The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-03
AWFUL DISASTER.

81. LOUlSI MO- Jan. g 4hNS 80
sons were killed, one fatally injured
four more are missing and thIrty-one
received injuries more or less serious us
the result OF an explosion that occurred
this afternoon at 800 North Second
street.
Following Is n list OF casualties:
Dead.
Albert Chemlir, laborer. Excelsior
Iron and Wire Works.
Frank Nlehaus. porter for Lev!son e.
Blythe Company.
paul Hauptner, lnborer, Excelsior
Iron and Wire Works.
Missing.
Norman Arthur, foreman, Excelsior
Iron and Wire Works.
L. A. Lay, shipping clerk, Excelsior
Works.
Works.
Joseph Coverlck.
Fatally injured.
Alays schneId. aged fifteen, burned
internally.
nnlly injured.
ThIrty-one others who received less
serious injuries, caused mostly by fall
Ing glass and bricks.
Everybody for blocks around Second,
Third, Locust and Olive streets. was
startled shortly before ! O'Clock to-day
by series OF three explosions that de-
moliShed the building ut 309 Second
street in which It occurred, badly dam
aging adjoining structures and shat
tered thousands OF panes OF glass in the
vicinity. The building. which Is occu-
pied by the Anchor Peanut Company
and II. B. Grubb, agent of Detweiler &
Street, OF Greenfield, n. j., was set on
fire in some manner. The flames, which
started on the first floor, communicated
TO n quantity OF fireworks on the second
floor owned by Grubb. These exploded
with terrific force, throwing burning
brands, bricks and debris In every di-
rectIon. The concusslon had rent the
partition wall to the south into the
Lcvison & Blythe Muciiage and Ink
Manufacturing Company and the lSX-
celsior Wire and Iron Manufacturing
Company adjoining on the north, and
the flames soon communicated TO those
two buildings, IN which n considerable
number OF men and boys were at work
Three alarms were sent in. The whole
downtown fire department responded
and the work OF rcscuing the injured
was performed In a courageous manner
by the police and tiremen. For some
time six ambulHnces we're kept busy
taking out dead and wounded and con-
veylng them 10 the morgue and city
dispeRsary.
Terrible Scenes.
Emmel Kennedy, q boy, was taken
from the third story front window of
Leyison & Blythe's establishment. Ken
nedy said there were two other men
near the middle OF the second floor. Tho
firemen hurried to the spot and could
hear the cries OF the men, who were
slowly burning to death. By this time
a stream OF water was turned on the
fire surrounding the burning men, who
were screaming plteously for help. AS
soon as the flames were subdued, n doz-
en- firemcn began to tenr away the
wreckage around the imprisoned men
with picks, axes and saws. Albert
SteInmeyer was taken out and soon
after the dead and crushed body OF
Frank NeIhouse was secured.
The most horrlfying incident OF the
fire wAs the sufferings OF Steinmeyer
while the firemen We're removing the
debris which held him pinned down in
the wreck. Both OF his legs were fas-
tened by heavy timhers and n heavy
iron ring enoircled his neck while the
fire was eating away into his flesh.
He suffered the most horrible agony us
the rescuers pulled away ut the spin
tered timberS and twisted iron work
DIR. A. l.. Boyce. who happened to be
passing, was called in and he crawled
in the wreckage and administered n
hypodermio Injection OF morphine to
the sufferer. When he was finally res
cued Stcinmeyer was bleeding from n
hundred wounds. was burned In many
places and badly crushed Manager
Moore, OF the Levlson & Blythe Compa-
ny. stated that Joe Kavcrick was miss
ing and that hts body must be In the
wrecked building.
In the rear OF the Excelsior iron
works fifteen men were Mt work. How
many escaped could not be learned, but
the following were reported missing:
Albert Mcllier.
Paul HNuptner.
L. Lay.
Charles AXon.
Norman Macarthur. the foreman.
Recovering Bodies.
The fircmen soon cleared away the
debris and within thirty minutes work
two bodies were brought TO light, lying
side By side. They were horribly man
glcd and burned and were hurried to
the morgue, where they were Identified
as Albert Melller and Paul HRuptner.
The AremeH kept Mt their work clcnr-
ing away the debris, and searched
every foot OF the ground for the bodies
OF the other missing men. They were
unable TO find any more, however. The
missing, It Ia thought, may still be in
the ruins, or may have escaped and
neglected to report their safety.
Among those brought In by the first
ambulance was Richard G, Cowlcshn
and his nephew X. W. Cowlcshn, both
OF whom are composltors In the employ
OF the Frey Stationery Company. The
former was the most seriously injured,
his face and hands being chopped al
most to bits by the broken glass. His
Injuries are very painful. but not nee
essnrily dangerous. Hig nephews In
jurics consist of cut cut face and hands
and n scalp wound. John Cochran and
Ernest Cannon, two boys employed In
the same building, were also badly cut
about the face aud hands, All these
were sent home after being patched up.
", A. Drandewcldc, Composltor in
the same building, was cut and badly
bruised about the body.
r. c. Whitlock, foreman OF gang OF
men in the Excelsior Wire Company,
was on the third iloor OF the building
Mt the rear when he saw smoke across
the alley, and realizing the danger,
called TO hiB men and they all attempt
cd 10 escape by the rear stairway. Be-
fore they could reach It the explosion
came, Whitlock wng buried under
mass OF debris and did not regain con-
scIousncsB until dragged out by fire.
man. He Sustained u fractured rib and
wns sent to tho city hospital
Albert Schnictz, fellow cmployc OF
WhitloCk's. presented u most sickening