The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-02

walls crumbled, and Mrs. Charl
The explosion was heard for miles
By some freak. buildings few yards
away were undamaged while windows
were broken many blocks distant.
The explosion wrecked one end OF
the tenement building, which con-
tanned "a flats, 16 OF which were oc-
cupted. the flames burst Throughout
the lower story Immediately.
When firemen arrived they were
able to rescue q few children who
were dropped by their parents from
the upper windows. Some adults also
were saved in this way. A group Of
railroad switchmen who happened on
the scene In advance OF the hremen
were reported to have rescued 10 chill
dren.
said the ruins were 20 hot that 4
would be many hours hefore Saarch p1
the wrpckaee could be made and the
loss Of hfe ascertained. ssz-s.'
The explosion is believed to have
followed the bursting OF q eas main
IN the basement Of the tenement
The water thrown on the ruins froSe
almost as fast as it fell. Many whose
flames or who heard the explosion
carried their household goods into the
streets. Payements and sidewalks
were Uttered with cradles, chairs and
tables -meagre exhibits testifying to
the poverty Of the neighborhcOd.
Those driven from their homes
found refuge from the cold at Huh
House settlement, hospitals. police
stations and In stores whose proprie-
tors opened their doors to them.
Patrick Donohue, an assistant fre
marshal, said that when he reached
the scene q great hame of gas was
leaping across West 14th place.
"A lot OF those people," he said,
ssswere In bed asleep and had no
chance to escape Where gas and
flames did not cut them of, falling
stairweys and crumbling walls did. !"
! A score Or more Of persons were in
jured In adjoining structures by
broken glass or, in their rush to es-
cape into the street.
Neighbors, estimated that there
were Is children and double that
number of adults in the wrecked
building and about half as many oc-
cupied the building across the street.
police believe. were unable to escape
before the walls and floors fell in.
Several children, injured by being
thrown from upper story windows.
were taken to the Cook County hos
pital nearby.
Six adults, three Of them believed
to have suffered fractured skulls by
1eaping from the crumpling timbers
of the structure, also were taken to
the hospital.
The force OF the explosion was felt
throughout the\entire West Side and
gave rise to rumors that an earth
quake had occurred. Every room in
the Garfield public school, on an op-
posite corner, was damaged by the
force Of the explosion, while struct-
ures nearby were almost completely
wrecked. In many instances the en-
tire fronts Of houses were crushed in
and the streets for mile around were
Uttered with broken glass.
Stories OF survivors being cared for
ct rescue stations substantiated the
fears Of a heavy loss of life. At the
Henry Booth settlement house, block
away, Mrs. Rosie Katowskis said she
believed her husband, SON and daugh-
ter had perished. The entire family
was caught beneath the wreckage, but
Ms. Katowski was taken out uncon-
scious. Joseph Biel, 12>years old, said
his father, George, his mother, two
brothers and q sister were in rooms
adjoining his and that he believed
they were killed.
Stanley Petris, who suffered painful
injuries from flying glass and timbers,
asserted that two of his children were
lost, two others being rescued.
Neighobrs of Samuel Friedman in
the tenement told the settlement
workers that Friedman and his fam
lily Of four had been buried beneath
tne wreckage as they were in the part
of the building that collapsed first.
Following an investigation by a
wreckfng crew from the gas company
1t was said that q gas main that ex-
tended through the cellar Of the tene-
ment had burst, filling the basement
with gas which exploded when some
one went to investigates. The en-
ployes OF the gas company worked
vain1y for some time In attempts to
shEt on the gas.
Continued On Page NJ