VOL.100.NO.116
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
(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 quarring with an ex-girlfriend returned with a jug of gasoline and set a fire that killed 87 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 trapped to death; others broke a hole through a wall in the kitchen and fell 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 chief. "It was a firerap."
Authorities early today began raiding and shutting down some of the 173 other illegal social clubs that Mayor David Dinkins said were operating in the city.
It was the deadliest fire in the continental United States since the 1977 blaze at the Beverly Hills Club in Southgate, Ky., that
killed 164 people. A New Year's' eve 1988 fire at a hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, killed 96.
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, Police Commissioner Lee Brown said. 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.
NEWS:864-4810
Gonzalez cried with remorse under questioning, said Lt. Raymond O'Donnell, a police officer who had been saying he did it. "O'Donnell said
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
and Dominican immigrants
"Most of the bodies were in dance clothes." Emergency McCarthy was a 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 again a year later because of inadequate exits, sprinkler systems, emergency lighting and signs, Dinkins said. It had no liquor or cabaret license.
New count to increase federal aid for county
They'll think you spent a fortune.
(You'll know you saved one!)
Counterparts
Wardrobe Sale!
from $16.90 each piece
regular $38.00
Denim shorts from $19.90 regular to $48.00
Top names in sportswear, separates, dresses. Everything you see in department stores, but at 20 to 50% less. Always!
Left: Rayon polka dot shirt, cotton shorts.
Right: Rayon print blouse, cotton shorts, leather bag. Fashions courtesy of The Buckle.
Brights Primary colors for spring
"People nowadays dress the way they want to dress, especially in Lawrence," said Mitch Rodriguez, manager of The Buckle, 813 Massachusetts St. "People wear what they want to wear. They're dressing for comfort."
By Jamie Elliott
The '90s are starting out as the 'me' decade of fashion. In other words, individuality is in.
Special to the Kansan
Friday, March 23, 1990 / University Daily Kansan
"For girls, we're carrying a selection of rayon outfits," Rodriguez said. "We really try to emphasize the versatility — that the rayon pieces can be worn with cotton or silk. The rayon will be really big for spring and summer. It has a great summary, cool feel."
Men and women in Lawrence can dress for comfort this spring in a variety of brightly colored, comfortable knit or rayon separates.
Adventurous men can wear rayon in a variety of printed shirts.
"We have them in all mixtures of designs," Rodriguez said. "Some have a Hawaiian look, some have sort of an Indonesian-ethnic look."
Jeremy Furse, co-owner of Britches Corner, 843 Massachusetts St., said his store was carrying a large selection of rayon as well.
"We have lots of rayon in a variety of printed fabrics and colors, along with khaki and olives," Furse said. "But there is still a huge interest in knits."
variety of vivid primary colors, and men's clothes are no exception. The popularity of mock turtlenecks for men has carried over into spring, and Furse said that short-sleeved mock turtlenecks in bright colors would be a popular item this season.
This season's knits are appearing in a
Walking shorts, ranging from mid-thigh to knee-length, will remain a spring wardrobe necessity for men. This season's shorts come in variety of neutrals such as khaki or navy, and also in bright tones such as turquoise, peach or red, with complementing knit shirts in a variety of primary colors.
Bright, primary colors are making a splash in women's clothing as well this spring, and black is still the hot fashion neutral, especially for evening. The nautical navy-and-white look is a perennial favorite, and this year is no exception.
"Seventy percent of our stock loans toward bright colors, jewel tones." Furse said. "But relaxed, oversized silhouettes are still the mainstay of men's clothing."
"We have kind of a takeoff on the traditional navy-and-white look." Furse said. "We're carrying a pink-and-navy group of nautical clothes."
The Buckle also has acknowledged the nautical look with a line of navy-and-white rayan separates. A variety of prints and patterns are popular as well. Stripes and floral prints are appearing this season in both rayn and knit sartens.
Leslie Johnson, owner of The Loft, 742 Massachusetts St., sees stripes and florals in her collection but is most excited about
The Associated Press
Socialists expect to lose vote
Hungary
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 more he 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.
q. four hours after the voting
an and eight hours before polls
ad. About 7.8 million people were
able to vote.
Despite occasional rain showers, voter turnout appeared brisk at Budapest polling stations, with election officials reporting a turnout of nearly 50 percent in some wards by
aw irregularities were reported p.m., when the voting officially ended. Several international rvers monitored the election.
it, who voted at a state-run garden serving as one of 11,000 stations across the island to predict the chances of the Muslim Party. That party has gov'd since reform-oriented Comets formed it after defecting the Communist Party in October
read of crediting the Socialists'unteering to play by demo-rules, most voters rememberexcesses of more than foursof one-party rule that haveCommunists unpopular about the Soviet bloc.
the only thing I hope for is that a ug government is created," said, adding that only a moment not hamstrung by the station could deal with the a's alling economy.
comments reflected wide- acceptance, even among lists, that his party would not do despite its role in steering Huno democratic reform.
6B
on't consider it an act of God if
it make it into government," he
told reporters. "I will hand
me reins head high and with a
conscience. I don't have bitter-
ness my heart to satisfaction."
about the monthlong camer $394 parliamentary seats, which attempts to be the election center to a multiparty system.
gary's last elections were in when the Communists won a e majority, largely through A year later, they consolidated and forced all other parties outence.
of 1,500 people published by the MTI news agency less than w before polls closed indicated under-right Hungarian Demororum would finish strongest, seats.
re-election opinion pollsIndia Socialists would finish no than fourth place, with a im 10 percent of the overall
job
are and the Office of Student 400 for trip expenses. White by long-distance trip he took
often travels to Topeka and is for meetings, he said he travel expenses.
ate was the only student
e that didn't pay for trips
at body president.
... White said. "Hope on this. I'm going to do power for the next student
assistant parking director, body president was the only qualified for a blue parking
he paid $100 for his sticker,
street from the Union in lot
is convenient because of his
and out of the
7.