The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-05
A BIG COLLAPSE.
Brick Building in CinCin-
natl Demolished. p
Many Persons Buried Under
the Walls and Debris.
Explosion of Gasoline Was Cause of
the Catastrophe.

Cincinnati, May 5.--At s o'clock last
night the fve-story building at 430 and
432 Walnut street was blown TO the
ground by an explosion Of gasoline. The
shock was SO terrible that 1t was felt all
over the city. and not one brick on an
other is left I'm the front and rear walls
OF the building while the adjacent build
ings are badly damaged. and the glass
In the windows in the Gibson House and
the Johnson building across the street
were all broken. The glass was broken
out of street cars that were passing at
the time. and one of the cars was badly
wrecked. but none of the passengers
were seriously hurt. All the horses in
the immediate neighborhood broke from
their fastenings and ran away, and there
was not only intense excitement, but
also the greatest confusion. The ex-
plosion took place but a few doors from
Fountain square. No part of the city is
crowded more at that time Of the even
ing.
There were reports at first about fire.
works being stored in the building, and
also about dynamite and ammunition,
so that there were several stampedes in
the immense crowds on reports about
other explosions likely TO follow. Sew
eral people were slightly hurt in these
stampedes. The ground story of 432
Walnut street was occupied by A. G..
u Drach as saloon. He owned that part
of the building, and the other was
owned by NJ. Goldsmith, and the first
floor of the building at 430 Walnut street
was also occupied by a saloon, run by
Louis Fay. The upper floors OF the five-
story building were occupied as flats.
IT is not known how many people were
In the fats, or how many were in the
saloon, but none escaped. as the build
ing Immediately collapsed. There was
no fire TO consume the debris and make
certain death of all in the building, but
the dust and dirt continued flying so
densely that the work of rescuing the
victims proceeded with great difficulty,
although the police and firemen rallied
heroically to the work.
The saloons were said 10 be quite full
of people. One OF the barkeepers who
was not on duty at the time and escaped,
lived in one of the upper flats, and was
wild with grief because he knew that his
wife and four children were In the ruins.
One of his children was recovered dead,
soon after the explosion.
There are wild reports about the ex-
tent OF the loss of life. Six bodies have
been recovered thus far, and it is known
that there are many more. The fire men
are working in the rear and on both
sides of the wreck, while police are keep
ing the place clear and protecting the
work that lis going on to rescue the vic
Tins. Part OF one Of the side walls is
still standing, and on the fifth floor,
plainly in view by the electric light,
hangs picture that was dear to some
family occupying the fiat. while the oc-
cupants are no doubt In the debris
During the evening there was much
excitement in the vicinity of Walnut
street, which was the more Intense be-
cause 1t could not be definitely learned
for some time what caused the explo-
sion. 1t was finally ascertained that
the saloons In the building had put in
their own electric plants for incandes-
cent lights, and had Just secured a
gasoline engine with which to run the
dynamo. The plant got out of fix, and
there was flash. which communicated
to the gasoline and caused the explo-
sion.
The fremen were soon assisted by
some expert engineers who made open
ings through the basement walls OF
adjacent buildings, and were recovering
some of the victims in that manner.
Although all possible efforts were made
to clear up the place, IL is considered that
II will be impossible to ascertain the loss
OF life before this afternoon, The loss
IN property is quite large.
John j. James of the Salt Lake City
Herald was just leaving the Gibson
House at the time of the explosion. and,
with his heavy grip. was blown into the
doorway OF an adjoining store. lie was
knocked senseless. Nolan Davitt was
walking along the street at the time Of
the explosion. and was blown under q
street car and killed. Cal Grim. n de-
tective, who worked up the evidence
against Scott Jackson and Walling for
the murder of Pearl Bryan, is among
those known TO have been In Drach's
saloon at the time. lie Is now among
the victims IN the ruins.
AS the night passed the scene about the
wrecked building became more distress
lag tAeH-exer. Women whose husbands
and sons had not reached home by 10 or
ii O'clock came downto Fountain square
and filled UP the space about the govern
ment building where they were weep
ing and crying about their friends being
In the wreckage. There were quite a
number OF men among these weeping
ones. Several men felt confident that
their sons were among the victims.
At i0:30 the 3-year-old boy OF Adolph
Drach was taken from the ruins so badly
burned that he Is not likely TO live. Ills