The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-08-20
DENVER'S HOLOCAUST.
Hotel Guests Lose Their Lives by
Explosion and Fire.
THE DEAD NUMBER TWENTY-FIVE.
OF the Dead and Missing Only Seven
Bodies Have Thus Far Been Recovered.
Heartrcnding Cries for Help from Those
Imprisoned by Burning Walls.


DENVER, Aug. eo.-The Gumry hotel,
sn Lawronce street between Seventeenth
and Eighteenth streets, was demolished
by an explosion which occurred shortly
after midnight. The explosion took place
In the rear portion of the buildings, and
it's cause has not yet been ascertained
There was no warning of the sudden
disaster, and it is certain that a number
Of guests and employees of the hotel have
lost their lives in the ruins, the building
being complete wreck 10 is a marvel
that any escaped. Thus far only fifteen
people who are known to have been In the
building at the timo Of the explosion are
accounted for.
To add to the horror Of the situation
the ruins of the big building took fire,
and many unfortunates who were not
killed outright by the crash were slowly
burned to death. Their screams and plead
ings that they be killed to save them from
torture by fire were piteous in the ex-
treme, but the terror stricken bystanders
were powerless to render them any aid.
Following is the list Of the dead so far
as yet ascertained;
Peter Gumry, owner Of the hotel; r. G.
Greiner, manager Of the hotel, son-in.law
of Peter Gumry; Mrs. K. G. Greiner,
clerk Of tho hotel, daughter Of Peter
Gumry; child Of Mr.. and Mrs. r. G.
Greiner; General Charles Adams, Man
itou; VIII Richards, elevator man; AL
Blake, Pueblo, Colo; Myron e. Hawley,
Union Pacific railroad clerk, Denver;
James Murphy contractor, Denver; George
Burt, passenger conductor on the Rock
Island railroad, Colorado Springs; Mrs.
G. r. Wolf and daughter Lincoln, Neb.;
E. NJ. Edwards, butcher, Denver; Fred
Hubbold, or Hauser. of Elizabeth, Ia;
three ohambermaids, names unknown;
one bell boy, name unknown.
The force OF the explosion, and the con-
oussion Of the falling walls, shattered the
windows on both sides Of Lawrence street,
from Seventeenth to Eighteenth streets,
and back Of the hotel, on Larimer street,
the plate glass windows Of all the bust
ness houses were utterly wrecked, and be-
lated pedestrians were badly injured by
the falling Of glass and flying debris.
The fronts Of many buildings in the
vicinity were very badly wrecked. The
hotel structure for 100 feet along the alley,
and extending seventy-flve feet toward
the front, was mass of debris. Brick
and plaster were piled in heaps twenty
feet high, and from this mass of wreckage
could be heard the means Of the injured
and dying.
The list of dead and missing now num-
bers twenty-five, making the disaster the
worst that ever occurred in the city. Only
seven bodies have thus far been recovered,
being those Of Manager Grenier and his
wife, clasped in each others arms; George
Burt, Rock Island conductor; Mrs.
George II. Wolfe and daughter, Fred
Hubbold and Will Richards, the elevator
operator of the hotel.
Among the missing is included Elmer
Pierce, the night engineer who Is said to
have entered the hotel just before the ex-
plosion occurred. 1t is to this mans care
lessness that the disaster is attributed.
The scenes surrounding the death of
James Murphy, contractor, were heart
rending. The flremen engaged at the rear
of the building heard the agonizing cries
from the man that he was burning and
asking them to continue to play the
water. His two lower limbs were pinned
between two heavy joists. After the
most herculean efforts, with donse smoke
binding them, the firemen released
Murphy's left leg. At this moment sheet
of flames compelled thom to withdraw.
Murphy then offered his rescuers $40, 900
TO get him out, and plteously begged them
to chop his leg off. A second later The
west wall collapsed and covered Murphy
with tons of ruins. Mr.. Murphy came to
Denver from Omaha six years ago.
NJ. e. Letson, dairyman Of this city,
was in the ruins ten hours before he was
rescued His injuries are crushed arm,
several oontusions and the shock to his
nervous system. Mr.. Letson said: Twas
more incased than pinioned, as only my
left leg and my right arm was held down
by weights. You cannot have the slight
est idea Of my feelings as / lay there in
the bottom of tine basement, with all the
ruins on top and around me, hearing the
excruoiating cries Of the dying and those
In agony, and being almost overcome by
the shock, soaked with water and almost
drowned, and fearing that the next min
ute i would be buried alive"
A portion of the hotel is still standing,
gaunt and sinister, constantly threaten
ing to crash down upon those in the ruins
at any moment The search for victims
has been carried on to the utmost energy
constantly with the aid of twenty arc
lights Flames broke out afresh in the
wreckage, and tho fire engines are again
pouring forth water, still impeding the
work ofrescue.
A vast throng surrounds the building on
every side pressing forward as far as the
fire ropes will allow. The police are con.
stantly guarding against any one slip
ping through the lines, on account Of the
great danger that the front of the build.
ing may fall.
The total loss caused by the explosion
and fire Is about s25, 900. The Gumry ho-
tel was worth about S25,0OO and had
81, coo worth Of furniture. IL Is total
wreck, but was insured for S25, 900.