St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-23
CALAMITOUS CASUALTY.
An Explosion of Natural Gas In Viz
GINA Kills Every Member of
Family OF Five.
Several Persons Seriously Injured
and Several Killed in Various
Railroad Accidents.
4 Bad Blaze at Huron, OAK. in Which the
Cardiff Giant is at Last
DESTROYED.
TERRIBLE GAS EXPLOSION.

A Whole Family Wiped Cut of Existence
WELLsBURG, w. Va, Feb. 21.-About 1870
this morning terrific explosion OF natural
gas shook the town to its foundation, start
ling evers one. The citizens rushed into the
streets, not knowing what had happened
The cries Of the people in the immediate
neighborhood brought every one. The large
business and dwelling block on the corner OF
Charles and Green streets, owned and occu-
pied by Heseley Brothers, cigar manufac-
turers, and Luke Walters, saloon-the fami-
les of each residing over the business rooms
of the building-was demolished and leveled
with the ground. By a great effort
the fire was confined to the building
blown up and two frame dwelling houses ad-
joining. The whole family of Mr.. Helseley,
consisting Of himself, wife, mother and two
children, were instantly killed. All the
bodies were easily recovered except that OF
the Youngest child. aged IS months,
which has Just been recovered burned TO
crisp among the ruins. johnnie Walters,
aged Il, Is missing and supposed TO be
buried in the ruins. Mr.. Walters, his wife
and two other children were badly injured,
some Of whom will not recover. Several
others are reported fatally injured. Houses
for several squares away were completely
shattered by the explosion. The loss is IN
known at this writing.
LATER REPORTS
from the scene Of the gas explosion at Wells
burg increased the horrors of the singular
disaster. Six lives are known TO be lost:
Mr. Helseley, his wife, the mother Of Mr..
Helsecv, two children of Mr.. Helseley, one
aged years, the other IS months. The
elder of the two children was taken out Of
the ruins alive, but so seriously injured that
it died at a. IN. The youngest child has
lot vet been found. Mr. Lucas Walters,
wife and two children were saved, but the
eldest son, aged about ii years
IS missing. The missing named
are undoubtedly in the ruins. Mrs. Walters
sustained injuries, but they are not cOnsid-
cred dangerous. Leonard Esterday, shoe
maker doing business in a frame shop adj
Joining the Walters home, who boarded with
Mr.. Walters and was asleep in his room,
received injuries not considered serious.
Miss Lucy Letzkus, residing with Mr.. wal
tiers, asleep IN the second floor, was carried
with the bed by the explosion into an ad-
Joining lot, and miraculously escaped injury.
The ircmen are busily throwing water on the
ruins, cndcaNoriuG 10 cOoi on tHe CtDII9 ~ d
search can be made for the remains OF the
TWO missing children. As to the
CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION
It Is reported by reliable persons that Mr.
Helseley stated during the day aud evening
that the gas was leaking in his cellar and that
he had opened up some Of the approaches
thereto to allow the gas 90 escape, and re-
tired for the night. Tae superstition is that
the escaping gas found its way from the
cellar to the upper rooms OF the house and
coming IN contact with the fires in the CRATES
or in the Jets, the explosion took place. The
Helsclev and Walters houses Joined and were
tNo-story bricks and recently built Both
buildings were entirely demolished and por-
tions thereof were scattered from 100 10 $50
feet 10 every direction.