The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-08-20
HORRIBLE HOTEL HOLOCAUST
Eight Burned and Crushed Bodies
Are Lying at the Morgue.
Ten More Are Known 10 Be Missing.
The Boiler Exploded With Deafen-
ing Sound, The Force of
Which Demolished the Rear
OF the Building.
BY Southern Associate , Press.

DENVER, COL, August l9. Probably
twenty i've men. women aud children
persisted by al explosion of the boiler
In the Gumry Hotel on Lawrence
street shortly after midnight this
morning. Half II dozen others are in.
lured ct the hospital. Eight burned
aud crushed bodies are at the morguo.
Ten more are known to be buried IN
the ruins, but seventeen persons nro
reported smissing altogether. With
deafen'ng sound ana terrific force the
entire rear portion of the building was
dem molished. The rear aud side walls
crumhlsd like toy house. Soou after
wards the mass of timbers, brick aud
furniture caught tire, cremating many
OF the victims who lay helpless. Their
responded to because of tho flames.
The known killed whose bodies hnve
been recovered nre: Il. &. Greeues,
assistant superintendent of construc
ton ut the State Capitol aud his wife,
who acted as clerk at the hotel; George
Burt, OF Denver, contractor on the
Chicago Rock Island aud Pacific road
Fred Hubbold, of Lisbon, Iowa, guest;
L. j. McCioskey, of Lougmout, Col
guest; VIII Ricnnrds, of. Denver, cle-
vator boy; unknown woman.
unknown Guild ; years old. The
| only mesns OF identifying the body of
the woman is 10y gold band ring
with the Initials Ill. g." engraved
thereon. Among those wo are missing
aud supposed to be still in the ruins
are: Peter Gumry, owner OF the hotel
und Superintendent of CONSTRUCTION
at the State Capital Gen. Charles
Adams, of Denver; James Murphy, n
prominent Democratic politician OF
Omaha.
L w Edwards, butcher, Denver; A
j Blake, y j Corson, L French, county
treasurer of Gilpin county, Colorado ::
Mrs q Il Wolfe, Grace Wolfe, j years
OF age, of Lincoln, Neb; B | Lurcn, of
Blnckhauk; unknown woman; three
unk chnmbermalds. The lnintcd
arc NJ l. Letsun, Joseph MnnAlI.
Alex Irwin, Fred Coleman, Nathan
Burgess, Bud Hopkins.
The inteet Information regarding the
catastrophe Is that Il l1-year. old boy.
Elmer Pierce, who was temporarily
placed In charge of the boiler. WAS re.
sponsibie Tor the explosion. MIIh the
boiler ut white heat he let cold water
into 1t, causing an lmmediate expio
| sion. He escaped unlnjured, and to.
night was being hunted by an angry
people.
NJ. T.. Lelzon, who wns the first live
| man taken from the ruins, slept on the
third floor, and when found was GU
casei In conlcal mass of morter aud
bricks that barely allowed freedom OF
movement. Chief Roberts. OF the Fire
Department, first discovered him aud
rapidly began the removal OF the tons
OF material that seemed to rest directly
upon his body. In heartreudiug ap.
penls he begged for something TO end
his life.
The rescuers worked with will and
in two hours had succeeded IN remov.
lug enough plaster apd brick from the
apparently lifeless body To allow his
removal. His lower limbs were
crushed, but he will survive his Ter.
rible ordeal.
About 10 o'clock womans head
protrnded from pile of building ma.
teriai. y space was cleared around II
Gnd when the form was removed 1t WAS
discovered she was dead. Lying be.
side the body was the corps OF child.
The tiromen kept bravely at work.
snperintended by Mayor McMurray
aud Police Commissioners Hogle.
Church AMI Wilson. Ia the afternoon
women volunteers came with refresh.
neuts for the workers.
At n. NJ. the body OF al unknown
man was recovered aud taken 10 tho
morgne. 1t was thought to be that of
i. D. McCloskey. Half an hour later
the remaius Of Conductor Burt were
recovered.
Earlier IN the morning were found
the bodies OF Mr.. aud Mrs. Il. G..
Greiper, clasped In an embrace of
death amid tous OF debris.
Excitement IN the city tonight is Mt
high pitch. Ihrongs of people crowd
police headquarters aud the morgue to
search Tor missing friends.