The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-01-18

Butte, Mont, Jan. 17.-[Special TO The
Herald.I-As a. rule early reports of dis
asters are apt to be exaggerated, but
IN the accounts sent out about Tuesday
nights frightful explosion and death
the reverse was the case.
Hour after hour the disaster had
been putting on more distressing pro-
portions, and it looks now as If the
real weight and extent of the terrible
calamity would never be known. The
list of missing is growing constantly.
Many strangers were in the crowd OF
spectators around the burning ware
houses and some of them must have
shared the fate Of the four firemen Of
whom nothing has been recovered but
shreds of flesh and clothing scattered
over miles of territory. The list of
known dead has swelled to fifty-three
and there are at least four in the hos
pitfalls who cannot recover. Those are:
Z John Sloan, compound fractures of thu
4 thigh, both legs and right arm; Charles
z Aston, broken skull and crushed leg;
w L. Miles. punctured wound OF the
3 abdomen: William Bow, head cut, leg
broken. internal injuries and still I'm
conscious. Others are also believed 10
be fatally injured.
List of the Missing.
To the list OF missing the name OF
Charles Hoffbauer was today added.
a few hours before the explosion he
was up town and purchased a pair Of
new shoes and on his way home ne
evidently stopped at the fire. One
shoe, badly torn, Of the new ones he
had under his arm, has been found u
quarter Of a mile from The scene Of
the catastrophe, but not a fragment OF
Hofbauer has been found. He was
about tWenty-eight years of age and
unmarried.
Included in the list OF fifty-three to-
day are the four missing firemen, Dave
Moses, Samuel Ash, P. J. Norling ana
Ed. Sloan, but not Hofbauer nor any
other Of the missing. In the minds OF
Hhose VINO visited the scene after the
explosion. there is no Doubt but that
many are blown to atoms who will
never be heard of. Among the debris
were found a number Of letters adj
a dressed to William Moffett, 4e9 Ere,
= mont street, Boston. The letters were
from Canada and were signed Ambrose
Allen. 1t is supposed he is among the
-Iic1kTns. A number of bills from a.
Z LUMBER company to T. H. Mackie We're
p also found. Another letter found was
one from Portland Ore, signed "E
n. Smith" Only a portion Of the let
ter was found. The letter closed with;
IF you see p. c. W. give him my
. best regards
Portion OF Il. Body Found.
A portion OF a body has been found.
supposed to be that of ]. D. Cameron.
the fire marshal. but the Identification
us not certain, there being nothing to
distinguish it but a belt, which was
exactly similar TO that worn by the
assistant chief. whose body was also
unrecognizable. Every hour also brings
additional reports Of the injured. Fully
one hundred have been heard from.
many of them being III a serious con-
dition. Evan Evans was on the scene
siirectly after the first explosion and
started TO assist in removing the in
jured.
occurred
he was picked up and carried some dis
tance in the air and far from the scene.
All his clothes Were torn from his
body, but the only injury he sustained
was a pEnctured right cheek and cut
sn his left side. The flashes and con-
cussion Of the explosion were severely
felt at Belgrade, on the other side of
the mountain range and eighty-five
nIiges from Butte.
~ TeIeEralns From Everywhere.
= sThe report seems to have gone abroad
3 that the entire city was blown up.
& Telegrams and cablegrarns to the mum
Der Of several thousand have been re-
ceived from almost all parts Of the
globe, making inquiries as to the
safety Of friends. Although the own
ers of the Kenyon-Conneu ware
house where the explosion oc-
CURED state that they had less
than $50 pounds of giant powder
In their buildings it is estimated by
mining men who are familiar with ex-
u 71losives that there were at least twenty
< tons of powder in The house The law
limits the storage OF powder within q
mile of the city limits at $50 pounds.
The penalty for its violation however,
is only a nominal fine. The citizens OF
Butte are, however determined to fix
the blame where it belongs and the in
vestigation at the inquest will be
thorough.
Coroner Richards had impauelled q
fury, but County Attorney Winess-was
not satisfied with its complexion and
ordered it discharged and another
men, to be empanelled.
Viewing the Dead Bodies.
The dead bodies were viewed and tn.