The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-20

men and citizens appeared at the alleys
entrance bearing Muneal on a stretcher.
He was conscious, but in great pain, and
the physicians expressed little hope for his
ultimate survival. At times the cries of a
babe and the means OF the men and wom-
en- could be heard. but the flames and smoke
increased and finally the voices were all
sileilced
A. z. Irwin, the night clerk, who.
with the barkeeper. William Rubbe, had
a narrow escape, went over the register
for the last few days this morning and
endeavored to call to mind the occupants
of the different rooms. He says there were
between fifty and fifty-five people registered
and sixteen were occupying back rooms,
where it was more difficult TO escape How
many of them were saved 1t is impossible
to state, but ii is known that several who
were in the back portion of the building
managed to escape in some manner.
GENERAL ADAMS A VICTIM
Gen. Charles Adams, of Manitou, Col,
occupied Room IL, in the rear of the hotel
and over the boilers, the section in which
the havoc of the explosion was hardest.
Mr. Rubbe believed he was in his room.
Ex-State Auditor Louis Schwanbeck,
brother of Mr.. Adams. was early at the
scene of the disaster and inquired for
him. He says ii was his brothers custom
to retire early on Sunday evenings. If 1T
is true that Mr.. Adams was in his room,
he is undoubtedly among the dead. Gen.
Charles Adams was well known in mining
and political circles in Colorado. He had
been resident of the State since early
days and formerly took prominent part
in politics a Republican. In 1878, at
the time Of the Ute troubles, he was Indian
agent at the .Ouray reservation. Follow
ing the expiration of that appointment he
was sent to Chill as United States consul
and served in that capacity for number
of years. OF late years he was engaged
i'm mining and various other enterprises
at Greed and Cripple Creek. He was also
interested in the Manitou bottlng works
and had been acting as general agent OF
the company in this city. General Adams
was full brother of ex-State Auditor Louis
Schwanbeck. The name of Adams was
given him by an act of one Of the first
sessions of the Colorado Legislature.
Peter Gumry, owner of the hotel was one
of the old time citizens of Denver He
was about sixty years OF age, his daughter
Of wbom e ws of r. in tSe a s
trade he was contractor and builder and
in this branch of business made good
struction of the Chamber of Commerce, the
courthouse and more recently the Capitol.
He was Scotchman.
Joseph Muneal, who was found in the
basement, dressed only in his underclothes
and completely covered with ashes and dirt,
when revived, said: 81 am cigar maker
and have been in the city for a week, hav-
ing come here from Cairo, Ill. l was up
stairs in bed when heard the awful crash.
/ did not know what ii was and got out OF
bed and hurried out, and in going down.
Il
/ got down on what / thought was the
ground floor fell down into the basement"
His injuries. though severe. are not thought
to be fatal.
Peter Poss an aged gentleman from Chat
tanooga. Tenn, was occupying room NO.
81. with his daughter Adde. He is an in-
valid. He was awakened by the noise and
found the room full of dust He had slight
cut above the left eye. Peter Daily. special
Poss down from the fourth floor on his
back. The daughter got downstairs un-
aided and uninjured.
Il. T.. Clarke, of Central City, Col, says
when he awoke the building was shaking
and rocking. and it seemed that it was like
ly to go down. The room was full of lime
plaster was falling ali about him He
rushed half-dressed down the stairway. w.
G: Purcell and wife. of Broken Bow: Neb. !:
many others, had similar experiences.
JAMES MURPHY'S DEATH.
The scene surrounding the death of James
Murphy. contractor. was heart rending.
| The firemen engaged at the rear of the
building heard the agonizing cries from the
| man that he was burning and asking them
| to continue to play the water. After few
| hours heroic work the firemen reached
| him. His two lower limbs were pinioned
between two heavy joists. A1ter the most
| hercuean efforts. with dense smoke blind
| ing them, the firemen released Murphy S
| left leg. At this moment shot of flame
compelled them to withdraw. Murphy then
offered his rescuers $1,000 to get him out.
| and pteously demanded them to chop his
| leg off. A second later the west wall col
| lapsed and covered Murphy with tons OF
ruins. Mr.. Murphy came to Denver from
MISE Mrs. George e ys'i r. Wolfe. from Lincoln.
| Neb., visiting Mrs. Schmittell, was vic
tim of the catastrophe. She was accompa-
MED by her five-year-old daughter. Mrs.
] Wolfe's husband is a prominent tobacco
manufacturer 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 Gumry Sunday afternoon, and have not
srown an ane from
| ha. and Chief Goulding answered that there
were little hopes of her husband being
alive.
| A suit of clothes was found in the ruins
of the hotel, in the pockets CT which was
thousand mile railroad book. bearing the
name of A. Stucky, and a letter addressed
to Miss Hattie Layton. Belvidere. Ill.
| j. z. Calkins, wife and baby. who were
| thought for time to have been victims of
| the casualty, have been located in the
Highlands. Mr.. Calkins is newspaper
| man from Davenport, Ia, city editor of
| the Gazette. They registered at the Gum
| ry on their arrival here, but later went to
| stay with friends.
| NJ. E. Letson. a dairyman Of this city, was
| in the ruins ten hours before he was res
| cued. His injuries are crushed arm, sew
| eral contusions and the shock to his nerves
Mr.. Letson said: II was more encased thar
| pinioned, as only my left leg-there where
you see the bandages-and my right arm
| here were held down by any weights. You
| cannot have the faintest idea of my feel
| ings as l lay there in the basement with al
/ the ruins on top and around me, hearing
| the excruciating cries of the dying anc
! those in agony, and being almost overcome
| by the shock and smoke soaked with
| water and almost drowned, and fearing thai
! the next minute j would be buried alive
| Frederick French one of those missing
| came to Colorado from Michigan in 1910
| locating in Gllpin county. He had served as
i alderman and Mayor of Central City. and
| two years ago was elected county treasurer
| He was a prominent Mason. Belial Lorah
another victim, hailing from Central City
was twenty-eight years cid. and a native
of that city. He was one of the best-knowr
/ assayers in the State. He leaves wife anc
young son, who are now visiting in Iowa.
| There is no doubt the disaster was caused
by boiler explosion. The engineer. IL II
said was intoxicated. and after turning
large quantity of cold water into the no