Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-01-30
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.
Death and Destruction by Natur-
al Gas.
Six Persons Instantly Killed anu
Many Others Injured at CO.
Iumbus, Ohio.

A terrible calamity occurred ut Co
lumbus, Ohio, on the night of Jan.
oath. Never in the history of Ohio
has such u dreadful disaster occurred
as that which sent thrills OF horror
through the thousands who witnessed
it. A double explosion occurred, and
IL dealt out death with dual force. A
few minutes after clock an alarm
OF lire was sounded, calling out the
entire department. The streets were
thronged with the thousands of toilers
who were returning TO their homes
from workshops and factories, and
quickly spread the news that u fright
full calamity had happened in the
| southern part OF the city. The streets
leading to that section were soon
crowded with people going TO the
scene. Their presence there heaped
horror upon horror, as will be seen
later on. An explosion had occurred
| at the double residence OF Messrs,
Michael Bowers and John Marriott, Mt
the corner OF Wall and Noble allies.
The cause OF the calamity was an ac-
emulation Of natural gas In the cellar
OF the house referred TO. The city has
recently been supplied with natural
gas, and leading past the house oc.
cupiod by Marriott and Bowers is one
OF the mains through which the com
modify is furnished To the public. The
pipes had leaked and tho explosive
fuel had found its way through assures
In the ground To the cellar, which was
the seat of the horror. IL became
lgnited in some unknown manner and
exploded with terrific force, wrccking
the building and filling tho air with
debris.
Mrs. Marriott was blown out Of the
house aud II maa med Goulding,
who was standing near The house, was
blown across the street Mrs. Mar
riot was carried across the stree to tho
residence Of William James, n book
keeper for the book firm ot Gluck d
Beck. DR.. Wissingor was called To
attend to her inju los The house
where the injured lay was soon crowd
ed with people attracted by the Gecl-
dent, and IL was soon necessary TO
close the doors so that no more might
euter Little knew those scores OF
! spectators huddled around the sufferer,
that they were standing in n death
trap, which was then on the Verge OF
carrying them into eternity. Sudden
ly the air was rent by n tremendous ex-
plosion, which made tho earvh quake,
and filed the mir with flying timbers,
bricks and debris of all kinds.
Darkness ensucd, and then II daud-
| like stiffness rcigbed for u few moments.
IL was broicn by shricks aud death
groans. The house In which lay the
! powt rless form of Mrs. Muir
riot had been blown to atoms, and its
occupants buried beneath tho wreck
| Hundreds OF spectators who lined tbs
sidewalks wero knocked yiolonly
down by the shock, and laid power
less Then, to c, p the climax, team
OF spirited horses attached To ono OF
the fire department ladder trucks be-
came freuzied by the explosion and
dashed away into the crowd, car
rying death in their wake. They ran
over and injured stores Of people.
beautiful little babe was knocked from
its mothers arms and falling beneath
| the merciess wheels OF the vehicle Was
crushed to death. As soon ns the mad
dened stecds had disappeared in the
darkness, many OF the spectators ard
fremen, who had been uninjurcd by
either OF the horrors, turned their AT
tention TO digging ont the persons bur
led beneath the ruins OF the house.
Guided by the cries ard means OF the
manglcd and dying mon, Grore in the
darkness, pulling oat ddead body here,
q mangied, yet living, form there, and
conveying them 10 resting places.
| Groups OF men, womeI and children
gathered around the PROSTATE forms
and blood-curdling shricks made the
awful scene more revolving rs friends
recognized friends, injured or dead.
| Parents found their mutilated children
and vice vera. IL required several
| hours 10 remove AL the dead and in
jured from the ruins and IL is not yet
! known who or how many are the vic
| Tins Six persons were instantly
killed, and many others injured, some
OF them fatally.
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