The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-05-25
FATAL EXPLOSION.
& Gambling Saloon Blown Up by
Burning Fluid,
FOUR PERSONS KILLED AND MANY
MORE INJURED.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo-, May M.-An xplosion of
fifteen barrels of Danforth's fluid in cellar
occurred last evening. The floor above was
occupied as a saloon and billiard room by
4. colored man, and number OF coiofed men
were there at the time, all OF whom iost their
lives. The number is estimated from hlteen
to forty FIVE Five bodies have been recover
ed, all burned beyond recognition 1t is said
that one white woman was in the place at the
time. The building was demoilshea totally
and instantly. The inmates were buried III
the debris, which was completely ehveloped py
the hot flame of the burning fluid Water was
freely used by the fire department, put Was OF
no avail Several thousand excited people
surrounded the scene. and many women and
children bewaied the loss OF husbands and
fathers or friends. The coneussion shook
buildings several blocks distant
TsEcoND DISPATCH.
There were twenty or thirty men in the col
ored saloon last NIGHT at the time of the ex-
plosiou, and most escaped. The conclusions
blew the walls of the building outward and
several who were blown out with the walls
found themselves in the debris and received
more or less bruises. Charles Dunlap, bar
tender, weighing 500 pounds, came near max
ing his escape, but his feet caught under por-
tions of the fallen roof and he was burned to
DEATH desperately struggling to free himself
and appealing for help which could not reach
him. His body was pulled out after life was
extinct in charred condition. Billy Will
lams was burned to DEATH Several others
rescued within a few moments after the ex-
plosion, supposed to be dead, are living, al
though more or less injured.
The cause of the accident is not definitely
ascertained. just before the explosion took
place Alex. Northcut, who has number of
men and boys in training for minstrel COM
bination, came into the saloon to get match
for the purpose of going down stairs to light
up for rehearsal. The basement was divided,
the front portion being used for storage pur-
pose for Danforth's fluid, and the latter for a
rehearsal room, whore large crowd of colored
folks have been wont to gather nightly. 1t is
presumed that when the match was struck the
fluid ignited thus causing the explosion.
CHICAGO, May pa special from st. Jo-
seph gives meagre particulars OF the explosion
of Danforth's fluid there last night. There
were thirty-6ve colored persons in the saloon
which the exploded fluid was stored. OF these
Bill Williams, Charles Dunlap. John Green
and another, name unknown, were caught in
the ruins of the buildings and either killed in
stantly or roasted to death before the flames of
the burning debris could be subdued Fifteen
others received injuries more or less serious,
and four or five negroes are missing. A car
load of fluid was put into the cellar yesterday
and some think the explosion was the result of
spontaneous combustion, while others believe
it was incendiary The house was a noisy
place and considered common nuisance. The
loss of property was triflng
Bishop Doane on the Revised New Testa-
ment.
ALBANY, N. Y, May 23.-To reporter who
asked Bishop Doane his opinion OF the new ver-
sion of the New Testament, he replied: "The
Episcopal church will pay no attention to the
matter until it comes before the general con-
vention, which meets two years from now. So
far as have examined the translation, think
it is no improvement on the King James trans
ation. Two Of the transators were Episco-
palans of this country, but the church is not
committed to an Endorsement of the revision.
The revision grew from making marginal cor
rections of the King James translation two
years ago to complete revision, a work not at
first contemplated. The revision is inferior to
the translation made at the direction of King
James,"