New-York tribune., 1896-05-05
MANY LIVES CRUSHED OUT.
LARGE BUILDING FULL OF PEOPLE
COLLAPSES

NARROW ESCAPES FROM DEATH.
Cincinnati, May 4-What may prove the worst
calamity Of the year In this city occurred to-
night when a fve-story brick structure. filled
with people completely collapsed and fell,
conglomerate mass Of brick and shattered tim
bers. burying the unfortunate inmates In Its
ruins. 1t is impossible to say how many persons
have been killed. some placing the number as
nigh as forty. others as low as hfteen. NO accu-
rate statement can be given on this point until
the wreck shall have been cleared away, which
will certainly take all night.
The identified dead and injured SO far as
known are as follows:
DAVIS. II. A., travelling man. Hamilton. Ohio; has a
wife living in Tryon. n. c.
DRACII Adolph. proprietor Of liquor store.
INJURED.
BURNS, Peter.
COOK. William f.. clerk OF Avondas.
CROSBY w. D.. paperbanger
IUDDELMAN Barbara, domestic.
HrNwICK. -, bookkeeper.
JOHNSON. Sidney w. harkeeper
MCCARTHY. John, OF Cincinnati Wharf Company
SPII.IO Charles
sPRlGGS Joseph coored, porter f'
WARD j. L.. racing man. OF Toledo Ohio 'i''l
WELLS c. s.. clerk.
The building situated the east side Of
being occupied by Drachs liquor-store. The up
per apartments rented out to dodgers. Peo-
pie for several blocks around where the disaster
occurred were startled by terrific explosion
about 7:45 o'clock. A fire alarm was instantly
turned In and in q few moments half the fire
department were on the scene. The work Of
rescue was instantly begun. forces Of men taking
the front while a second corps went to the rear
OF the building. which opened into an alley. The
first persons who appeared upon the scene en-
tered the alley and came up 20 the rear OF the
building where the piteous cries and moans OF
woman were the only evidence OF life beneath
the wreck. These cries came from the cellar 1t
is impossible that any persons on the other floors
could have escaped horrible death. In addl-
ton 10 tho vctime who are buried beneath the
building II is estimated that fully one hundred
people have been more less injured by the
concussion, falling electric wires and fragments
OF shattered glass stone and timber.
NARROW ESCAPES FROM DEATH.
Twenty Of those persons injured on the streets
were taken into the Gibson House Just across
the way. and their wounds dressed. Among
those was Chief OF Police Joseph Pugh, OF Cow
ing,on, KY, who reports most miraculous
escape lie was Just In tho act OF entering
I,ouor-storc IN fact one foot upon the door
sill. when he was atartled by the flash OF a
bur,ng electric wire overhead. lie sprang back
ward when almost simultaneously the explosion
occurred. lie was blown almost into the middle
OF the street.
Three persons whose names cannot be learned
were injured slightly in a passing streetcar and
several women In another car were Frustrated
! from the shock.
4 Newport. Nv. car. which was also near the
1 2 VA fid-
denly brought TO a stands by a fearful shock.
and an immense mass came crashing through
,he roo, This proved upon examination TO be an
iron door from the cellar OF the building which
nv some strange freak OF the explosion had
been blown through the falling wreckage and
nm into the air John Neibel. OF this city, had
tus, left the spot where Il fell and walked back
70 the rear platform. No one was hurt.
Brown-st car was smashed almost into frag-
ments There were. fortunately. no passengers
on f. and the conductor and mo,orman escaped
with slight injuries.
The explosion was caused by the Ignition OF
gasoline tank. Adolph Droch. proprietor OF n
llauor store on the lower floor. had recently
! placed a gasoline engine In his cellar for the
purpose Of generating hts own gasoline fuel.
| The best authorities agree that the commutator
| Of the engine had burned out, setting fire to a
| tank OF gasoline The bullnlhg WIS seen "
shake for an instant and then cave In. An In
slant later only an indiscrminate mass OF ruins
remained. The walls OF the buildings adjoining
on either side remained intact.
The streets all arounl the block are literally
covered with pieces OF glass. 1t Is almost I'M
poesiblc 10 push ones way through the throng
~ excited thousands gathered about the place
as late as midnight. Hundreds OF anxious in
oulries keep the telephones In the vicinity busy
and the hospitals and morgue are besieged
with callers. eager TO ascertain the identity OF
! the dead and dying.
or the injured it Is believed several VIII die.
Several more victims are yet beneath the ruins
and everything possible Is being done to secr~
the bodies.
T. A. Fricks, OF Norwood. was 70 have LEFT
| here for Philadelphia tonight. He Is known 70
have left his valise in Drach's saloon early this
morning. AZ he has not been seen since the ex-
| ,,o.,cn his friends fear that his body IS buried
| h.nc,th the ruins In the cellar