The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-08-20
BL OWN INTO ETERNITY
A SCORE PEOPLE KILLED BY
EXPLOSION OF A BATTERY
OF BOILERS.
SIX OTHERS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
BLOWN TO ATOMS WITH
TERRIFIC NOISE.
MANY BURNED INTHE RUlNS

MANY BURNED INTnE RUINS
When the Debris Took FIRE the Cries
of the Imprisoned People increase d
and Heart Rending shfisbs Ho,e
From Every Portion OF the Great
Mass of Wreckage.-- wfnI SCENES
Surrounding the Death OF Contra ctDT
Murphy--ThrflIing Stories Of Hair
Breadth Escapes--A Drunken Enei-
neer Responsible for the Disaster.
DENVER, Col, Aug. 19 Fifteen ar
twenty persons persisted b., fire Ia the
Gumrey Hotel, on Lawrer ce street, in
which terrific explosion to K place at
1910 m. The rear half of the build
ing, five story brick and stone s.rIc
ture, went doNn with crash The TO- .el
was crowded with guests, and many of
them must have been killed outright, as
well as about ten hotel employees, who
were sleeping in the portion of the build
Ing which fell. The cause was the bat
terry OF boiiers in the hotel basement ex-
ploding The sound of the explosion
was heard throughout the city, awaken
ing the people mile from the scene
Following are lists of dead and in
jured 50 far as ascertained:
Dead-Peter Gumrey, owner of the hotel
X. c. Grenner. manager of the hotel, SON
in-law of Peter Gumrey.
Mrs. Grenner, clerk of the hotel, daughter
OF Peter Gumrey.
Child of Mr.. and Mrs Grennar
Gen. Charles Adams, Manitou, Col.
4. l.. Blake, Pueblo, Col.
Myron +. Hawley, Union Pacific Railroad
clerk, Denver.
James Murphy, contractor, Denver.
George Burt passenger conductor on the
*. l. Railroad, Colorado Springs.
Mrs. G. X. Wolf and daughter, Lincoln,
Fred Hubbold of Hauser, of Elizabeth,
Iowa.
Three chambermaids; names unknown.
One bell boy: name unknown.
manager of hotel.
Bud Burns, Colorado Springs.
w. j. Carson, Pueblo Col.
City, Col. Ut is not positively known that
these two We're in their room.
EF E.6.n MsesSGloskey, Clos canon issa City, Git Col
j. J.. Kirke and j. A. Brown, Omaha.
Elmer Pearce, OF the Gumrey.
Injured-Josep1 MunaI, cigar maker
Cairo, Ill; face and head cut body bruised;
internal I'M iuries.
Michael Z. Burgess; severely cut about the
face.
W f. Erwin, night clerk; cuts and bruises.
j. III. Ietson, tramway conductor; badly
bruised; internal injuries.
Fred Coleman; not serious.
Bud Hopkins: not serious.
The whole rear half of the hotel was
blown to atoms and the front portions
are merely shattered and burned frag-
ments OF d house. The force of the ex.
yaln La4 60
on Lawrence street and for some dis
tance on Lorimer street, every window
in the business blocks was shattered in
pieces upon the pavements. 1t was
catastrophe complete aud pitiless in lis
horrors.
The dust had cleared away somewhat
when the firemen reached the place.
There was no fire to be seen then. In
front of the house there was the sound
of glass falling, and people we're rushing
in hight clothes in horror from the doors
and appealing pteously from the win
dovs for help.
The explosion awoke the guests in the
front part Of the house, and by the time
the firemen reached the scene, we're
ready to be taken from the windows.
The fremen, with torches, and lanterns
entered all parts of the hotel.
The Ruins Take Fire.
At 1880 the ruins were burning fierce
iy, and the firemen were obliged to re.
treat from the work of rescue
Every engine in the city was pouring
streams OF water into the mass, but the
flames could not be gotten under control
before many Of the injured had been
burned TO death. AS their chances of
escape lessened the cries of the imprison-
ed people increased, heart -rending
shrieAs rising from ey,ry portion of the
great mass of wreckage.
1t was after four o'clock before the
fire had been sufficiently subdued to per
nit the work of rescue to Re resumed,
Soon large force of men and teams
We're at work removing the debris.
MeaIU tile the fremen continued to
throw water on the smouldering ruins.
AT daylight three bodies were already in
sight, those Of two men and woman,
but 1t was impossible for the rescuers to
get at them
All day the melancholy work pso-
gressed. At II o'clock one body that was
not ide ltlfed had been found and late
this afternoon five more were recovered
from the blackened heap Two were
identified as the remains of Mr.. and
Mrs. X q. Grenner.
j. II. Letson was discovered alive in
the ruins. He was jammed between an
ice box and timbers III such shape that
it Was impossible to remove him for sew
eral hours Meantime he begged pit
eously TO be saved till finally he was res
cued and was removed at once to the
hospital One of his arms was crushed
and he may have suffered internal in
juries, but his recovery is confidently
expected
Many Thrilling Escapes.
~ There were many thrilling escapes
following the explosion and during the
progress of the fire.
Joe Muneat, of Cairo, ILL.,, was rescued