The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-08-20
SCENES OF HORROR
Men and Women Caught in the Ruins
Beg PiteOusly for Release.
DIGGING OUT DEAD BODIES
The Responsibility for the Calam-
lty Seems to Rest Upon the
Engineer. Who Was Drunk
The Killed and Injured.


Gumry hotel. the scene Of last nights
frightful disaster, is still standing. the
gaunt and sinister ruin constantly
threatening TO crash down upon those
delving in the ruins al any moment.
The search for victims has been car
ried on with the utmost energy con-
stantly since the explosion occurred
and is being continued tonight with
the aid of 20 arc lights. Flames broke
out afresh in the wreckage tonight
and the fire engines are again pouring
forth water. still further impeding the
work OF rescue.
The list of dead and missing now
numbers 25, making the disaster the
worst that ever occurred In the city.
Up to 1880 tonight only seven bodies
had been recovered. those of Manager
Greiner and his wife. clasped In each
others arms; George Burt, a Rock
Island railroad conductor: Mrs. George
B. Wolfe and daughter; Fred Hubbold
and Will Richards, the elevator man.
Among the missing is now included
Elmer Pierce, the night engineer. who
Is said to have reentered the hotel just
before the explosion occurred. II Is
10 this mans carelessness that the
disaster is attributed The bodies of
Peter Gumry and General Adams are
still in the ruins. Judge James Glynn,
who was at first supposed to have been
In his room at the hotel, turns out to
be at Holyoke, Col. where he was
spending Sunday with friends.
At 1890 p. m. the body Of L. F. Nc
Closkey. Of Colorado Springs, a wealthy
owner of Cripple Creek mines. was
taken from the ruins. This with
James Murphy. who died while being
taken out, makes eight bodies thus far
recovered. Three Pueblo citizens are
among the victims. OF these the body
Of only one, George Burt, the Rock
Island passenger conductor, has thus
far been recovered. Shortly after
Burt's body had been found a white
shirt with n diamond stud on It's boz
som was found few feet from the
body of the unknown. Several en-
ployes of the Burlington road at once
identified the stone as the property OF
George Burt, the Rock Island conduc-
tor. With the belief that Burt's body
was near by, the dremen redoubled
their efforts, and a few minutes later
the vest and coat of Burt was un-
earthed. Fully 10 minutes had elapsed
when the charred body of Conductor
Burt was exposed tightly wedged be-
| meath heavy timber. In a short time
the remains were extricated and con-
| veyed to the morgue, where Levi
| Greer, fellow conductor. identified II.
In Burt's vest pocket his gold watch
licked the seconds while it's owners
life had ended. Three S100 bills and o
number Of railroad passes were found
in another pocket OF the vest. At Z
o'clock last evening Burt arrived on
his train from Colorado Springs at the
Union depot. Burt was an employe of
the Rock Island road for the past
seven years. He was considered one of
the best railroad men In the West, and
was recognized as one of the most ca
pable men in the employ of the COM
pany. Mrs. Burt arrived in the city
this afternoon and is quartered at the
oxford hotel. She is heartbroken over
her husbands terrible death. The body
will be shipped TO Chicago. where the
parents OF the dead man resides.
Buried in the ruins of the Gum
rey hotel are many guests and
employees whose bodies must have
been wholly or partly cremated. Out
OF 40 or more people in the hotel when
the explosion occurred. score were
gotten out safely. three were rescued
with more or less serious Injuries and
the others are unquestionably lying
dead beneath a mass Of bricks and
shattered beams and twisted iron al
the rear Of the ruined building. The
death list will include the owner o.
the hotel, Peter Gumrey. Manager Rob
ert c. Grelner and mis- wife, who acted
as day clerk.
Before the fire added to the horror
of the explosion the firemea were APP
pealed to piteously by men and women
and babes whose lives were belnc
crushed our in she ruins. The fire broke
out and that ended It. Joe Munal OF
Cairo. ILL.,, was rescued at 2:3O o'clock
after IN hours work. and it Is certain
no more victims can be alive.
A. X. Irwin, she night clerk. who
with the barkeeper. William Rubbc
had miraculous escape. went over
the register for the last few days this
morning and endeavored to call to
mind the occupants Of tae different
rooms. He says there were betwee~
so and 65 people registered and IS wer,
occupying back rooms. where Il was
more difficult to escape. Gen. Charlie,
Adams of Manftou, Col. occupied room
II in the rear OF the hotel and over lht
boilers section. In which the havoc o!
the explosion was greatest. II he Wa:
in the loom he is undoubtedly dead. a
J.. Blake Of Florence. Col. was sleep
ing directly over tae boiler Rubb,
places him also among the dead My
ron +. Hlwley. a clerk In the frclgh
department. of The Union Pacific rail
road Offlcc. rJOm6d In the rear end alc
had gone to bed early, and is counted
amclg th- lost, James Murphy coniTac
t5r. was a regular b5irder. and ais,
rs5med ll the destroyed portion. Rub
he says he was In the room 1ai ais
must be among ghe dead.
The whole rear half Of the hotel was
blown 10 atoms and the front p0r-
lions are merely shattered and burned
fragments OF the house. The force o!
the explosion was SO great that foI
~ 7 Il