The Floor of a Millinery Establishment at Hornellsville, N. Y., Falls Through During an Auction Bale and Precipitates a Dense Crowd of Women into the Cellar.

While an auction sale was proceeding in a millinery store at Hornellsville, N. Y., one evening last week, the room being densely crowded with women, the floor gave way, and the entire company, together with the fixtures of the store and a stove in which a hot fire was burning, fell into the cellar. The burning coals from the stove set fire to the clothing of those near it, and at one time it seemed that the whole building would burn with all entombed beneath it. The flames were quickly extinguished, however, and the occupants of the cellar rescued from their perilous situation. Some were quite seriously injured, one woman having both legs broken, many were burned, many were bruised, and all were thoroughly frightened.

Illustrated Police News, February 15, 1872.