Great Falls weekly tribune., 1895-04-12
CAUSE UNKNOWN
But 1t Hurried Five Victims Into
Eternity in a Most Horrible
Manner.
new ORLEANS EXPLOSION
An Historic Landmark Suddenly
ObliteIated. No One Knows
Just How.

New ORLEANS, April about two
O'Clock this morning an explosion from
some unknown cause occurred at tht
corner of Decatur and Ursuine streets
in a two-story brick building, containing
two stories on the ground floor. One OF
these was occupied by Emile Boulet as q
drinking saloon, the other by Charles
Salathe as grocery and ship chandler
The building was near the lower end of
the French market and separated from
it by narrow alley. Little tongues of
flames began shooting up from the debris
and by this time the onlookers had re-
covered from the shock and set about to
think OF some means for the unfortunates
who they knew were imprisoned in the
smoking mass of brick and timbers. An
alarm of fire was sounded and the fire,
men did effective work in saving the
adjoining buildings They poured water
on the debris to save the dead from Gre
nation. People ran to and fro 80 much
out Of their wits that they could not
give intelligent answers to queries. Sal
athe's place was known az the Fisher
mems Exchange, and was rich in mem
ories of the Chenire Ceminads storm. 1t
is there that many of the rescued made
their headquarters when they We're
brought to the city, and it was d very
popular resort for fishing people,
At this morning two bodies were re-
covered. They were identified as those
Of Charles Salathc and wife. At day
light the work Of removing the ruins
began The police we're compelled to
use force to keep tho crowd away. The
bodies Of Felix Iigot and James Ed
wards employees Of the fish stand III the
market, were found. 1t was ascertained
that Edwards entered the saloon a few
minutes before the explosion with d
basket Of shrimps While the police are
inclined to believe that the explosion
was the result Of accident, people resid
ing in the vicinity are Of an entirely diff |
ferent opinion. They state openly that
tliht tIp th l'4cGictI was iu uLttuIpL W |
kill I'oulet, who had such miraculous
escape. Eoulat is the E'renchman who
two years ago shot and killed one of the
weathiest Italians doing business near
the French market.
o. II. Witty collector of the French
market, was standing on the corner OPP
poste the saloon when the explosion
took place, lie was in the habit Of going
10 the saloon often during the night to
chat with the barkceper, whom ne knew
very we'll and had Just walked across
from the market to the corner when the
explosion occurred. lie said it was ac-
companied by a terrific sound, apparently
half -Bmothered, as if blown up from the
bottom of the building. The ediiice
trembled and then went up with a tre-
mendous convuiHion, throwing parts of
the building high in the air, tearing
down the ursuline street wall and part
OF the Decatur street wall and leaving
the greater part Of the wall standing in
the rear Of the building. Witty says it
went up like a mighty flash and the ex
ploeion was followed by a big blaze that
went high into the air and then subsidized
somewhat. The walls and debris came
down with a crash and Immediately the
air was filed with smoke and dust
blown everywhere from the grocery
store. Immediately people rushed to
the place Of the explosion from every di
rection, The people in the two build
lngs were as follows: G. j. Salathe,
over the grocery store, with his wife and
four children, two of the latter were
saved Felix Rigot, barkeeper, an IS.
year Old boy who is missing; Emile
Boulet who slept over the saloon, and
who escaped. Joseph Grmaldi and Mike |
Bierei frequenters Of the saloon supposed ,
to be there at the time and who are !
missing When the firemen reached the d
scene they found the flames creeping !
)ut from all quarters under the debris
Water was pumped on the ruins. and
arge force OF men started to work to
clean away the debris, over where it was :
the bodies lay The dead 30
are recovered are; G. Salathe, grocer; {
Mrs. &. Salathe, his wife; the IA months :.
old infant OF Mr.. and Mrs Salathe Felix
|;igot, barkeeper for Abe DeCuers!, J.
Edwards. employed by Barthole. The v
injured are; Lille J, Salathe, aged s. !
badly brushed; Edward Salathe, aged
I, bruised; Chas. Reiss, driver, Jaw
fractured; |. Valenter, skull fractured,
Tom Anderson, colored, slightly injured.