The Monticellonian., 1895-03-22

Wounded by tho Suddene Collapse or
 Wall During the Burning of the Wabash
 Railway Roundhouse at Toledo, O.--A
 Dozen Surgeons Quickly on the Scene
 The Lo%ses.
 ToLEr,o, O., March Is.-One of the most disastrous fires in the way of loss of human life that this city has ever experienced, broke out shortly after 10 o'clock yesterday morning in the roundhouse of the Wabash Rail- way company. The damage to prop erty was comparatively small, but three men lost their lives, two being killed instantly and nine others more or less injured One of them, John OLeary, n machinist, will likely die from his injuries.
 The list of the dead is ns follows:
 R. II. Bohlman, 56, painter; married, seven children; skull crushed and in formally injured.
 J. ]. Preston, 35, car inspector; mar ried, six children; back broken, skull crushed.
 John Bowen, aged IS, a spectator; skull crushed, internally injured.
 The injured are: II. F. Howard, general foreman eastern division; back bruised, face cut, slightly burned. John 0'Leary, machinist; leg broken, arm crushed, skull fractured; may die. Patrick McDonough, fireman; skull fractured, shoulder broken. Martin Greenburg, car repairer; head cut. Harry Zimmerman, painter; leg sprained, body bruised. Louis Decker, painter; head bruised, shoulder sprained. Henry Gerding, car repair CT; head bruised and cut. Casper Becker, painter; head and shoulders cut. T. c. Lauer, truck foreman; head and neck sprained, head cut.
 All of the dead except John Bowen were employees of the Wabash. They constituted the company's fire depart ment for the protection of the shops, and were engaged in fighting the flames when they lost their lives. The roundhouse Is located at the | foot of South street. It was sub stantial brick structure with capac- | ity of twenty engines and contained six locomotives when the fire broke out. The flames were first seen in the cupola, shortly after 10 o'clock. An alarm was telephoned to the city fire | department and in the meantime the company got one stream playing on the blaze which soon made its way to the roof.
 The walls of the building were be- lieved to be secure and the brave little band of fire fighters pressed closely in towards the building, the more effect ively to combat the spreading flames. It was seen that the roof would soon fall, but no danger was appre hended | from that source, until, to the horror of the assembled spectators, the south west wall, weakened by the destruc- tion of the frame supports which con- nected it with the roof, was observed to tremble and suddenly fall out on l the volunteer firemen.
 Before the majority of the men could | realize their peril the heavy wall was on them, burying them under a heap of smoking debris.
 All but Bowen, Preston and Bohl- man were quickly taken out. The | two first named were completely cov- | cred by the ruins of the wall; Bohl- man was a little more fortunate. From out of the smoking heap the mangled bodies of Bowen and Preston were taken; they were beyond need of human care. Bohlman was still alive, although unconscious, but he suc- cumbed to his injuries shortly after being taken home.
 When the first of the city firemen answered the alarm they saw that there was imminent danger of the fire spreading to the Wabash elevator and the repair shops, which stood close by. | The oil house was also menaced, but luckily the flames were held in check at this particular point. | general alarm was sent in, and by dint of numbers the firemen finally succeeded in saving the surrounding property. The roundhouse was com pletely wrecked and the six engines stored therein practically rendered use- | less.
 The loss is estimated at from SIS, 900 to S100, 900, and is believed to be fully covered by insurance.
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