Terrible Explosion in America.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 288, 18 April 1889, Page 4

Terrible Explosion in America.

Tss moat appalling eataitrophe which has ever visited the town occurred at an early hour on the morning of February 18 at Hartford, Connecticut. The acene of the disaster was the Park Central Hotel, a large brick building five stories high, with a frontage of 30ft and a depth of 100 ft. A large boiler in the basement exploded about 5 o’clock with a terrific report, which awakened the whole city. So tremendous was the shock that the hotel itself fell in ruins, while the front of another hotel opposite was blown in at several points, end the windows of all the neighboring houses were shattered. Scarcely had the building fallen than the aeirfs caught fire, and the spectacle became one of unexampled horror. The hotel contained a good many guests, most of them persons connected with the theatrical profession and commercial travellers. The sound of the explosion brought assistance speedily to the spot. Those who came, first found the place enwrapped 'in blinding clouds of steam and smoke, while flames were bursting forth from the remains of the hotel. Nothing could be done to help the unfortunate people in the midst of the burning mass until the fire had been mastered; and the ruins had to be flooded with water before the work of rescue could be attempted. Within the first hour or so some few dead and dying who lay near the edge of the deiris were brought away, but it was not until 9 o’clock that the rescuers were able to begin their work in earnest. Unhappily by this time the flames and the smoke had placed many beyond the reach of human aid. Some had perished before the eyes of the powerless and horror-stricken crowd. One man with his wife and little girl, were plainly seen in the midst of the debris, pinned down by some of the wreckage. No help could reach them, and they perished. A young woman was also seen struggling to extricate herself from under some heavy timbers, and uttering shrieks which filled all the hearers with an MOajf of pity j but nothing could be MN to help her. When the rescuers at last made their way into the ruin they found that many of the dead had perished in the same way as the poor people just alluded to, having fallen beneath woodword which was weighed down by bricks and masonry, As evidence of the immense force of the explosion it may be mentioned that a bed was blown far into the street, and a heavy door was carried the distance of a whole block of houses. One New York correspondent states that the section of the hotel which was saved was cut off as smoothly asthough by a knife, the dividing line cutting through the middle of a series of sleeping apartments, all of which were occupied. The hotel clerk was killed, and the register has not been found, so that the total number of guests in the hotel is not accurately known. On Monday it was reported that 50 persons had perished, but subsequently to this estimate being circulated, several of the persons who lay buried beneath the ruins were brought out alive. These included the proprietor? of the. hotel, Wellington Ketcharr., and his wife, who, however, were , so seriously injured that they are not pected to recover, A Mr Kerrigan a nd his wife, from Unionville, remained pinned to their bed by timber and debris for three hours before the firemen could extricate them. During all thus time a shattered wall was tottering -aver them threatening at every moment to fall and crush them. An adjacent storage room was turned into a temporary morgue, and there the dead were taken as fast as found. The excitement proved so great that it was found necessary to call out the State militia to control the crowd. Tony Editinger, with his wife and child, aud Harrv 1 Bogers, of the “ Hoodman Blind ” Theatrical Company, are missing, an d are supposed to oo among the kills d. Mr W. A. Johnston, of New Yo rk, whose sleeping apartment was severed in twain, and who escaped withe ,ut an injury, says he heard no explosion, but that the shrieks of tb's wo - oien as the house wtmt down were t srrible. beyond description Accordir ,g to the Times telegram, veral of th ose confined under bew g) j n which position they had rema> while water was being poured r ,p On them, were rescued almost unit)' ure( j. The rescued peraons wet* almost exhausted, having e , xr posed in their night clothes to the co 2 o’clock a small dog drought out unhurt and showed ;" e liveliest gratitude. The explosion “. reported to have been caused by a drunken engineer, who left the boiler with low water and then returning turnecl on cold water, thus causing the explosion. The engineer has since been arrested.