The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-05-27
THE NEWS
RataI Exnlosion IL 81. Ine.


ST.. JOE, Mo-, May A.-There were
twenty-five or thirty men In the eoloresi
saloon last night at the time of an ex-
plosion, but most of them escaped The
conclusion blew the walls of the build
ing outward, and several who were
blown out with the walls found them
selves in the debris from which
they were rescused more or less bruised
Charles Dunlap, the bartender, q large
man weighing over 800 pounds, came
near making his escape, but his feet were
caught under the fallen roof and he was
burned to death while desperately strug-
Cling to free himself and calling for help
which could not reach him in time to
save his life. His body was pulled out af-
| ter life was extinct in charred condition.
Billy Williams was burned to death but
his body was recovered. Several others
were rescued within few moments af-
| ter the explosion, who were supposed
to be dead, and are living, and although
more or sless burned and bruised they
may recover. Acting on the superstition
that q number of bodies were buried in
the cellar the fire department kept four
streams of water pouring into it until it
was filled several feet deep, the burn
| ing fluid and mass of lumber
floating in confusion on the top.
At O'Clock this morning one
body was taken out of the cellar, and
probably others may be found. John
Hicks and 9 lad IL or Is years old are
missing. The following is full list OF
the injured: Jim HoilIdar, cut in fore
head and On back of the head; John
Beacham, head badly cut and bruised
and his recovery doubtful. He was
who was killed; Geo. Coleman, badly
bruised; Jack Lincoln, arm broken
John Rucker, back slightly
sprained; Alex. Northcutt, both hands
burned badly to the wrist, cheeks badly
burned, in some places to q crisp, and
ankles sprained; Dave Brewster, slight
cuts on the head John Cooper, head
burned badly, and peeled; Andy Col
burn, burned in the face and hands
, John Green, leg broken; Dick Dysart
arm crippled badly; Ben Hoffman. fact
. bruises about face and hands
Among those who are known to havI
escaped uninjured are, Green, Harrison
Henry Brintman, George Todd, Charlie
Kelly, Ed. Moorehead, Henry Pierson
4 Dave Dunn, John johnson, ]. Maxfield
Lewis Christ, Frank Lucas and Al
Mitchell. AS to the cause of the acci
{ dent there is nothing positive, but Ruck
er's theory is probably the best. HI
says that just before the explosion tool
l. place, Alex NOrthcutt, who has a mum
: Der Of men and boys in training
1 to take the road in a Minstrel combiE
alton came into tie saloon and got
match for the purpose of going dow
q stairs TO light up for rehearsal. 1t mus
a be here understood that the basement
q divided, the front portion being used fo
storage purposes for Danforth's fluiC
l. and the latter for q rehearsal room
where large crowds of the cOlored folk
r have been wont to gather nightly.
is presumed that when the match wa
struck, the gas from the fluid ignited thu
3 causing explosion. There is great il
r. dignation felt in the city over the fact {
n explosive fluid being stored in larg
quantities in the city, and the wonder
&c expressed that any escaped with the
l. lives. The mortality although muC
b. less than first supposed, will be war
9, ing in future. Only yesterday 10 ba
:. rels of Danforth's fluid was placed in Il
&c cellar.