New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-01-29
BLOWN TO ATOMS.
A Terrific Natural Gas Ex-
plOsion in Columbus Wrecks
Two Houses.
Six People Killed and Over a
Score Receive Serious
Injuries.

COLUMBUS, Ohio Special There is ascene
of death and destruction in this city to-
night whose horrible features and sickening
details are surpassed only by the Johnstown
flood. Never in the history of Ohio has
such a dreadful disaster occurred as that
which sent thrills of horror through
the thousands who witnessed it to-
night. A double explosion occurred
and it dealt out death with dual force.
A few moments after o'clock an alarm OF
fire sounded calling out the entire depart
ment 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 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. An explosion
had occurred at the double resi-
dence of Michael Bowers and John
Marriott, at the corner Of Wall and
Noble alleys. The cause Of the calamity
was an accumulation Of natural gas in the
cellar of the house referred to. The city
has recently been supplied withnatural gas.
and leading past the house occupied by
Marriott and Powers is one OF the mains
through which the commodity is furnished
to the public. The pipes had leaked ana
the explosive fuel had found its way
through assures in the ground to the cellar
which was the seat Of the horror. 1t be-
came ignited in some unknown manner
and exploded with terrible force wreckinS
the building and filling the air with debris
Mrs Marriott was blown out of the house
and man named Goulding, who was
standing near the structure, was
BLOWN ACROSS THE STREET
Mrs Marriott was carried across the street
and into the residence of William james.
The house where the injured lay was soon
crowded with people, attracted by the acct
dent, and it was soon necessary to close the
doors that no more might enter. Suddenly
the air was rent by tremendous explosion
which made the earth quake and filled the
air with flying timbers, bricks and debris
of all kinds The house in which lay
Mrs. Marriott had been blown to atoms and
its occupants buried beneath the wreck.
Hundreds Of spectators who lined the side
walks were knocked down by the shock and
laid powerless. Then, to cap the climax, a
team of spirited horses attached to one OF
the fire department ladder trucks became
frenzied by the explosion and dashed away
into the crowd, carrying death in their
wake. They ran over and injured scores of
people. A beautiful little babe was knocked
from its mothers arms and falling beneath
the merciless wheels Of the vehicle, was
crushed to death before her eyes.
Guided by the cries and means of the man
gled and dying, men CROPPED in the dark
ness pulling out dead body here, man.
gled, yet living, form there, and conveying
them to resting places. Groups of men,
women and children gathered around the
PROSTATE forms, and blool-curdling shrieks
made the awful scene more revolving, as
friends recognized friends injured or dead;
parents found their mutilated children and
vice versa. 1t required several hours to re-
move all the dead and injured from the
ruins, and it is not yet known who or how
many are victims. Following is the list OF
killed and wounded so far as known:
Kiled-Charles Recht, Mrs. John Marriott in
FAINT son Of Charles Berry, James Seymour COL
ored boy, unknown white man. unknown babe
Injured-Dr. L. K. Wissinger, badly and prob
badly burned; Daniel Cherry, burned painfully;
Charles Wolff. cut and bruised seriously; Mrs
Fully, burned and injured internally, probably
fatally: Patrick Slliskie cut on head;
Aaron Beens, cut on face and head; Benjamin
Morgan, gashes head and internal injuries:
q Charles n! Lowry, burned and bruised; Albert
Ticklider, bruised and cut; - Brady, burned
and cut; Edward Wiener, cut and burned; 49,
Wolff, cut and burned Miss Belle Smith,
badly hurt: Mrs. Corn, badly burned;
and neck; Tom Doyle, hands burned partially
of; Emma Powers, probably fatally burned;
Marshal kibourne. horrible injuries on neck
and head; William Brady, probably fatally SUI
located; William James, hands and face roasted
will die; Mrs. William James, badly cut and
bruised; - Blankneer, horribly burned and
cut.
MANY OTHERS WERE BADLY INJURED,
but were carried away by friends and their
names cannot be learned tonight. The
houses for several blocks around the scene
ofthe explosion have been made into hos
pitfalls, where many are being cared for.
Miss Belle Smith, who was badly injured.
had gone into the doomed house lust prior
to the explosion. Her face was badly
bruised and she was suffering from many
bruises about the body. She was
almost completely buried in the
debris and had to be dug out.
The doctors pronounce her injuries
serious, but think she will recover. Elmer
Gales, young man, was standing opposite
the house when the second explosion oc-
CURED, and was struck by missile which
broke MS leg. ~ young man named
Meshilder, who is a resident of Granville,
Ohio. was severely burned and shocked.
Pet Merritt, ffteen-year- old girl, was Sc
riously burned about the shoulders and
chest. When she reached the street she
was almost naked. Her life was saved by
turning stream Of water ON
her. DR.. T. K. Wissinger was in
the James house when he was
hurt. He was attending the patient in
jured at the other place when the second
explosion occurred. Those who heard him
talk say he said he suddenly saw the flames
creeping along the floor of the room, and
Immediately threw himself under table
and placed his hands over mis- eyes to shield
them. Benjamin Morgan, also spectator,
was badly injured. He was knocked down
by one of the hose carts in the general rush
for safety, after the first explosion, and then
run over by the mad crowd. Morgan lives
at Shawnee, and was delegate to the
miners convention which has been in SEES
sion here. He is thought to be
INTERNALLY INJURED
Theodore Shouting was watching the fire