The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-01-07
FIRENEN SERIOUSLY HURT
A Chicago Fire Followed BY Three
Terrible Explosions
WRECKS A PRINTING HOUSE,
Tse Fatally and sixtesn others ssrisusly Inlufee-
Seven, Employees Of The Firm and an En-.
plsye q theeas %, also Barned.

cuIcAao, Jan. 4. shortly before 3
o'clock Wednesday afternoon terrific
explosion 81 natural gns wrecked the
lower part ~ the great printing estnb-
lishmcnt Of Donohan 4 Ilenneberry, on
Dearborn streoL The accident occurred
during the progress 81 i small fire, nnd
aver score Of iiremen. Including Chief
Swenie. ~ tho fire department, md
several laborrrs. were seriously injured
Two men ARE dying and others are 80
seriously burned that they may not re-
cover
The explosion wna In the plate
vault. which il located Immediately be-
meath the sidewalk, which II formed 81
heavy iron frames covered with glass
and iron Daring the early part " tho
afternoon three employees 81 thp Natur-
nj Gas Co lind been At woflt III this
vault Az precaution the doors 81 the
vault were closed. Shortly before 2
o'clock. Foreman Robert Granger, 81
tfe'preaa room. which adjosns the vault,
noticed flames Ii the Vicinity 81 tho
brick wall which extended between the
press room and tho ynnlt
These liainea had the appearance Of
iRnited gas that had escaped through
the partition wall. without waiting r.
open the vault doors the foreman gave
the alarm IL fire They then returned
70 The basement, when some one threw
open the vault doors. Instantly there
was an explosion, md nearly AL ~ the
employees who were ii the vicinity,
about ten ID number. were thrown 70
the huor all sustaining moro Or less
serious injuries.
Within few moments members o.
the fire insurance patrol md hose en-
gine companies were on tho spot, head
"a by Chief swcnie.
Tho squad Of tlromen rushed to the
basement and Ind no sooner reached
the vault door than d second and
stronger explosion followed, md all the
mon were hurled 70 thu floor or across
the room against the wall On the oppo:
site side. Several Of the men were run-
dared senseless, md the flames, which
had ignited their clothing, roasted their
hands and faces In horrible manner.
Other firemen were close behind them,
and for few minutes the lre was left
/ ~ y.NN &4+t AL tAkelN WtttlG NM0 inquired
men were rescued
Before one-hait of them Ind been
taken ont, and while the basement WINS
full 81 men. working with desperation
70 save their helpless comrades, there
came q third explosion, more terrific
than either of It's predecessors. mud
the would-be rcscuers were laid
beside the men they had come
to assist This tlin6 the already
looaancd iron-work covering the vault
was torn from It's fnstenings and
came laundering down. Fresh food for
the gas was already at hand. and 4
score Of gallant hramen sprang into the
vault to rescue the men who had been
injured. undeterred BY the danger OF
another explosion, and cheered ON by
Swenie, the fremen workedAs men can
work when their own lives aud the
lives Of others wero trembling in the
balance
One by ono the burned and battered
men were dragged from the basement,
and as the last one was taken out
Swenie called: Now ont for your lives,
menr" and there was rush for the
upper floor. which was madejust III the
nick OF time, for fourth explosion
came, which made brick, mortar and
iron ny like feathers, and gave the
chief seorch as he beat hasty retreat
that he will remember for many day.