPHA and her niece. MISS
FRTEDENTHAL. OF New York. suffering
irSiP Mrs. c. MYERS. Philadelphia. leg frac-
MRS. r. A. LIvEsLEY. East Liverpool
II. E. WELLS, Liverpool. o.. spine i'm
IL EDWARD yoUNGMAN. Fairmount. O.,
iAvSi WILLIAM BAXTER, Lima, O.. leg ana
arm injured.
The number of the injured will aggregate
close to two hundred. although 1t Is inn
possible to obtain exact figures. many Of
the victims having left for their homes ana
the others being scattered throughout the
city in innurnerable hotels. Ii has been den-
nitely learned that the accident was caused
by rotten wooden pillar which helped
TO support the second floor OF the Casinos
itself an old and long-disused structure.
facing the board walk Most OF the visitors
had been on the lower floor. which had
been used as a refreshment pavilion. but
the music from Jennings's Band. which was
stationed above, attracted large majority
vented a great loss OF life. There was .
party of eight New York delegates b.
low and they remained there. chatting to-
gether. when there suddenly came q warm
ing crackle The ceiling above them was
seen to split and they rushed for their
lives. gaining the board walk outside bat
a moment before the crash came. The
great weight of the crowd was primarily
responsible for the collapse. but measures
will probably be taken to fix the RESPONSE
bility. ii having been generally known that
the structure was unsafe for multitude.
The accident occurred few moments be-
fore 10 o'clock James j. Armstrong. the
New York theatrical agent, had finished an
| address and Grand Exalted Ruler Detweiler
had arisen to introduce another speaker
when there was cracking sound. the pill
lars broke and the floor collapsed into
funnel-shaped gap. forming W" open
at the apex to the lower floor. which for
tunately withstood the shock. The scent
that followed was almost beyond descrip-
| ton. Within the radius OF a mile the town
was panic-stricken, but II was not long be-
fore every able-bodied person who had es-
! capped unhurt began the work of rescuing
| the victims from the mass of timbers ana
ministering to their sufferings. Help came
from all quarters, and the police and hremen
responded handsomely TO the sudden call
Incidents of a curious character we're not
| LACKING even amid the intense excitement
which lasted until the early hours an TIE
| told that both of his legs were prokeas
| and ne Immediately asked for dose OF
1xe af,d wss learned that
| he was not seriously injured. Another went
away In an ambulance. with his head badly
voice and declaring that he was unhurt.
| one little girl was shot through the hole
in the floor into the arms or yo9nx nan nan
was uninjured. crawled through the hole.
seized the little one and made OF atenk
the board walk. Grand Exalted Ruler pet-
the horror Of the sight. He escaped from
the building 10y way 9th Of the ROOF. ,S .,r,c,,r.
in which the sad mishap occurred
was a part. has proven an unfortu-
a aa.e scheme D combining a double music pa:
yllion. toboggan slide, merry -go-rouno
and a long pier, from which steamooats
made frequent trips TO sea. The storms OF
the first winter swept away the pier; which
was rebuilt only to be again washed away
IN eSe Wind y part OF the roof OF the pavilion
the UPPER floor OF which has now given
away, was blown OF. This was repairea
at considerable expense and has since re-
NAMED intact. A year or so ago goodly
nortion OF the toboggan fell TO the ground
and IL is still in that shape. All enortS 10
make a success of the enterprise have
| failed because II was entirely too far from
the center of attraction still people have
been found willing TO rent the par priSll-
eees every summer and the place had been
opened only a short time ago.
Probably George II. Feete.
KANSAS CITY. Mo-. July u.-Dispstches
on the falling. last night. OF the Atlantic