The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-05
COLLAPSE OF A BUILDING
Five Story Brick Structure Falls in
Cincinnati.
MANY INMATES ARE BURIED
Fully One Hundred People Injnrcd-Mnny
killed and Missins-Ihe Work OF
Rescue Bcgun-Narrow Escape
OF street Car Passengers.

Cincinnati, Ohio, May Nv nat may
prove to be the most disastrous calam-
ity of the year occurred in this city
tonight when a tive-story brick struc-
ture. filed with people, completely col
lapsed and fell a conglomerate mass
of brick and shattered timber, burying
the unfortunate inmates beneath its
ruins
1t is impossible to say how many
persons have been killed, some placing
the number as high as forty, Others as
low as l5
No accurate statement can be given
on this point until the debris shall nave
been cleared away. which Will certainly
take all night. The building was situ-
ated ON the east side of Walnut street.
just south of Fifth, the lower floor be-
ing occupied by Drach's saloon. The
upper apartments We're rented out TO
lodgers No one knows at this writing.
what caused the collapse of the build
ing. II is only known that people Tor
several blocks around where the disas-
ter occurred We're startled by a terfihc
explosion about 745- o'clock. A fire
alarm was instantly turned in. and in
few moments half the fire department
of the city was upon the scene. The
work of rescue was instantly begun, a
force of men taking the front. while
building which opened into an alley.
II seems utterly impossible that any
persons on the upper floors could have
escaDed Il horrible death. In addition
to the victims who are buried beneath
the building. IL Is estimated that fully
one hundred people have been more or
less injured by the conclusion, falling
electric, wires aud fragments of shat
tered glass, stone and timbers
TWENTY RESCUED.
Twenty of those injured on the streets
We're taken into the Gibson house. just
across the way and their wounds
dressed
Three persons. whose names cannot
be learned. were injured slightly in II
passing street car. and several ladies'
in another car were Frustrated from the
shock.
A N-wuorr. Ky. car which was also
near the place, met with q remarkable
experience. 1t was suddenly brought to
"A standstill by Il fearful shock and an
immense mass came crashing through
the roof. This proved to be an iron door
from the cellar of the building. which,
ny some strange freak of the explosion,
had been blown through the falling de-
bris and w into the air. No one in
the ear was hurt.
\ Brown street car was smashed al
most into fragments. There were for
runately no passengers on board and
the conductor and motorman escaped
with Slight injuries.
CAUSED BY GASOLINE.
The explosion was caused by the ig
milton of IA gasoline tank. AdOlph
Drach. proprietor of saloon on the
tlA h., la al f,.I
line engine in his cellar for the purpose
of generating his own gasoline ruel.
Best authorities agree that the com
mutator of the engine has burned out
setting fire to- tank of gasoline. The
building was seen to shake for an in
stant and then cave in. An instant
, later only an indscriminate mass of
ruins remained. The walls Of the
! buildings adjoining on either side re-
| manned intact. The streets all around
, the block are literally covered with
| pieces of glass. 1t Is almost impossible
! to push ones way through the throne
of excited thousands gathered abou,
! the place as late as midnight. Hun
dreds of anxious inquiries keep the tele-
phones in the. vicinity busy. and the
hospitals and morgue are besieged with
callers. eager to ascertain the identity
of the dead and dying.
DEAD AND INJURED.
The identified dead and the injured
so far as known are as follows:
Dead-R. A. Davis, travelling man
! Hamilton. Ohio : Adolph Drach, pro-
prietOr of saloon.
The injured-H. f. Hunwick. book
keeper; Joseph Spriggs. colored. porter
! c. S. Wells. clerk; Sidney w. johnson
hookkeeper; W. d. Grossly, paperhanger
William L. Cook. clerk. Avondale: ]
| l.. Ward, race horseman. Toledo; Bar
! bara Huddelman domestic; John Me
Carthy, of Cincinnati, wharf company