The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-04
MIR. LINGENFELTER's STORY.
Does Not Believe Gas Explosion or
Smoldering Blaze Caused the Fire.

Does Not Believe a Gas Explosion or
smoIdering Blaze Caused the Fire.
Probably as authentic an account of the
beginning OF the fire as can be obtained is
given in the story told by Mr.. Arthur Lin
genfelter, of No. 81 Bradshaw street MIR.
iLingenfelter has been employed by Schnull
& Co. for about eight years as one of the
packers. Last night he was seen at his
home. He said he was at work on the Sec
ond floor of the building about s o'clock in
the morning With two other men, Cal Co
gan and Charles Ellerhursch, he was en-
gagged in packing a large box near the CEN
ter Of the second room north Of the Fair
banks Scales Company. in the vicinity of
the elevator He started towards the rear
of the store, entering the next room on the
south. In an instant after he entered the
room he says he heard a terrible crash,
and his first thought was the elevator had
fallen. but this thought had scarcely formed
in his mind when the gas lights went out
and left him in total darkness. He was un-
able to imagine what had happened, and his
only thought was that his life was in great
danger. He remembered there was a glass
door in the rear of the room opening into
the wareroom of the Indiana Coffee Com
pany. 1t was so dark in the room he could
not see face in front of him, but he was
so familiar with the premises that he man
aged to grope his way to the door without
trouble 1t was locked, and he used his
bare fists to break the glass, after which he
managed to scramble into the wareroom.
He made his way to the office of the Coffee
company. and assisted in carrying out their
books, although his hands were covered
with blood. He doubts the correctness OF
the assertion that the crash was caused by
a gas explosion, as he says the gas was too
low yesterday morning to cause an explo-
sion
Last night he said he was unable to tell
whether fire had been burning between the
jo.sts and caused them TO give way or not,
no electric wires in the building. and there
is no way OF accounting for fire breaking
Lingenfelter said to one of the first men he
saw after emerging from the building, 1t
seems he saw the ceiling of the floor above
falling in. and knew the floor was about to
crash through and bury him. Last night
he said he did not remember seeing any signs
OF falling bricks or timbers all he could re-
member member was was he heard a dreadful crash and and
was by getting out OF the building imme-
diately. 1t seems there was a small gas
stove burning on the third floor Lingen-
felter thought 1t possible the floor gave way
and overturned the stove and commune
Gated fire to the combustibie materials
around II. III this theory is correct the rap
idlty with which, the fire spread can be ac-
counted for. as the falling hoor would carry
with it all gas PIPES and allow the gas to
escape. Gas escaping from the different
broken pipes would add to the fiefceness of
the flames. Lingenfeters hands were not
severely cut, but he was considerably
shocked by the trying scenes through which
he passed. He says by the time he reached
the street smoke and fire were pouring out
over the roof. Lingenfeiter says while the
hcors were crowded with goods ne does not
al ba cfp
hand has been heavier In the past than 1t
was when the fire broke out yesterday.