The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-07

nothing has been seen or heard since the
accident.
Charles Hackett was found in the ruins
IN the rear. 70 which approach was made
IN the ambulance he reported there had
been four or five girls on the floor with
him.
Charles Hergert. a packer. employed by
John Davis & Co.. was on the third floor
when the explosion occurred. II felt the
crash and was surrounded by flying debris
before / could realize what had happened.
The vinegar barrels and acid carboys came
down on US 1 don't know how l got out
! know 1 breathed the fresh air after a
scramble among the ruins. and knew | had
escaped. There were four others in the
building that. know of-Alex Campbell,
Annie TapIey, Kittie Leonard and Joe VIM
ter. the bookkeeper. I don't know who got
out alive"
TwENTY-sEvEN MISSING.
From the lists OF tenants and employees
secured It seems certain that fifty people in
all were in the collapsed section. There are
still twenty-seven persons unaccounted for.
and II Is no more than fair 10 presume
that most of them are among the dead.
At every hour reports are received OF others
who are missing. and whose relatives and
friends have been unable to find any trace
OF them.
VIII probably not recover. OF those who are
now In the ruins, L Is impossible that any
viii be rescued alive. Those who were not
killed outright have undoubtedly persisted,
either from suffocation or exhaustion. The
only hope is that some Of those who are re-
ported missing may be safe With friends.
Tie total death rate will not be known be-
fore tomorrow night. IL ma be even long
or before the workmen reach the basement
floors OF the Inflated building and the total
number OF lives lost is known TO a certainty.
Tie work Of removing debris and searching
for bodies is going on all night by the aid
OF electric Eghts. but the task is a big one.
EqTQloGGnoQu II frnHo4rhfo 6I~ the ea,ua 90
the disaster. but where the responsibility
rests Is as yet predetermined. Thomas
nomps0n, the engineer was painfully in
jured. He said he could assign no reason for
the explosion. City Boiler Inspector Me-
Greg0r says she inspected the boilers last
August and had found them up to the re-
quirements. Some of the employees In the
building assert that the boilers were old
and were known 10 be unsafe. Still others
By chemicals owned by the Davis company,
stored in the basement. Another circum-
stance IL also considered significant. namely
that carpenters were engaged in snoring up
the floor OF the second story directly over
the boilers. In order TO sustain the weight of
a heavy machine which had been placed
in Dunlap's machine shop. The men who
We're at work on this job were buried in
the ruins Little credence is given TO any
theory. however, except the original ore,
namely. that the boilers exploded, demolisn-
ing the lower floors anu knocking away the
supports from the upper ones. which fell
With the weight of the machinery, etc,
WHICH lney supported 1n0 most shocking
scene attending the disaster was a struggle
between Coroner Butler and an undertaken
in the employ of Giles Bros. against under
taker Frank Gibbs. The latter chung TO the
streteher while the body was being carried
out through the crowd. As the spectators
We're becoming excited over the ghoulish
scene. the police. in the interests OF order.
rushed Gibbs outside the fire lines and would
not permit him TO return.
The property loss will be entire for the
owners OF the building and tenants. II is
not believed that the ordinary insurance
policies cover the loss by explosion. The
loss on the ruined part of the building is
about 10000. The Evening Journal loses
about $1,000 by the destruction Of its ma
chinery. etc. The total loss of the other
tenants Is placed at something over $50, O00.