The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1885-12-12
NATURAL Gas

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rfrtHa0nau, "a. December s.-.rss
iefday morning n ioat o'ciocA natural
gsa explosion, wlih probably fatal results
and destroying mach property, occurred
~ 80 Grant street, w the cellar of .
house occupied by : Neehan Almost
simultaneously q slmllaf explosion, ae.
eompanled by tremendous reports, 90.
eaffed In The adjoining cellars u Louis
fatiiia, Q fruit dealef, and J. = Plan.
ncry's LIVERY stable and undertaking
rooms. Them IL sls.lnch main running
dong Urand STREET. hui Il had no conner.
ions With the houses that pnrerrd The
Has probably escaped ifum The matt
and found lts way ~ the cellars shortly
after four o'clock Katie Grlnln. domea.
tic employed by Mrs Mechan, started Ia.
to the cellar for coal, taking With her
lighted lamp AZ the cellar door she r..
quested Mrs. rhipps, who was In the
room, 10 hold the lamp. No sooner had
she opened the door than the gas rushed
out and lgnIted from the lamp In Mrs.
Phipps' hands. A terrific explosion en-.
sued, followed IN quick succession by OK.
ploslons In the cellars oi Flanncry and
faviila The noise was heard for squares
away, and created the most Intense OK.
cltcmcnt. Sheets oi flames hurst from
the windows aud doors VI the wrecked
houses. From within came the screams
of the terrified women aud children.
HORRIBLE aanr
Several men worked their way through
the Ore Into Mrs. Mechan's house, whore
terrible sight met their gaze. Prone
upon the floor, with every vestigc oi
clothes burned from her body, lay Kate
Griffin, bleeding from cash In her side.
Near her was Mrs. Phlpps, wrapped In
flames. Both women were picked up
and carried from the burning build.
ing. Il was found that Kate Grit
in was burned beyond NIL hopes Of
recovery, She was removed TO the
Homeopathic Hospital, whore she now
ls lying unconscious. Mrs. Phlpps Is So
gcrely burned, hut her injuries are not
considered fatal. ON the upper foor
u Mrs. Meehans house were eight
women and children; In Elan.
nery's, Mrs flanncry and two
babies, and In Fayilla's Mrs
Rayllla and her nephew, J. Y. Case.
The llre spread so rapidly that they were
rescued with difficulty, but all were
finally taken out uninjured except Mrs
PlayIlla and young Case, who were quite
seriously hurt by falling debris. Mean
while the flames gained such hcadwa,
that the three.story brick building wa'
completely destroyed. The other house,
we're not entirely burned, but were 81
BADLY wrecked by the concussion that I
will probably be necessary 10 tear then
Town. The news Of the casualty In a few
minutes caused the streets 10 be BLACK
with people struggling TO get nea
the scene and learn the exact results. The
Widest rumors prevailed. II was frs
stated that seventeen persons had beeI
killed and injured, but when IL wa
definitely ascertalned that the victim
seriously hurt numbered only two the ex
cltemcnt gradually subsidized and the throni
dispersed. A short distance from III
scene Of the accident iaith-cure meetinl
was IN progress. The explosion shoe
the building and created q panic, but a
reached the street without injury. tn
loss win reach $4,000.