VOL.100, NO.116
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANAGA
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(USPS 650-640)
MONDAY, MARCH 26, 1990
Fire in NY social club kills 87
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — A man bounced from a Bronx social club for quarrelling with an ex-girlfriend returned with a jug of gasoline and set a fire on people at the nightspot, which had been ordered closed, police said.
Most of the dead suffocated in thick smoke in the pre-dawn blaze Sunday, authorities said. Some people were trampled to death; others hole through a wall to an adjoining hall in a desperate attempt to live.
Emergency workers described bodies felled by smoke so quickly that they still had their legs wrapped around a bar stool, gripped
drinks or held hands. Only three people managed to reach safety by way of the two tiny exit doors on the front of the two-story Happy Land social club.
"People literally were stacked on top of each other," said Anthony De Vita, the Fire Department command chief. "It was a firerapt."
Authorities early today began raiding and shutting down some of the 173 other illegal social clubs that were operating, said they were operating in the city.
It was the deadliest fire in the continental United States since the 1772 blaze at the Beverly Hills Supr Club in South Gate, Ky., that
killed 164 people. A New Year's
Eve 1986 fire at a hotel in San
Juan, Puerto Rico, killed 66.
The fire occurred 79 years to the day after a blaze at the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. in New York City that claimed 145 lives, many of them immigrant garment workers. That blaze led to reforms around the nation in workplace safety.
Julio Gonzalez, a Cuban immigrant and former boyfriend of a Happy Land's ticket seller, was charged with arson and murder, Commisisoner Lee Brown. He was to be arraigned later today.
Gonzalez, 36, was bounced from
the club after a quarrel in which he tried to woo back the woman, police said. After warning, "I'll be back," he returned and sprinkled gasoline on the floor, said Lt. James Malvey.
Gonzalez聘 with remorse under questioning, said Lt. Raymond O'Donnell, a police officer who said he did it. O'Donnell
The impoverished Latino neighborhood near the Bronx Zoo was thick with mourners, who were asked to identify relatives from snapshots of the bodies posted on the wall of a high school.
Killed were 61 men and 26 women, most of them Honduran
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and Dominican immigrants
"Most of the bodies were in dance clothes," Emergency Mackenzie, the specialist Christopher McCarthy said. "They were out have fun."
Alva Romero, a Honduran immigrant, lost six relatives, including a daughter, both brothers and a sister. Jerome Ford lost five relatives. The local Honduran soccer club lost several players.
Happy Land was ordered shut in November 1988 and a year later because of inadequate exits, sprinkler systems, emergency lighting and signs, Dinkins said. It had no liquor or cabaret license.
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Straps make traditional thor
By Kristin Schultz
Special to the Kansan
The traditional beach flip-flops have taken on a new look. With a black, crepe rubber, all-terrain sole and a nylon ankle strap, sport sandals are being used for canoeing, mountain climbing, boating and running.
Mark Thatcher, founder and chief designer of the best-selling Teva sport sandal, was working as a white-water guide in 1983 when he created a sandal with a high-traction, rubber sole and straps made of durable nylon webbing.
Sharon England, manager of Sunflower, 804 Massachusetts St., said she had been selling Original Teva sandal for three years. The Origin Teva sandal is an ankle strap to secure the heel of the foot.
"I saw a pent-up demand for a sport sandal." Thatchair said. "With the increased interest in health and outdoor activities, I learned one one had started something like this sooner."
"We've sold them steadily to those people who use them for various water sports because they dry quickly and let a lot of air to the feet," England said. "But we expect sales to double this spring as Teva goes after the fashion market."
Teva first manufactured its sandals in one color — black. Today the sandals are available in bright pink, teal and purple, and they also come with a variety of accessories such as ladder-lock straps and a special rock-climbing sole. Ladder-lock straps are more secure than Velcro because they have interlocking plastic parts.
Teva sandals cost from $25 to $70 and come with a 90-day warranty. Other manufacturers include Fibus Sport Sandals, Flexible Feat
and-Scott Hawaii.
Thatcher said he was not surprised that Teva sandals were making a name for themselves in the fashion market.
"I knew they were so ugly they were cute," he said. "But 'function is still our main theme."
Teva also makes the Universal model, which has a forefoot strap.
Friday, March 23, 1990 / University Daily Kansan
University Library, Humanities Friday, March 25, 1960
Hungary
Socialists expect to lose vote
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Millions of Hungarians cast ballots yesterday in the first free national elections in 43 years, and many expressed hope for the future and fear of the Communist past.
Premier Miklos Nemeth, a reform-minded Communist and a key engineer of the nation's conversion to democracy, declared that he more than twice voted that he was relinquishing control with a clear conscience.
As in East Germany, where Eastern Europe's first free ballot in decades took place March 18, the Communists were expected to fare poorly in the elections. They competed with 11 other national parties for parliament seats.
Despite occasional rain showers,
voter turnout appeared brisk at
Budapest polling stations, with election officials reporting a turnout of
on, four hours after the voting in and eight hours before polls id. About 7.8 million people were able to vote.
w irregularities were reported p.m., when the voting officially ended. Several international rivers monitored the election.
amethi, who voted at a state-run
gerergarten serving as one of 11,000
stations across the nation,
lined to predict the chances of his
alist Party. That party has政
革 since reform-oriented Com-
mists formed it after defecting
to the Communist Party in Octo-
dis comments reflected wide-
ad acceptance, even among
them that his party would not do
3 despite the hunger to democ-
racy to democratic reform.
The only thing I hope for is that a king government is created," neeth said, adding that only a armament not hamstrung by the position could deal with the ton's alloy economy.
but pre-election opinion polls indi-
ed the Socialists would finish no
neither than fourth place, with a
maximum 10 percent of the overall
stead of crediting the Socialists volunteering to play by democratic rules, most voters remember excesses of more than four decades that have de Communists unpopular outhought the Soviet bloc.
hangary's last elections were in 7, when the Communists won a active majority, largely through and .A year later, they consolidated her and forced all other parties out existence.
Throughout the monthlong camign for 394 parliamentary seats,stalist candidates attempted to avenge the electorate of their commitment to a multiparty system.
a poll of 5,000 people published by a state MTI news agency less than a hour before polls closed indicated a center-right Hungarian Democratic Forum would finish strongest, in 31 seats.
I won't consider it an act of God if don't make it into government." meth told reporters. "I will hand the reins head high and with a air conscience. I don't have bitters in my heart but satisfaction."
e.job
White often travels to Topeka and cities for meetings, he said he his travel expenses.
airfare and the Office of Student
ted $400 for trip expenses. White
he only long-distance trip he took
1 Senate was the only student state that didn't pay for trips student body president.
y odd . . . " White said. "Hope- work on this. I'm going to do my power for the next student at."
tire, assistant parking director,
ent body president was the only
who qualified for a blue parking
Senate paid $100 for his sticker. as the street from the Inlet in lot sticker is convenient because of his around campus and out of the