The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-05
The Number of Lives Lost Will Be at
Least Three.
AN EARLY MORNING DISASTER.
Fire Broke Out and Added to the
Terror of the Time.

and Ursuline streets this morning about
2 O'Clock, and the ship chandler store
OF j. Charles Salathe and the
adjoining saloon, the 1shermens' ex-
change, owned by Charles Salsthe, COM
pletely demolished. Fire broke out im-
mediately following the explosion which
occurred in the ship chsndler's store in
which quantity of powder and shot have
always been kept on hand. The front and
side walls of the two buildings were en-
tirely blown down, but the rear partitions
were left standing, showing that the ex-
plosion had occurred in the front part of
the building.
The number Of the dead is not known.
At least half a dozen who were sleeping
in the two building at the time are
buried beneath the debris and 1t is feared
that they have been either crushed TO
death or were burned to char.
At the hour of the explosion the street
in front was beginning to fill up with
market people. A number OF wagons
were on Decatur street and On the side
walks and in the market small knots of
men were getting out their goods and
trading for their daily supplies. Their
trade was cut short by a muffled sound
that came across the street, and
as they instinctively turned,
expecting an explosion, the walls lifted,
and came down with crash on all sides.
The force of the explosion was terrible.
Drivers were hurled from their vehicles
and the wares on the market stands were
blown to the four winds.
Salsthe and his wife and one child are
supposed to have been killed. His bed
room was directly over the powder and he
has not been seen since. One OF his chill
dren emerged from the ruins in his night
clothes alter the engines had been at
work on the flames about ave minutes.
The explosion was caused by powder
stored in the grocery, which was blown
to pieces. The French Market was Just
being opened, and the men who sell
fish and other food were unloading
their wagons, some of them had gone into
the saloon TO drink and the barkeeper,
Felix Rigo and five or six people who were
drinking there are under the debris.
Splinters, bricks, pieces OF timber
market, damaging that and the windows
in Sarrazini's factory adjoining were
shattered. More than six men, who were
on the streets, were slightly injured
by flying PARTICLES. Emil Bout, the owner
OF the barroom, had stepped across the
street for moment and was in the mar
ket when the explosion occurred, thus
saving his own life. There were
sleeping apartments over the barroom in
which number of people were supposed
to be resting for the night. The salsthes
kept a large quantity OF powder, which
they sold to fishermen and hunters.
At o'clock the estimated number Of
dead was Is. Chas. Reiss, q colored man,
was seriously wounded by flying TINT bers
and was carried to the hospital in the
ambulance.
The following are those missing SO far
as known:
JOSEPH GR1NALDI.
NIKE BARI.
FELIX RIGoT.
AT o'clock this morning two bodies
were recovered. They were identified as
those Of Charles Salathe and his wife.
At daylight this morning the work of re-
moving the ruins began.
Crowds OF people hung around the spot
and the police were compelled to use force
TO keep them away. At s O'Clock the
workmen came across the mangled body
OF Felix Rigot, the bsrkeeper. He was
lying under pile of timber in tho front
part OF the saloon be was dead when
taxed out. Ten minutes later another
body was found near where Rigot was
lying. The body was identified rs
that OF James Edwards, an employe OF
fish stand in the market. Edwards had
been seen five minutes before the explosion
and the fact that his body was found
in the ruins was surprise. IL
was subsequently ascertained that he had
entered the saloon a few moments previ-
Gus to the explosion with a basket Of
shrimp. At o o'clock the workmen,
while walking around tho ruins, heard
a noise, and upon raising some heavy
timbers found black and tan nursing
several puppies.
All OF the animals wero alive. Three
hundred dollars and quantity Of jewelry
have also been recovered. The work of
clearing away debris is going on slowly.
While the police are inclined to think
that the explosion was the result of an ac-
cident, a number OF people residing
-. -.