Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-24
AMID THE SMOKING RUINS
AN EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY
FIRE AND DEATH.

Charleston, W. Va, the Scene of the
Calamity-BIue Works Burned with
Great Loss at Newark-FOurteen BusI-
nes Houses Destroyed at Raleigh-The
Burning of New Jerseys Capitol.
CHARLESTON, W. VA, March 2S.-This
morning the boiler in Ruffner Bres.'
wholesale grocery exploded, setting the
building on fire. The flames commune
Gated to the Hale House adjoining, de-
stroying that building also. George
Welcher, a porter employed by the Ruff
ners, was killed by the explosion and his
body burned. The fire spread so rapidly
that the building was a wreck in a
quarter of an hour. Joel Ruffner, a clerk.
was seriously injured by the explosion.
Rutfner's loss is $4,000. The loss Of the
propr;etors OF the Hale House is $50, 600.
The total insurance is $50, 900.
NEW JERSEYS RUINED CAPITOL.
TRENTON, N. j., March 23.-The cause
of the fire in the State House is now
ascertained. Two explosions in the
Quartermaster Generals office originated
the cOntiagratiOn. The first explosion.
dull in its sound, was caused by the
heated and confined air of the room. It
blew the ceiling of and started the fire in
the room of the Clerk in Chancery.
directly above. The second explO-
sion, few minutes afterwards,
was owing to the bursting of steam ra-
diatOr in the corner. rhe broken radiator
was found ten feet from the corner this
morning. All the walls will certainly
have to come down, as they have settled
very much, and cracks have appeared in
Varlous parts of them to-day. This will
make the loss heavier The insurance
men began their examination this MORN
ing, but no definite estimate has been
made. The vaults of the Chancery office
are not yet opened, but there is no doubt
that the papers are considerably dam
aged by water. The business of the
departments is being resumed in private
houses and in those parts of the State
House which are uniniured.
FOURTEEN BUSINESS HOUSES BURNED.
RALEIGH, n. c., Mfrch 23.-At 1880
Olock this morning fire broke out in Hen
dersontown, torty-tiye miles from Raleigh.
on the Raleigh and CASTOR Railroad. De-
spite the fact that snow was falling and
the roofs were covered with snow, the
fire spread rapidly and by 8 O'Clock four
teen business houses had been DESTROYED.
among them those of K. G. Davis, Cheat
ham Il Co., COsslter & Sons, j. l.. NJ. Mis-
sillier, owen Davis, NJ. Dorsey, M. sum-
ance was asked of the Raleigh Fire De-
partment, but at 8 O'clock the fire was re-
ported as under control. The loss is
roughly estimated at from 100000 to
$'o,OOO. The property of the railroad was
aC one time in great danger.
FLAMES IN A MISSION SCHOOL.
NEW YORK, March 23.-Fire that did
slight damage occurred this morning in
the Five Points mission school. A panic
was aVerted by the GOODNESS of the SIDer-
lntendent and teachers, who gathered the
scholars into the chapel and conducted
exercises while the flames were being ex-
tinguished. The mothers of the children
gathered around the mission clamOring
for their offspring, but they were assured
that they were saved and the little ones
were left to their studies.
CORPSE FOUND AFTER A LONG TIME.
PHILADELPHIA, March 23.-Workmen
digging IN the ruins of the burned aims
house to-day found part of another corpse
in the cellar. After the fire 20 bodies
were recovered, but two of the inmates
have not since been accounted for, and
there is no doubt that the body found to-
day Is that OF one of the missing men.
BLUE WORKS BURNED.
NEWARK, N. j., March 23.-Heller &
Merz's Ultra Marine Blue Works were
burned this morning.
The loss on the factory is $150,OO0 and
the insurance $250,000, divided among 30
companies-Newark, New York and for,
elgn. The Anilene works were not in
jured.
FURTHER DEATHS FEARED.
CHICAGO, March 23.-It is feared that a
num0er Of dead bodies lie buried beneath
the ruins of the Langham Hotel.