The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-20
DENvER'S HOTEL HORROR.
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION AND SCENES
OF DEATH AND TERROR.

building as IL IL Were a House of
Cards-TerribIe Loss of Life and
HeRrtrending scenes in the Debris
of the building.
Denver Col, Aug. 19.-Probably twenty
five men. women and children persisted by
an explosion of the boiler in the Gumry
hotel, on Lawrence street, shortly after
midnight this morning. Half dozen 9TH
ers are injured and at the hospital Eight
burned and crushed bodies are at the
morgue. Ten more are known to be buried
in the ruins. but seventeen persons are
reported missing altogether. With deaf
ening sound and terrific force the entire
rear portion OF the building was demollsh-
ed The rear and side walls crumbled like
toy house. Soon afterwards the mass
of timbers, brick and furniture caught
fire, cremating many of the victims. who
lay pinioned and helpless amid the blaz-
ing pile. Their piteous appeals for help
could not be responded to because OF the
flames.
The known killed whose bodies have
been recovered are: r. c. Greyer. as
sistant- superintendent OF construction
at the state capitol and his wife, who
acted ac clerk of the MOTEL; George
Burt of Denver, a conductor on the Chi
cago, Rock Island and Pacific rallroadi
Fred Hubbold of Lisbon. Ia, guest
+. J. McCloskey of Longmont, Col,
guest; wiz Richards or Denver. eleva-
tor boy; unknown woman. unknown
child, years old.
The only means of Identifying the
body of the woman Is by the gold band
ring with the initials III. b." engraved
thereon.
Among those who are missing and sup
posed to be still in the ruins are: Peter
Gumry, owner of the hotel and superin-
tendent of construction at the state cap
itol; Gen. Charles Adams of Denver;
James Murphy, a prominent democratic
politician of Omaha; l.. w. Edwards,
butcher of Denver; w. ]. Blake, n. j.,
Corsoin. F. French. county treasurer Of
Gipin county, Colorado; Mrs. q. X.
Wolfe. Grace Wolfe, years old, of Lin
coin, Neb.; r. l. Church Of Black Hawk;
unknown woman, three unknown cham
bermaids.
The injured are: M. T.. Letson. Alex
Irwin, Fred Coleman, Nathan Burgess.
Bud Hopkins.
ne latest ItKdfUink the
catastrophe is that l7-year-old boy. FL
mer Pierce, who was temporarily placed
In charge OF the boiler was responsible
for the explosion. With the boiler almost
at white heat. he let cold water in, caus-
ing an immediate explosion. He escaped
uninjured and tonight was being hunted
by angry people.
Few people, other than the firemen,
the hastily summoned rescue corps and po-
licemen, remained near the scene to wit
ness the recovery of the horribly burned
and distorted bodies.
NJ. f. Letson, who was the first live man
taken out, slept on the third floor and was
encased in conical mass of bricks that
barely allo%pd freedom Of movement.
Chief Roberts of the fire department first
discovered him and began. the removal of
the material that seemed to rest directly
upon his body In heartrending appeals
he begged for something to end his life.
The rescuers worked with a will, and In
two hours had succeeded In removing
enough plaster and bricks from the ap-
parently lifeless body to allow his reno
val. His lower limbs were crushed, but
he will survive his terrible ordeal.
About 10 o'clock a woman's hand pro-
truded from among a pile of building ma
terial. A space was cleared around ii and
when the form was removed IL was dis
covered she was dead Lying beside the
body was the corpse of a child
The firemen kept bravely at work, SUI
perintended by Mayor McMurray and po-
lice Commissioners Hogle, Church and
Wilson. In the afternoon women volun-
teers came with refreshments for the
workers.
At o'clock a. m the body of an un-
known man was recovered and taken to
the morgue. 1t was thought that of f. J.
McCloskey. Half an hour later the re-
mains of Conductor Burt were discovered
Earlier in the morning were found the
bodies OF Mr.. and Mrs. r. c. 0reiner,
clasped in an embrace of death amid tons
of debris. They had undoubtedly died from
suffocation, as their features We're clear
and limbs in repose. The left arm of Mr..
Greiner was thrown across his wifes
face. his ferefnger like danger signal
Excitement in the city tonight is at a
high pitch. Throngs of people crowd po-
lice headquarters and the morgue to search
for missing friends.
Ropes were stretched around the scene
Of the disaster. but they and extra police
failed to keep back the excited friends Of
missing people and thousands of curious
bystanders. There is much conjecture to-
night concerning the cause of the acct
dent, but Coroner Martin Is firmly con-
vinced that it was caused as stated. The
hastily organized surgeon corps under
Police Surgeon Jarecki did noble work
With fifty feet of brick wall tottering over
their heads they wended their way early
along the corridors, down stairways and
by shaking partitions to aid the injured.
Medicine was passed from one to another
along lire and soon Mr. Letson was be-
ing rescued his head swathed In damp
bandages and stimulants administered
About o'clock this evening a severe
wind storm came upon the city and work
was extremely hazardous with the weak
ened walls. To add to the confusion and
dismal scene. rain began falling in tor
rents and what few workers were not
drenched by the streams from the fire
engines were wet by the cold rain.
At o'clock the rain ceased falling, but
clouds of sitting smoke continued to arise
from the mass Of wreckage and more en-
gines were called. Their services were not
needed. however, as the wind soon died
away.
The boy who was In charge OF the boiler
at the time Of the accident had attended a
picnic during the day and was under the
influence Of liquor when he went on duty,
as several reliable persons have testified.
How he ever managed to turn the injector
cock and escape without injury Is a fnys-
terry. The boilers are said TO have been
IN excellent condition.
The terrible destruction wrought By the