The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-03-21
THREE Nd.
One Of the Worst Fires, as to Loss Of
Life, In Toledo.
Besides the Three Killed Eight Others
Were Injured by the Falling Walls
The Money Loss Will Amount to
Between $4,000 and 100000.

TOLEDO, o., March 1s.-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 Sunday morning in the round
house of the Wabash Railway Co. The
damage to property was comparatively
small, but three men lost their lives,
two being instantly killed, and nine
others were more or less injured. One
of them, John O'Leary, machinist,
will likely die from his injuries.
The list of fatalities is as follows:
Il. Ii. Bohlman. Sc, painter, married,
seven children; skull crushed and in
ternally injured.
j. j. Preston, 35, car inspector, mar
sled, six children; back broken, skull
crushed.
John Bowen. aged 1s, spectator;
skull crushed, internally injured.
The injured are:
H. F. Howard, general foreman east
ern division; back bruised, face cut and
slightly burned.
John O'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 repairer; head
bruised and cut.
Casper Becker, painter; head and
shoulders cut.
T. c. Laur, 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. 1t was a substan-
tial brick structure, with capacity of
twenty engines, and contained six To-
comotives 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 yard COM
pany got one stream to playing on the
blaze, which soon made its way to the
roof. The walls of the building were
believed to be secure, and the brave
little band of fire fighters pressed
closely in toward the building, the
more effectively to combat the spread
ing flames.
1t was seen that the roof would soon
fall, but no danger was apprehended
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
the volunteer firemen. Before the ma
jority 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 Bohlman were quickly taken out
The two first named were completely
covered by the ruins of the wall,
Bohlman was 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
succumbed to his injuries shortly after
being taken home.
A dozen surgeons were quickly sum-
moned, and prompt assistance was
rendered the injured. O'Leary, the
machinist, was still unconscious, and
at one time appeared to be sinking.
He rallied temporarily, but it is not
thought he can recover.
When the first of the city firemep an
swered the alarm they saw that there
was imminent danger of the fire spread
irg to the Wabash elevator and the re-
pair shops, which stood close by. The
oil house was also menaced, but luck
| lily the flames were held in check at
this particular point. A general alarm
was sent in, and by dint of numbers
the firemen finally succeeded in saving
the surrounding property. The round
house was completely wrecked, and
the six engines stored therein prac-
| tically rendered useless.
The loss is estimated at from SIS, 900
to SlOO,OOO and is believed to be fully
| insured.
While on the way to the fire Driver
James, of No. hose, was thrown from
the cart and badly shaken up.