The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-03-18

TOLEDO, O., March 17.-Tho round
house OF the Wabash railroad company
in this city, located At tho foo. OF South
street on tho dock front, burned to tho
ground between 10 and II o'clock this
morning. Threo quarters OF al hour
alter tho frat alarm was sont In tho
southwest wall OF the building, sixty
feet in circumference, fell in. burying
twelve men underneath it. Two Of them
Wore instantly killed., a third died
short tims altor being taken ou. OF tho
debris and the others were all badly
hurt. one probably fatally. All but
ono. John Bowen, were employees OF tho
Wabash.
Tho dead: L. II. BohlmRn, aged Sc,
painter. married, seven children, skull
crushed, internally injured; ]. J. Pres
ton. car inspector, married, ak children,
back broken, skull crushed. killed
instantly; John Bowen. aged IS, specta-
tor. skull crushed, internally injured,
killed instantly.
The injured: F. II. Howard, general
foreman eastern division, head bruised,
faco cut, slightly burned, will recover;
John Leary, machinist, leg broken. arm
crushed, skull fractured, may die; Pat.
rick NcDonough, fireman, skull frac-
tured, shoulder broken, will recover;
Martin Greenburg, car inspector, head
cut, will recover; Harry Zimmerman,
painter. legs spraincd, body bruised;
Louis Decker. painter. head bruised.
shoulder sprained; Henry Gerdng,
car repairer. head bruised and cut; I.
c. Lauer. truck foreman. head cut and
neck sprainod; Casper Becker, painter,
head and shoulder cut.
TIE FIRST ALARM.
The first alarm for the fire came by
telephone to the district Offices at 1910
a. m. a few minutes previously q resi-
dent OF the neighborhood OF the round
house saw q small flame burst out OF the
cupola OF the building and he ran to the
Office OF the general foreman directly
across from the roundhouse and notified
those in charge. General Foreman
Howard summoned the company's
private fire department consisting OF
fifteen men to the scene, and stream
was directed towards the blazing cupola.
A heavy wind was blowing and tho fire
soon ate its way down TO the roof OF the
roundhouse.
When Fire Chief Mayo reached the
fire he saw that there was danger OF the
flames reaching tho oil house, repair
shops and the Wabash elevator, all in
close proximity, and he Immediately
sent in general alarm.
Meanwhile the roads fire company
had directed its efforts towards smoth-
ering the flames in the southeast end OF
the structure, which menaced the oil
house, and tho FIRE was held in check.
The roofwas at this point already ablaze,
aud threatened to collapse every mo-
inent, but the falling OF tho falls was
not at this time anticipated. The iron
braces supporting the roof expanded in
the intense heat, and the frail frame
covering gave way with mufIled roar,
falling in on the stalled engines.
WARNING CAME TOO LATE.
At this moment the southwest wall,
eighteen feet high aud eighteen inches
thick was seen to totter outwards from
the lateral pressure OF tho falling roof
and q yell went up to apprlse the
fifteen men at work at this portion of
the building OF their danger. The warn.
ing came too late and twelve OF tho men
wero buried in a pilo of brick several
feet high. That only two were killed
outright was nothing short OF miracu.
lous. Streams OF water were poured on
the smoking debris, and as aoon as posi-
bic the work OF rescue began. Preston
and Bowen wero buried completely and
were dead some time before their bodies
were reached.
They were badly crushed, Bowon's
features being unrecognizable. Bohl-
man was taken out in an unconscious
condition and removed to his home,
where he died 4 few hours afterwards.
BY this time malt dozen physicians
had reached tho scene, and attention
was directed towards caring for tho in
jured. Leary, tho machiniss, was found
to be the worst sufferer, and it was
feared lie would scarcely live out the
day. The others, though badly used
up. will probably all recover.
The firemen had stubborn fight with
tho now doomed round house, the
heavy wind greatly aiding tho stubborn
flames. Atnoon the fire was practically
under control. after destroying all that
was inhamnable OF tho building.
The property loss is estimated at $780,
600; probably insured. The round