St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-09
FIREWORKS EXPLOSION.
SERIOUS Fatality. At PETERSBURG
SATURDAY p N.
Chief Engineer of the Fire Depart.
ment, Several Prominent Bust.
ness Men Among the Victims
The Explosions We're Heard a
Mile Away-Thc Loss OF PROP.
erty is 100000.
From III Sunday Gloh, !

PETERSBURG, Va, April Fully
fifteen men were killed and half as
many more wounded 10y an explosion of
powder in the fireworks factory of
domaine Bros, in this city. this after
noon, few MINUTES before3 o'clock.
Just prior to the explosion Charles n.
ROmaine. the senior member of the
firm; John Bland. the senior member of
the tobacco firm of Bland Bros. d
Wright: Capt. James Tosh. prominent
citizen, and Charles Bland were engaged
i'll conversation in the office Of tue fire.
works company. -
Fire was discovered in IN OuibulldiIg
ant. these gentlemen went to the assist
ance of the employees and tried tn eX-
tinguiSi it by throwing buckets of
water Oil it. An alarm had been turned
i'll and just as Chief Engineer Farley, Of.
tie fire department. drove into the
yard, the explosion occurred. MesSrs.
John Bland and Charles Ronaine were
killed instantly and their bodies norri-
bly, mangied. Both were members of
the city council. Chief Engineer Far
ley was fatally Injured and died in two
hours. Capt. Toshs body was burned
almost beyond recognition.
KILLED. .-.,t- =
CHARLES n. R0MAINE.
CAPT. JAMES L. T0SH. -
JOHN &. BLAND.
JAMES ROWLAND.
ROBERT ROW LAND.
WILLIAM TRAYLOR.
ED TRAYLOR,
JAMES BRYANT.
QUINCY LIVESAY.
j. W. PERKINS
THOMAS VOOLFOLK (colored). !,
The wounded are: EDWARD Farley.
A. w. Redgrave, William Parker,
Charles Short. Walter Nunmally. Estith
BeaSiey, Samuel E. Drury (cOlored}
and Charles Emery.
The fire started in the building about
8 p. IN. An alarm was turned in and
soon followed by loud explosion.
About fifteen minutes thereafter there
was second explosion. These
explosions were distinctly heard
for over mile. The fire
originated in the fireworks factory of G.
n. Romano IL Co.. where powder for
whistle, bombs was made. The flames
WClC Scoli W Lille cIiler
buildings used for making fireworks,
and there were frequent small explos-
ions. 1t was reported that large guam
THY OF powder was stored. exactly where
TO one appeared TO know. in those
buildings. and kept the crowd FROM
venturing too near the fire.
On the opposite side of the street from
the fireworks buildings. all of which
were frame structures. was the trunk
factory of MessrS. Romano Bros. d Co.,
close by were the large brick tobacco
factory of Bland Bros. & Wright. and
the old whisky distlllery now unused.
All these buildings. with Stock. and
machinery. were burned TO the ground.
as was also large stuck OF iu.iiber
There were three explosions. The first
was small affair. AS soon as it oc-'
Cured MessrS. Romaine, Bland. and
T0sh rushed into the drying room.
and there the second and fa-.
tai explosion Occurr, d, and they,
were killed. A number of employees 10
the fireworks factory escaped just be-.
fore the second explosion. A meeting:
will DC held tomorrow at the Academy
OIL the call of the mayor. The, killed
now number ten. some of the WI unded
having died since first reports. The
loss by the fire will reach 100000. -