Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-03-23
BURIED IN DEBRIS.
Two Mon Instantly Killed and Many
Wounded by the Sudden Collapse OF =
Wall During the burning Of the Wabash
Railway ROundhouse ut Toledo, O.-A
Dozen Surgeons Quickly on tho Scene
The IOsaes.

Wounded by the Sudden Collapse OF y
Wall During the burning Of the Wabash
Railway ROundhouse ut Tolsdo, O.-A
Dozen Surgeons Quickly on tho Scene
The Losses.
TOLEDO, o., March 1S.--One of the
most disastrous fires in the way OF
loss of human life that this city has
ever experienced, broke out shortly
after 10 o'clock yesterday morning in
the roundhouse of the Wabash Rail-
way company. The damage to prop
erty was comparatively small, but
three men lost their lives, two being
killed instantly and nine others more
or less injured. One of them, John
OLeary, n machinist, will likely die
from his injuries.
The list of the dead is as follows:
X. ii. Bohlman, Sc, painter; married,
seven children; skull crushed and in.
ternally injured.
j. j. Preston, 81, car inspector; mar
ried, six children; back broken, skull
crushed.
John Bowen, aged Is, spectator;
skull crushed, internally injured.
The injured are: II. +. Howard,
general foreman eastern division; back
bruised, face cut, slightly burned.
John OLeary. machinist; leg broken,
arm crushed, skull fractured; may die.
Patrick McDonough, fireman; skull
fractured, shoulder broken. Martin
Greenburg, car repairer; head cut.
Harry Zimmerman, painter; leg
sprained, body bruised. Louis Decker,
painter; head bruised, shoulder
sprained. Henry Gerding, car repair
er; head bruised and cut. Casper
Becker, painter; head and shoulders
cut. Il. c. Laucr, truck foreman; head
and neck spraincd, head cut.
All of the dead except John Bowen
were employees of the Wabash. They
constituted the company's fire depart
ment for the protection Of the shops,
and were engaged in fighting the
flames when they lost their lives
The roundhouse is located at the
foot of South street. 1t was sub
stantial brick structure with capac-
ity of twenty engines and contained
six locomotives when the fire broke
out. The flames were first seen in the
cupola, shortly after 10 o'clock. An
alarm was telcphoned to the city fire
department and in the meantime the
company got one stream playing on
the blaze which soon made its way to
the roof.
The walls Of the building were be-
lieved to be secure and the brave little
band of fire fighters pressed closely in
towards the building, the more effect.
lively to combat the spreading flames.
1t was seen that the roof would soon
fall, but no danger was apprehended
from that source, until, to the horror
of the assembled spectators, the south.
west wall, weakened by the destruc-
tion of the frame supports which con-
nected it with the roof, was observed
to tremble and suddenly fall out on
the volunteer firemen.
Before the majority of the men could
realize their peril the heavy wall was
ON them, burying them under heap
of smoking debris.
All but Bowen, Preston and Bohl-
man were quickly taken out. The
two first named were completely COW
cred by the ruins of the wall; Bohl-
man was little more fortunate.
From out of the smoking heap the
mangled bodies of Bowen and Preston
were taken; they were beyond need of
human care. Bohlman was still alive,
although unconscious, but he sue.
cumbed to his injuries shortly after
being taken home.
When the first of the city firemen
answered the alarm they saw that
there was imminent danger of the fire
spreading to the Wabash elevator and
the repair shops, which stood close by.
The oil house was also menaced, but
luckily the flames were held in check
at this particular point.
A general alarm was sent in, and by
dint Of numbers the tiremen finally
succeeded in saving the surrounding
property. The roundhouse was COM
pletely wrecked and the six engines
stored therein practically rendered use
less.
The loss is estimated at from S75,0OG
to 100000, and is believed to be fully
covered by insurance.