The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-08-27
AWFUL EXPLOSION.
Boilers Explode in a Denver Hotel and
Twenty Five People are KiIled--A
Drunken Engineer Responsihle.


Drunken Engineer Responsible.
DENVER. Col, Aug. 10 The Gumry
Hotel, 1926 to 1888 Lawrence street.,
was wrecked by a terrible explosion at
- 10 a m. The rear half of the build
ing, a five story brick and stone struc-
ture, went down with q crash.
Out of forty OF more persons who
were in the hotel when the explosion
occurred, ascore were gotten out safely,
three were n scued with more or less
serious injuries and the others were
unquestionablv killed beneath the mas S
of bricks ard shattered beams and
twisted iron at the rea OF the ruined
building. Twelve bodies have been
taken out.
The fremen labored with energy at
the work Of excavation, but it will be
perhaps days before the uncertain hor
roTs Of the heap of destruction can be
fully told.
The death list will include the owner
of the hotel, Peter Gumry, the man
ager Robert @. Creiner and his wife,
who acte d as day clerk. They were
in the rear of the building and could
not possibly escape.
The firemen were appealed to plte-
ously Oy men, women and children
who we're in the ruins. When the fire
got under way their cries ceased and
their fate was sealed. Joe Muneal, of
Cairo, Ill was rescued at 2 80 o'clock,
after an hours work and it is certain
no more of the victims can be alive.
A. e. Irwin, the night clerk, who
with the bar keeper, VIM Dubbe, had
q miraculous escape, went over the
register for the last few days this
morning and endeavored to call TO
mind the occupants of the different
rooms. He a S there were between
fifty and fifty five people registered
and sixteen were occupying backrO0ms
where escape was more difficult. How
many of them were saved it is impOs
sible to state, but it is known that sew
eral who were in the back portion of
the building, managed to get out.
General Charles Adams, of Manitou,
Col occupied room II, in the rear OF
the hotel i've the boilers, the section
in which the havoc of the explosion
was hardest. Mr.. Dubbe believed he
was in the room.
Elk State Auditor Louis S~channeck, a
brother of Mr.. Adams wife, was early
at the scene of the disaster and in
quired eagerly for him. Schanbeck
90 . ~ ~ III OAObLOA LILO . CUSbOLl
to retire early Sunday evenings II it
room he is undoubtedly among the
dead.
A L Blake, of Florence, Col, was
sleeping in the room directly over the
boiler and Mr.. Dubbe places him also
among the dead.
Myron E Hawlev, a clerk in the
freight department of the Union Pacific
railway Office, roomed in the rear end
and had been in the house for a long
time. He had gone to bed early ard is
counted among the lost james Muir
ply, a contractor, was a regular
boarder and rOomed in the destroyed
portion. Mr.. Dubbe says he was in his
DON and he also must be among the
dead. Others who had rooms i'm the
hotel and who have not been accounted
for are as follows: M E L9tz 2. E
French, Bert f. Larch, of Central City
W. J. Carson, Pueblo; Calkins, Mr.
and Mrs. Burgess and two others; -
Edwards of Boulder; Herman Luders,
Mrs. Wolfe and daughte r, A. W. Rob
erts and wife, Colorado Springs; E f.
McCloskey, Canon City; three cham
Der maids and one bell boy.
The entire rear half of the hotel was
blown to atoms and the front is only
the shattered and burned fragment of
a house.
The force of the explosion was so
great that for two blocks on Lawrence
street, and for some distance on Lari
mer street, every window in the bust
ness blocks was shattered into pieces
upon the pavements. 1t was a catas
trophe complete and p~itiless in it's
horrors.
The dust had cleared away some
what when the firemen reached the
place. There was no fire to be seen
then. In front of the house there was
the sound of glass falling and people
we're rushing in night clothes in horror
from the doors and appealing piteous-
ly from the windows for help.
The explosion awoke the guests in
the front of the house and by the time
the firemen reached the scene, they
we're ready to be taken from the win
doWs. The firemen with torches and
lanterns, entered all parts of the hotel.
First to demand the attention Of the
ambulance corps was Michael 9. Bur
CESS, who was walking along Lawrence
street on the opposite side from the
hotel when the explosion occurred. The
l1y1uS S4aS5 CuG u4W bOOuU bu0 uSdu
and face in a frightful manner. His
injuries are very serious, though not
necessarily mortal. He is a planter
from Custer City, S. D
Bud Hopkins. a bar tender ct the
Gumry Hotel, was found on the ground
floor of the hotel unconscious and
bleeding from many cuts. His injuries
are not serious.
Six persons, including a woman and
a baby, were taken eff the roof of the
building adjoining the Gumry Hotel,
occupied by A Llllyblade.
Peter Pus5, an aged man, from Chat
tanooga, Tenn, was occupying room
No. 81 with his daughter Addie. he