The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-12-27
FlRESAT VARIOUS OTHER POINTS
Tho Central Elevator Horror

The Central Elevator Horror.
Yesterday morning confagra-
ton and holocaust occurred, resulting In
the destruction OF the central grain els-
vator, corner OF Lamar and Jackson
streets, owned by Rainwater Il Stearns,
aud the death of two il not three human
beings, who were unable TO make their
escape. Al 1890 the alarm of fire was
sounded and deuse cloud OF smoke
issuing from the elevator building
told where il was located. Both thr
downtown and East Dallas fire depart
menls tuned out IN good time, rut Il
lrhlil Ol cars on the dOwn-tOwn branch
ofthe Houston 4 Texas Central railway
retarded Their passage Tor some little
liile' minute ON an occasion like that
means great deal, and, although Sc
vereiy cehsured 10y some, IL appears the
department used every effort to rescue
the doomed men aid save the property,
large crowd had gathered, and for the
nrst time IL was noised around that
mere were several men IN the building
Mr.. Alex. Ceckrell and gentleman,
whose name was rot learned, broke
open door with acr0w-bar and lot oul
inur persons who we're shut in. 1t was
talked around in the crowd that vii
liam Keller, white, young Dean, a
white lad and son of the on.
gineer, and Joe Evans, colort d
all employees were atill in the burning
building. The most intense excitement
prevailed which increased when il wa,
learned that the parties could nowhe
be found About this time all doubt AZ
To there being som" oNe alive remaining
IN the building Was dispelled, ASA slonch
hat thrown 10y some one came sailing
through one of the upper windows.
which was sixty or seventy
feet from tho ground, as a mute aud
powerful appeal iOr assistance that
could not be rendered in time to save
them from horrib,e death. rhp Hook
anu Ladder rompaly y was called up u,
movements, saying II failed to aH
his as uttely fplse. Th,
ladders were raised, however,
To the window thpugh which the hai
| was thrown, and Charlie Renicke
mounted II aud kicked the window In
| The me ment he did SO, Il volume of
smoke and Ilames burst through the
opening, and had he not taken the pre-
caution 10 dodge, as he cid SO, Le would
have fallen victim to the flames,
which, by this time, were furlously
lapplng The top of the building. IL was
evident now that the unfortunate he.
lnps had persisted in ihr flames A feel
lug OF III enae horror pervaded the
crowd, chilling the blood In the veins
ol those who looked on, poweriess to do
anything. L o tirenan fought the
flames hard, but IL was now fore
gone conclusion that the buildiuy
wunld prove total loss. The
weather was bitter cold and
dri2zling rain was falling and freezing
ns last Ms II fell They succeeded In pre-
venting The spread of the lire, however,
and taking into COnsidt ration Tho sirurt
ure and the nature vt the cOmbnstible
material II 'ntained, tO say nothing OF
he start the fire had OF them, Cniei
Kahn and his men rendered good SER
wee, While an att mpt was being
made To save the parties in the buld
ing Mr.. Dave Rainwattr r,
one OF the owners who
had left sick ted, offered reward oi
$1,000 Tor each one et them. He recog-
nizeh the slourh hat, thrown from tEe
window as "a signal of distress, rs That
ot joe Evans, tho colored man. Tho
heavy tinbers finally began to crumblo
and the upper luurS and the walls of
the bin gave way, pouring huge pile
OF burning wheat through one
of the large doors un the
ground flOur. A black ohiert
was seen prnlruding from the pile and
| Mr. PAtO'Dwver at the imminent risk
Ot beng crushed beneath the burning
iimherS, made his way u the obi sct aud
r scu 'd II 1t was purtiOnof the char
r remains of u man, suppos, to he
those Of the unfortunate Keller. Tney
we're removed To the morglia
ut the hospital. he head
was n blackened. charred mass.
The lower part OF the arms and legs
were In n like condition. The body,
from the hips, nearly to the neck, was
partially preserved, and had the appe ,r.
ance oi being that ~ awhile man. The
body, which continued to burn. was
baked, and the sight was sirkening in
the extreme. Search WAS then begun
for the other body or hodi les, but up to q
late hour last night they had not
been recovered. kwas reported subso-
quentlv tha' the son of the engineer had
turned up alive.
The fire originated In the shuck room
In the eastern end of the building, and
burning down the stairway leading Ia
the hbDrs above, cut of all means of es.
cape for the unfortunate men on the
upper fioors. There were 60,O00 bush,
els of grain In the ructure
principally wheat, which IL
II either destroyed or SO badly injured
M To he worthless. The building, In
cluding the grain, machinery, etc., wa,
estimated ~ abput $4,000. w. O. How,
drd& TO. hal 2),DO bushels OF wheat ~
the building. hith is Included in tn,
above. IL was insur,d for $4,000. Th,
building aud all was insured for S33,5lO
IN the agency of Geo. J. Dexter ~ Co.
MS follows:
CENTRAL ELEVATOR coMPANY-BuILpIN(
AND MACHINERY