The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-08-20

! hurried out, ana III going down stairs, i
must have lost my way, for when | got
on hat thought was the ground floor,
| fell down into the basement"
The most that the iremen could do,
while the flames shot up fiercely and
smoke drove them back, was to fight he
roically for the life of Muneat, whose
head and shoulders protruded from the
burning mass.
Police Surgeon j A Recki took his
place where he could keep Muneat's
head moist and properly attend him,
while his lower limbs we're being extrica-
ted. Ii was a position of great
| danger, on account of the
fines and the over hanging roof,
which threatened 10 come down
at any moment. But the men worked
on, hauling at beams with ropes and u.s.
| ing ever device to clear the space around
the suffering man, who bore his agony
with great bravery and cheered on his
helpers. At last Il great cheer arose,
and word was spread among the crowd
waiting outside that the work was
| finished Soon firemen and citizens ap.
| paard at the entrance of the alley, bear
ing Muneat on stretcher. He was un-
con- cious, but suffering great agony.
His injuries, though severe, are not
thought to be fatal.
Six persoLs, including a woman and
baby, were taken off the building ad-
joining the Gumrey, occupied by A.
Lillyblade.
Peter Poss, an aged gentleman from
Chattanooga, Tenn, was occupying room
hic IL
was an invalid. He was awakened by
the roise and found the room full of
dust He had slight cut above the
left eye. Peter Daily, special officer of
the Union Pacific, carried Mr. Poss down
the fourth floor on his back The daugh-
ter got down the stairs unaided and un-
injured.
Caused by Drunken Engineer.
The Gumrey was five story brick
with stone front and was built about six
years ago. 1t was of the better kind of
second class hotel, catering largely to
transient families It was built as the
Eden Mu5ee by the widow of Gen. Tom
Thumb, later being remodeled for use as
hotel. Gumrey and Grenner have
owned the hotel for several years.
There is no doubt the disaster was
caused by boiler explosion Frank
L9escher, the engineer, it is said, was
intoxicated, and after turning a large
quantity Of cold water into the hot boil
ers, LIFT the building ten minutes before
the explosion occurred The police are
,oking for him.
r. E. Irwin, the night clerk, says
Loescher, who was only II years Old,
was drunk when he went On duty and
that he was in the habit of neglecting
his duty. Irwin was pinned beneath
some heavy timbers at his desk by the
explosion and was rescued by fireman.
He has scalp wounds aud internal iniu-
ries, but will recover.
Offered $40 900 to be Saved.
The scenes surrounding the death of
james Murphy, contractor was heart
rending. The firemen engaged at the
rear of the building heard The agonizing
cry from the man that he was burning and
asking them to continue to play the wa
ter. After a few hours heroic work the
fremen reached him. His two lower
limbs were pinioned between two heavy
joists After the most Herculean efforts,
with dense smoke binding them, the
fremen released Murphy's left leg. At
this moment a sheet of flame compelled
them to withdraw. Murphy then offered
his rescuers $40, 900 to get him out, and
piteously demanded them to chop his
leg off. A second later the west wall
collapsed, and covered Murphy with tons
of ruins. Mr.. Murphy came to Denver
from Omaha six years ago.
Mrs. George r Wolf, from Lin
coin, Nebraska, visiting Mrs. Schimt-
tel, was victim of the catastro-
phe. She was accompanied by the
five year-old daughter. Mrs. VOLTS
husband is prominent tobacco manu-
facturor of Lincoln. He left the hotel
yesterday for tour of Colorado.
j. A. Brown and j. L Kirk, of
Omaha, are among the missing. They
registered at the Gumrey Sunday after
noon and have not been seen since the
explosion. Mrs. Brown tel graphed an
inquiry from Omaha and Chief Gould
ing answered that there were little hope
of her husband being alive A suit of
clothes was found in the ruins of the
hotel, in the pockets of which was a
thousand mile railroad ticket bearing the
name of Stunkey, and a letter ad
dressed to Miss Hattie Layton, Belyi-
dere, Ill.
Twenty-Five Dead and Missing.
a portion of Gumrey Hotel, the scene
of last nights frightful disaster, is still
standing, gaunt and sinister, constantly
threatening to crash down upon those
delving IN the ruins at any moment. The
search for victims has been carried on to
| the utmost energy constantly with the
aid of twenty arc lights. Flames broke
out afresh in the wreckage TO night, but
fire engines are again pouring forth
water, still further impeding the work
| of rescue.
The Inst of dead and missing now num-
bers %, making the disaster the worst
that ever occurred in the city. Up to
$50 o'clock to n ght only seven bodies
had been recovered, being those of
Manager Grenner and his wife, clasped
in each others arms; Gore Burt, Rock
Island conductor; Mrs. George r. Wolf
and daughter, Fred Hubbold and Will
| Richarcs the elevator onerator of the