, 1890-03-05
NATURAL GAS CAUSES AN AWFUL
CALAMITY.
Victoria Weekly CoLonist)

Columbus, o., Jan. oath There is q
scene of death and destruction in this city
tonight. A few moments past 5 o'clock an
alarm of fire was sounded. An explosion
had occurred at the double residence Of
Michael Bowers and John Marriott, at the
corner OF Wall and Noble alleys. The cause
OF the calamity WAS an ace Emulation of
natural gas in the cellar. The city has re-
Gently been supplied with natural gas, and
leading past the house occupied by Marriott
and Bowers, is ne of the mains through
which the gas is furnished to the public.
Tbs pipes had broken, and the explosive
fuel had. found It's way through Enclosures
In the ground to the cellar, which was the
seat of the horror. IG became ignited in
some unknown manner and exploded with
terrific force, wrecking the building and
filling the air with flying debris. Mrs. Mar
riot was blown ont of the house, and a man
named Gouldiug, who was standing near
the structure, was blown across the street.
Mrs. Marriott WAS carried. across the street
and into the residence of VIM. James. DR..
W~iSSlpger, a PROMINENT physician, was
called TO attend her injuries. The house
where the injured lady lay was soon crowd
ed with people, attracted by the accident,
and it was soon necessary to close the
doors that no more mi ght enter. Little
knew those scores OF spectators huddled
around the sufferer that they we're stand
ing on a death trap. Suddenly the air
was rent by a thunderOus explosion, which
made the earth quake, and filed the air
with flying timberS, bricks aud debris of
all kinds. Darkness ensued and then q
death like Stiffness reigned for q few mo-
ments. It was br oxen by shrieks aud death
'groans. The house in which lay the pow
erlpSs form Of Mrs. Marriott, had been
blown to pieces, and its occupants buried
beneath the wreck. Hundreds of spectat.
ors who lined thesidewalks we're knocked
violently around by the shock, and were
laid powerlesS. Then, 10 cap the climax,
a team of spirited horses attached to one
of the fire department ladder trucks became
~frenzietl By the explosion and dashed away
into the crowd. Carrying death ia their
wake. They ran over and badly injured
scoles of people. A beautiful little baby
was knock ed from its mothers arms, n
falling beneath the wheels of the vehicle
was crushed To death. AS soon as the
maddened steedS had Disappeared in the
darkness many of The spectators and hre-
men who had been unininred by either OF
the horrors, turned their attention tofdig-
ging out the persons buried beneath the
ruins Of the housel Guided by the cries
and means of the mangled and dying. men
CROPPED in the darkness, pulling out a dead
body here, anda mangled, yet living form
there; aud CsiGveying them to resting
places. Grotlsof mel, women and child
rem gathered, around the PROSTATE forms.
and blood ,cIrdling shrieks made the aw.
fnl scene niors revolving ass friends recog.
nized friends injured or dead ] or parents
found their' ,mutilated childrsn aud vice
versa. Itreqpirel several hours to- remove
all the dead and injured from the ruins,
ana'it is NOT vet known whoa and no womany
nesl:wa4ftt~ootisefp KS - 41o3
IL .lre. ..isan,Alai - a,hlaaW