The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-08-22
THE DENVER DISASTER
Twenty-Five Perished in the
Gumry Hotel Explosion.
MAN WHO CAUSED 1T A VICTIM.
Engineer Pierce, who While Drunk,
Turned Cold Water Into Hot Boilers,
Paid For 1t with His Life-A Sorrow
ful Scene--List of victims.

DENVER, Aug. 20.--A portion Of the
Gumry hotel, the scene of the fright.
ful disaster, is still standing, gaunt and
sinister, constantly threatening to crash
down upon those delving in the ruins
at any moment The search for vic
Tins has been carried on with the ut
most energy. Flames broke out afresh
in the wreckage and the fire engines
are again pouring forth water, still
further impeding the work Of rescue.
The property loss is $4,000
The list of dead and missing now
numbers 20, making the disaster the
worst that has ever occurred in the
city. Only seven bodies have been re-
covered. being those Of Manager
Grenier and his wife, clasped in each
others arms Gore Burt, Rock Island
railroad conductor: Mrs. George r.
Wolfe and daughter, Fred Hubbold
and Will Richards, the elevator oper-
ator Of the hotel.
Among the missing is now included
Elmer Pierce. the night engineer, who
is said to have entered the hotel
just before the explosion occurred. 1t
rs to this mans drunken carelessness
that the disaster is attributed. It is
said that he turned large quantity of
cold water into the hot boilers while
drunk.
The bodies of Peter Gumry and Gen.
eral Adams are still in the ruins.
Judge James Glynn, who was at first
supposed to have been in his room at
the hotel, turns out to be at Holyoke,
Colo, where he was spending Sunday
with friends.
A vast throng surrounds the building
ON every side, pressing forward as far
as the fire ropes will allow. The police
are constantly guarding against anyone
slipping through the lines, on account
Of the great danger that the front of
the building may fall. Following are
lists Of the dead and injured so for as
yet ascertained:
Dead-Peter Gumry, owner of the
hotel; r. G. Greiner, manager of the
hotel, son-in-l law of Peter Gumry; Mrs.
r. o. Griener, clerk of the hotel; child
of Mr.. and Mrs. r. G. Gfeiner; General
Charles Adams, AL Blake, Myron E.
Hawley, James Murphy, George Burt,
Mrs. G. r. Wolf and daughter of Lin.
coin, Neb.; three chambermaids, one
bell boy and Fred Hubbold of Eliza
beth, la.
Missing-John Greiner. father Of r.
9. Greiner; Bud Burns, w. j. Carson,
f. French, Bart Larsch. E. II. Nc
Closkey, j. l.. Kirke, Omaha; j. A..
Brown, Omaha, and Elmer Pierce, en-
gineer of the Gumry hotel.
M. e. Letson, dairyman of this city,
was in the ruins ten hours before he
was rescued. His injuries are a crushed
arm, several contusions and the shock
to his nervous system.
~" The scenes surrounding the death of
James Murphy, contractor, was heart
rending. The firemen engaged at the
rear of the building heard the agonizing
cries from the man that he was burning
and asking them to continue to play
the water. After a few hours heroic
work the firemen reached him. His
two lower limbs were pinioned between
two heavy joists. After the most her.
culean efforts with dense smoke blind
ing them, the f1remen released Muir
phys left leg. At this moment shot
of flames compelled them to withdraw.
Murphy then offered his rescuers 81 900
to get him out and piteously demanded
them to chop his leg off. A second
later the west wall collapsed and COW
cred Murphy with tons of ruins. Mr..
Murphy came to Denver from Omaha
six years ago.