Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-05
A FLASH LIGHT CAUSED 1T.
A Terrible Explosion in Denver, in Which One
Man Is Killed and Several Wounded.
The Building Burned.
Special Of the Gazette,

Special Of the Gazette.
DENVER, Col. Aug. "A few min
utes after 'olook this afternoon ter
ific explosion occurred in the basement of
the two-story brick building at Nos.
1888 and 1856 Larimer street, occupied
by the Denver fire clay and chemi-
cal supply house, res ulting IN
the death of President j. G. Bosworth,
who is also president of the Colorado
natural gas and oil company. The ex-
plosioH was a most terrific one, shaking
the buildings perceptibly for distance
of at least block around, while the re-
port was heard up town tor ten
blocks. Following instantaneously, an
immense sheet of flame shot nearly
across the street, Illuminating the scene
for great distance around and almost
before an alarm could be turned ID the
whole front of the building was mass
of flames. People along the street for a
considerable distance were badly fright
ened. AT the big gambling house only
two doors away fully fifty men were
engaged in playing their money on the
green cloth when the deafening
report reached their ears. Every cheek
was blanched and business was sus-
pended.
W. T. Cornwall, secretary of the COM
pany, gave the following report OF what
occurred as nearly as he knew: ~
was sitting at my desk just at the right
of the open doors when l hearI
an explosion, and the next thing knew
I was flying through the air. l lit on my
hands and knees on the sidewalk, and as
l looked behind me saw cloud OF flame
burst in the doors, and Immediately
the large plate windows were broken
in million pieces. l sprang to nv feet
in order TO escape being cut TO pieces by
the falling glass, and rushed away. l
was just in time; the glass fell as l left
the sidewalk. Several people who were
passing at the time were blown half
way across the street, and one man was
badly cut with broken glass. Mr.. BOs-
worth was working at a bench about the
middle of the store room. He was making
a flash light This material is OF highly
explosive ingredients, which nave to be
proportioued in exactly proper quantities
in order to be effective and not danger
Gus. / suppose Mr.. Bosworth in some
manner used too much or not enough of
some material and the explosion fol-
lowed. -
The body was found on the floor to the
right of the entrance burned almost be-
yond recognition. The right side OF
the head was torn and scorched, the
brains oozing from the skull which was
torn open by the explosion. The
entire body was shrivelled. The arms
and limbs were entirely without flesh,
and the white bones visible. The en-
trails were protruding and bleeding.
Ths patrol wagon took the mass of
burned flesh to the coron RS office.
While taking the dead man from the
stretcher the arms and legs fell from
the body, so terrible was the effect of the
burns.
The shipping clerk, Ernest Tumbeck,
who was at work in the rear of the build
the was thrown against the wall
by the force of the ex-
plosion and severely cut
about the head with glass. He managed
to escape, but not before the hair on his
head was well singed.
There were several other clerks in the
upper floor who escaped.
The damage to the building and loss on
the stock is placed at S25 900.
The dead man was one of the most
prominent men of the city.