tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7587090721280247885.post6070396281390965334..comments2024-02-09T00:40:32.918-08:00Comments on Pasadena PIO: Mystery History -- Solvedpasadenapiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938353886802913728noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7587090721280247885.post-45173005642239544622010-01-05T09:37:12.120-08:002010-01-05T09:37:12.120-08:00Ann, at the end of this post is an article written...Ann, at the end of this post is an article written by Sid Gally in the PSN about the 1926 Black Rose Parade. There were two tragedies on the morning of this parade and one of them was connected to my neighborhood Normandie Heights. Clarence Bowen, prominent Pasadena real estate developer and developer of Normandie Heights, did not attend the 1926, but his wife did, standing on a roof of a two story commercial building along the parade route on Colorado Boulevard. For some unexplained reason, Mrs. Bowen fell from the roof, the impact killing her and a parade spectator below. It's possible Mrs. Bowen committed suicide, inadvertently taking another life with her. Mr. Bowen married his second wife a few months later. For the history of Normandie Heights and Mr. Bowen go to<br />http://normandieheights.blogspot.com/2009/03/normandie-heights-historical-background.html<br /> <br />Article Last Updated: 12/11/2005 11:07 PM<br /><br /><br /> Tragedy at 1926 parade<br /> Collapse of grandstand resulted in 8 fatalities<br /> Sid Gally Correspondent<br /> Pasadena Star-News <br /><br /> PASADENA - The grandstand at the southeast corner of Colorado and Madison <br /> collapsed at 11 a.m. in the morning on Jan. 1, 1926, while the Rose Parade <br /> was under way. <br /> Eight people were reportedly killed or died later of injuries and scores <br /> were injured. A revolution in the way grandstands were designed, built and <br /> inspected ensued. <br /> Architect Bill Ellinger made available a scrapbook of clippings from the <br /> Pasadena Morning Sun that tell the tale of the disaster. <br /> Eyewitnesses reported the grandstand dropped slightly and the front end <br /> moved rapidly forward several feet. The Sun reported: <br /> "This was followed instantly by the total collapse of supporting beams and <br /> braces and the stand crashed to the ground, a tangled mass of men, women <br /> and children, broken timbers and bright colored decorations. <br /> "As the second drop occurred, women screamed, men shouted in alarm and the <br /> shrill, terrified cries of children filled the air above the sound of the <br /> crash." <br /> Investigations started rapidly. Qualified engineers made studies. City <br /> officials blamed each other. The Tournament of Roses denied any <br /> responsibility. <br /> The grandstand was built with used lumber, with as few as one nail at some <br /> connections. Nails were not driven in fully so their heads would be <br /> exposed for easy removal. Bracing was not adequate. <br /> The chief building inspector of the city was a plumbing inspector who <br /> admitted that the department was actually managed by a clerk, Miss Doris <br /> Strawn.Thal Armathurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870045897147257935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7587090721280247885.post-40326105687425507752009-12-31T14:59:47.097-08:002009-12-31T14:59:47.097-08:00Yikes. And right in the middle of the Jazz Age.Yikes. And right in the middle of the Jazz Age.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7587090721280247885.post-81053328456500123702009-12-31T11:19:58.068-08:002009-12-31T11:19:58.068-08:00I'd never heard this tale of woe. Shocking! H...I'd never heard this tale of woe. Shocking! Happy New Year PIO<br />congratulations MikePasadena Adjacenthttp://pasadenaadjacent.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7587090721280247885.post-19489028244577159492009-12-31T09:15:51.695-08:002009-12-31T09:15:51.695-08:00Enthralling, as always. I love these historical po...Enthralling, as always. I love these historical posts. Got to take that Esotouric tour of Pasadena.Petrea Burchardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13043950465171821852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7587090721280247885.post-56124495763153213752009-12-31T07:10:37.601-08:002009-12-31T07:10:37.601-08:00Where do we sign up for balloon school? Happy new...Where do we sign up for balloon school? Happy new year Ann!Michael Coppesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17662927233777789003noreply@blogger.com