Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-05-29
LUST "1HE1R LIVES.
o<Ao q .soiaent to a Lake Boating
Party.

E1re av-d Dynamite Explosion Follow .
lightning Flash-Raiiroad Wreck In
Kans.sFat.l Fire In
FALL RIVER, Mass, May 2e.-At
Watuppa lake about 1915 o'clock yes
terday afternoon a party of twelve per
sons. comprising Samuel Whites and
wife, Henry, Samuel Jr.. and Willie
Whites; Lavina, John. Willie and Fred
erick Buckley, Edwin and Willie Turner
and George Hammer hired a boat and
went rowing. There was strong wind
blowing and the water was rough.
The boat into which the party en-
barked was a common thirteen-foot fat
bottomed one and the seating capacity
was eight The pleasure seekers finally
were seen trying to work their way to-
ward shore just north of the pumping
station. This was difficult work, as the
water was rough, the wind strong and
the rowers inexperienced.
When the boat load of pleasure seek
ers was within twenty feet of the shore
one of the children rocked the boat.
The men cautioned the child 10 remain
quiet, but it was unmindfal of this adj
vice and suddenly the boat capsized.
Heartrending cries were heard by Fire
man Bullock of the pumping station
and James Lafferty, but they were un-
able to render assistance.
Edwin Turner was the only one in the
party who could swim well. He grasped
John Buckley by the waist and although
Buckley was heavy man he succeeded
In bringing him ashore.
In the meantime the women were
struggling in the water. Three or four
parties on shore told them to cling to
the boat but their failing strength was
unequal to the task and women and
children sank out of sight. Two of the
Others had struck out for the shore and
succeeded in reaching it in an exhausted
condition.
The following were drowned, their
bodies being recovered later: Samuel
Whites. aged SO; Mrs. Whites, aged As;
Henry Whites, aged 10; Samuel Whites,
Jr., aged ~; Lavina Buckley, aged s.;
Fred Buckley, aged 8; Willie Buckley,
aged 8; Willie Turner, aged 9.
THE WORK OF LIGHTNING.
MANSFIELD, O., May ga heavy rain
storm passed over this (Richland County,
ming and thunder. During the storm
lightning struck the John C. Sarles
block in Lucas, six miles east of this
city. The block was occupied by a hard
ware and general merchandise store and
was entirely consumed, together with
two dwellings ad Joining. There was no
fire apparatus in the village and the
citizens turned out with buckets, but
could do nothing.
While the people were removing the
goods from the store about fifty pounds
of dynamite exploded with disastrous
effect The bodies of John Smith and
jeremiah Jones were horribly mangled
and mutilated beyond recognition and
about twenty-five persons in all were
more or less injured. The killed are:
John Smith, aged fifty-four, leaves wife
and family, and jeremiah Jones, aged
fifty, leaves wife and family.
The seriously injured are: ]. o. jose
phan. bad cut on forehead hand and
legs; F. Russell, severe cut over left
eye; John Gallagher, leg severely
bruised by falling from ladder; F. My
ers, badly hurt, struck by flying bricks.
OF the remaining persons injured none
are considered serious
The report of the explosion was heard
five miles and the shock was so great
that nearly all the windows in the vii
lage were broken. The fire department
of this city was called upon for assist
ance and the fire apparatus was put on
special train, but before they could
start word reached them that the fire
was under control. Rain came down in
torrents, which put the fire out, other
wise half the town would have been in
ruins.
WRECKED AT SWITCH.
PAoLA, Kan, May 26.-Engineer
James Caskey and Fireman Major w.
Downes, of the Kansas City & Pacific
railroad, who were fatally hurt at Bangor
switch, six miles south of here, yester-
day morning at three o'clock in a wreck,
were brought here and died in the after
noon.
The wreck was caused by lip or
silver on a rail that threw the engine off
the track and ran the freight train into
a coal car and other cars on the switch.
The smash-up was terrible, eight
loaded and one empty cars being de-
stroyed. The rate of speed must have
been above twenty-five miles an hour,
and when the engine struck the coal
car it plunged over and completely turned
around.
Caskey was married and Downes was
single. They lived at Parsons; each
was about twenty-five years old.
TWO FIREMEN PERISH.
LINCOLN. Neb., May ga portion of
big block burned last even
ing. The fire originated in . hay loft
The loss is estimated at $50, 600; insured.
Two firemen, Frank Stratton and Clar-
ence Protzeman, lost their lives. They
were in the second story of the livery
stable when the third floor fell upon
them and buried them in the ruins.
Stratton was married last Wednesday
to Miss Emma Maggard.
The Eden Musee, the Western News
paper Union and a mum Der of other
were located in the building,
but that portion did not suffer much
loss.
Clippings.
At Rockford, Ill, recently double
wedding was solemnized under peculiar
~ painful circumstances Mary L. and
Allie d. Williams were married beside
their mothers death bed to C. h Smith,
Of Chicago, and Walter d. Williams, Of