The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-02-07
FRIGHTFUL EXPLOSION sic
Several Largo Business Buildings at
Alliance, Ohio, Demoliahed By
Gasoline.
The Ruins, In which Many Persons
We're Buried, Consumed by
Fire.
Telegram from Alliance. Ohio.i

Telegram from Alliance, Ohio.1
About o'clock y. III. terrible explosion
occurred In the business center OF the city.
Glass in windows for blocks along Main street
WINS shattered, and CONSERVATION rcigncd ~.
prime. Men lost their senses, and smoke lind
dust covered everything for n radius OF a
quarter Of a mile When the horrible cloud
arose II was discovered that the explosion
had occurred nj the brick business block Of
+. NJ Orr, occupied on the FIRST floor a. a
stove and tin store, and in the
second and third stories rs tenement
apartments. The block was leyclcd to The
ground, and two brick books, one on each
side, succumbcd to the shock while others,
farther away, we're shattered, riddled and
badly injured. In a few moments flames
arose from the ruins and the fire alarm was
sounded. Such excitement prevailed that the
fire gained 50 much Roadway as to nearly
consume the ruins, and burned two houses
before II was got under control.
Meanwhile the scene was narrowing III the
extreme. Ii was known that six or more
people were killed or wee then imriisnrcd
In the wreck. ahd would perish by fire. Men,
women, and children, bnrehcaded, wringing
their hands and relatives OF the inmates OF
tho building destroyed. wandered about In
despair at their inability 10 save the unfor-
Inmates. I. NJ. Orr. Elmer Orr, his son, Mrs.
Homer Highland, his daughter, Mrs. Frank
Evans. and two children aged and I months.
were known TO have bet n I'm the building a.
the time Of the explosion. These MI persisted.
The woman and children were IN the second
and third stores, and arc supposed to have
been killed by falling walls. Mr.. Orr and son
were 10th spoken to while confined under the
debris, but were burned to death. Many
were also wounded.
Besides those mentioned there were two or
three others in the store ut the time of the
explosion whose names have not been learned,
but who were spoken with beneath the runs
before life had been crushed or burned out of
them. Al pres mt ull those previously known
TO have persisted hxSe been extricatcd from
the debris Some of these are charred and
man2lcd beyond recognition. The work,
however, OF clearing away the rubbish ana
searching for the odies Il being vigorously
pushed forward by the aid of such light rs IL
afforded BY Tie moon and II bonfire In the
street.
q The scenes Immediately following the dis
aster were well calculated TO affect the most
Indifferent The buildings were an indeScrib
able mass of ruins. Men and women rushed
about frantcally bcsceching that something
be done. Homer Highland, whose Wife and
child persisted in the flames. was almost be.
side himself with grief and horror, as was
also Frank Evans. whose wife and two chill.
drcn likewise persisted. Mrs. Orr was CON-
pletely Frustrated by the shock.
The great loss OF lie re uted from the fact
that the setonl anl THU d stories were used as
dwellings. The Iers ons within were not all
killed outright, a could be too plainly told by
their audible but nayailsng cries for help
Every means that could be was used to res
cue the victims, but the rapid spread of the
flames, Notwithstanding the heroic efforts of
the fire company, soon drove the rescuers
back. The .ocery store of Mr.. Mcdonnell,
adjoining, had some seven or eight persons
In It, but all Of them were dragged out not
severely hurt.
The explosion was caused from fumes Of
gasoline, Il child OF Mr. Orr having turned the
faucet in gasoline barrel, allowing the fluid
to run out on the foor. Mr.. Orr was hopping
up when the gas arising from the oil ignited
from gaslieht and the explosion occurred
John Curry and Charles II. Hayden, of
Duprez 4 Hcnedict's Ministries were blown
out of orr's store, through Il platc-glass win
dow, and carried clear across the street
where they were picked up badly injured and
carried to hotel, hut will recover.
The expos on was felt and heard for q
distance OF two miles. while these I'm the imme-
date vicinity thought for moment that
there had been an earthquake. Some idea OF
its force may lie guessed from the fact that
a team OF hCrscs standing in the street In
front were thrown ~ ainst the walls Of the
building on the opposite side.
The Orr block was one of the finest in the
city, and was completed only last fall. 1t is
q total wreck, us are the Miller block and the
building occupied hy Mr.. Fullerton rs a
leather store. and by Miss Stanley as mil
linery establishment. A reasonable estimate
Of the value of tic property destroyed would
be $50, 900. very small part OF which was
covered by insurance.