Cleveland's Greatest Disasters!
Sixteen Tragic Tales of Death and Destruction--An Anthology
by John Stark Bellamy II
- Format: Softcover, 224 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 inches
- Illustrations: 65 black-and-white photographs
- ISBN: 978-1-59851-058-4
- Price: $14.95
Description
This collection of the 16 best true disaster stories from the popular books of John Stark Bellamy II retell the most terrible tragedies in Cleveland history, including:
The apocalyptic East Ohio Gas Company explosion and fire of 1944, which destroyed an entire east side neighborhood;
Genius inventor Garrett A. Morgan's daring underground rescue efforts— using his recently invented gas mask— during the gruesome 1916 waterworks collapse;
The unspeakably horrible Collinwood school fire of 1908, in which 172 schoolchildren perished in panic because of obstructed exits;
The shocking Ashtabula Bridge disaster, in which more than 80 holiday travelers plunged 82 feet to their death on the snow-covered ground;
The Cleveland Clinic disaster of 1929, in which thousands of pounds of X-ray film exploded in flames, causing 123 deaths;
The grisly drama of two doomed workmen buried alive in the very concrete that became Cleveland's celebrated landmark— the Terminal Tower.
And other true local stories— Includes 65 photos!
Book Excerpt:
Streets of Hell
How bad was it? Well, in terms of the bald body count, it wasn't the worst Cleveland area disaster: at 130 known dead it barely surpassed the Cleveland Clinic Fire of 1929— by a mere five corpses— and fell more than 40 short of the 1908 Collinwood School Fire death toll. But for sheer horror, its effect on a large community, and the physical destruction involved it would be hard to beat. Of its 130 dead, 61 were so badly burned . . . [ Read More Free Samples ]
Table of Contents
- Preface
Streets of Hell
The East Ohio Gas Company Explosion and Fire“We are going down!”
The Ashtabula Bridge DisasterAsh Wednesday Forever
The Collinwood School Fire“Jump, boys, it's a crash!”
The Doodlebug Deathtrip“Breath of Death”
The Cleveland Clinic FireSooner or Later . . .
The Thompson Trophy TragedyBurning, Burning, Burning River
The Cuyahoga River FiresDeath in the Deep Pit
The Terminal Tower Tragedy“They Died Crawling”
The Waterworks Tunnel ExplosionCleveland's Saddest Fourth
The S. S. Kresge Fireworks Explosion“Horror of All Horrors!”
The Central Viaduct DisasterDamn the Torpedoes
The Fireworks Factory HorrorsCleveland's Saddest Circus Day
The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey FireDeath Ride at Euclid Beach
The Sad Fate of Joseph SenkCleveland's Burning!
A Trio of Catastrophic FiresSmithereen Street
The West 117th Street Explosion- Photo Credits
Reviews
Bellamy sets the disasters in context and doesn't skimp on details as he tells of 16 catastrophe--from natural-gas explosions, collapsing tunnels under Lake Erie, school fires, bridge collapses and even an explosion in a fireworks factory — Scene Magazine
Bellamy knows the dark side of Cleveland better than anyone I know. — WMJI FM Radio
Bellamy knows the dark side of Cleveland better than anyone. — WMJI FM Radio
Audio for Cleveland's Greatest Disasters!
Click to listen to John Stark Bellamy II share his own personal disaster:
Audio was provided by Stephen Bellamy
About John Stark Bellamy II
John Stark Bellamy II is the author of six books and two anthologies about Cleveland crime and disaster. The former history specialist for the Cuyahoga County Public Library, he comes by his taste for the sensational honestly, having grown up reading stories about Cleveland crime and disaster written by his grandfather, Paul, who was editor of the Plain Dealer, and his father, Peter, who wrote for the Cleveland News and the Plain Dealer. More About John Stark Bellamy II
Other books by John Stark Bellamy II:
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The Corpse in the Cellar -
Death Ride at Euclid Beach -
The Killer in the Attic -
The Last Days of Cleveland -
The Maniac in the Bushes -
They Died Crawling -
Women Behaving Badly
If you like Cleveland's Greatest Disasters!, then you should try:
- They Died Crawling by John Bellamy