Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-08-24
NUMBER 40.
THE DENVER HORROR.

moments warning, the boiler in the
basement of the Gumry hotel on Law
renee street. near Seventeenth, ex-
ploded shortly after midnight this
morning, and with terrific force tore
away the entire rear portion of the
building. demolishing the rear and
side walls and reducing the place to a
mass OF debris which shortly after took
fire.
| Eight bodies have been recovered
and are at the city morgue. Ten more
arc known to be buried in the ruins
and seventeen are missing. The loss
Of life will not be definitely known for
a day or two.
1t is believed that a 17.year-old boy.
Elmer Pearce. who was temporarily
placed in charge of the boiler, is re.
sponsible for the accidert With the
boiler almost at red heat, he let in
cold water, which caused the explo-
sion. Strange to say lie escaped un.
scathed and tonight was being hunted
by a crowd of angry people, who
would have dealt with him hastily had
he been apprehended There is NO
clew to his whereabouts.
NJ f. Letson was the first man taken
ont alive from the ruins lie had an
experience which was marvellous. lie
slept on the third floor, and when
found was encased in a conical mass
Of mortar and bricks that barely al
lowed him breathing room. CHEZ
| ppIortc of thn fra Eret
discovered him and began the removal
of the debris, which seemed to rest
directly upon his body. In agonizing
appeals Letson begged for an instru-
ment to end his existence The res
cuers worked with will, and in two
hours had succeeded in removing
enough plaster and bricks from the
now apparently lifeless body to allow
his removal. lie was taken to the
county hospital, and though his lower
limbs were horribly confused, he will
survive.
Women and children. maddened by
the terrible suspense of the day. hur-
ried to and fro outside the lines in
anxious inquiry concerning missing
ones. Strong men, hard at work amid
the ruins, shivered at the smell OF
roasting flesh and turned with palid
countenances from the scene. Never
before has such absolute wreck and
ruin been seen in any portion of the
state.
About 10 o'clock in the morning a
woman's hand was noticed protruding
from among pile cf'laths, bricks and
other material The rescuers imme-
diately went work in this place, and
when the work OF removal was fin.
shed it was discovered that she was
dead. Lying beatde her in lifeiess en-
brace was the corpse OF. a small child.
: The work of the fremen was super.
intended by Mayor McMurray, and Po.
lice Commissioners IIogle, Church and
Wilson.
At o'clock the body of an unknown
man was recovered, and it was i'm
mediately taken to the city morgue,
where it was later thoaght to be that
of j. F. McClosIcy.
Half an hour later the remains of
Conductor Burt were discovered and
taken out, and they too were taken to
the morgue.
Earlier in the morning were found
the bodies of Mr.. and Mrs K. c.
Greiner clasped in fond embrace amid
tons of the wreckage, They had un-
doubtedlv died from suffocation, as
their features were perfectly clear and
their limbs in natural repose The left
arm of Mr.. Greiner was thrown across
his wife's face, his forefnger raised as
though warning her of danger The
tiremcn first uncovered their heads,
and it was half an hour later before
the entire bodies were exhumed.
Excitement it the city tonight is at
a high pitch, Throngs of people
crowd police headquarters, the morgue
and hotels, searching for missing
friends. The ropes encircling the
) scene of the accident failed to keep
) back excited friends Of missing peo.
pie and thousands of curious bystand-
ers. Police from all over the city were
stationed at the scene and are attempt.
ing to keep order.
1 ltit - mum to'il NN tulC to-HiRhA
concerning the cause of the accident,
but Coroner Martin is now firmly con,
: vinccd that the accident was caused
by the boy.
The hastily-organized surgeons
corps, under Police Surgeon jaracker,
did noble work. With fifty feet of
flimsy walls tottering over their head,
they wended their way early in the
accident along corridors. down stair
ways, past shaly partitions to aid the
injured. Medicine was passed from
one to another along the line ard
while Letson was being rescued his
head was swathed in damp bandages
and stimulants administered.
Chief of Police Goulding worked in
the ruins all day, and every policeman
was ordered TO at once forget his in
conveniences and aid the injured.
About o'clock this eveninga severe
windstorm from the northwest arose,
and work was extremely precarious
, with shaky walls towering in the air.
To add to the confusion and chaos,
rain began falling in torrents, and
what few workers were not drenched
by streams from the fire engines were
incommoded by the cold rain
About o'clock the rain had ceased,
but clouds of sitting smoke con tinued
to- rise from the mass of ruins
The young man in charge of the
boiler at the time of the accident was
n thoroughly irresponsible boy. only
Il years of age lie 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 the slightest injury, as he has
certainly done, is a mystery. The
boilers are said to have been in excel
lent shape just prior to the explosion.
J and nothing save gross negligence
| could have caused the accident The
, building was fve-story one, erected
in 1883 by Mr.. Gumry.
The terrible destruction wrought by
the explosion. is in evidence every
where. Stores in the neighborhood
have their fronts demolished or win
dows damaged Along Larimer street,
L., Al, =, ,a,, ~ tba hu,idinr thora Ii