The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1896-05-09
CINCINNATI BLOCK RAZED
FIVE STORY BRICK IN A HEAP ON
THE GROUND.
Victims Fatally Injured VIII Num-
her More Than = Dozen
and Are buried.

Cincinnati May AT s o'clock tonight
the fve-story building at Nos. 40 and lss
Walnut street, between Fourth and Fifth
streets. was blown to the ground by an
explosion Of gasoline. The shock was so
terrific that it was felt all over the city
and not one brick upon another Is left
on the front and rear walls of the build
ings, while the adjacent buildings are
badly damaged. and the glass In the
windows OF the Gibson house ana the
large johnson building across the street
are all broken. The g.ass was broken out
OF street cars that were passing at the
time and one of the cars was badly wreck
ed. but none Of the passengers were seri-
ously hurt.
The explosion took place four doors from
the Intersection or Fifth ana Walnut
streets. the postoffice located on one side
and Fountain Square on the other. The
ground floor of No. 49, Walnut street was
occupied by Adolph Z. Dracns for a sa-
loon. The upper floors OF the tfth-story
building were occupied as fats. 1t is n,
known at 10 o'clock how many people
were in the flats, or how many were in
the saloon. but none escaped. as the
building Immediately collapsed. The dust
and dirt continued flying for long time
so densely that the work of rescuing the
victims proceeded with great difficulty.
One OF the barkeepers. who was not on
duty at the time. escaped. he lived In
one of the upper flats and was wild with
grief because he knew that his wife and
four children were in the ruins.
Six bodies have been recovered up TO
$50 p. m. and 1t is known that there ara
many more. The firemen are working in
the rear and on both sides of the wreck.
while the police are keeping the place
clear and protecting the work that is
going on TO rescue the victims. Part OF
one of the side walls Is standing.
The body OF Mrs. Drachs was found
soon after the exp os!on. but It could not
be exsricated from the timber and was
still in the debris at 10 o'clock
1t could not be definitely learned for
some time what caused the explosion.
but 1t was finally ascertained that the
saloon people had put in their own cleo
trio plants for incadescent lights and had
just secured a gasoline engine with which
to run the dynamo. The plant got out OF
fix and there was flash which communi-
Gated to the gasoline AMI caused the ex-
plosion.
Debris Heaped Tn.
The debris seemed to nave fallen into
one heap and was not scattered about the
street so that there was the greatest
difficulty in recovering the dead bodies
and rescuing the injured. Although all
possible efforts were made to clear up the
place it will be impossible 10 ascertain
the extent of the loss OF life tonight. The
.oss in property Is quite large.
John J. James OF the Salt Lake City
Herald was just leaving the Gibson house
at the time of the explosion, and with his
heavy grip was blown into the doorway of
an adjoining store. He was knocked
senseless. but afterwards recovered suf-
dciently to take the train tonight for the
west
holland David. a travelling man for the
Columbia Carriage Company was walking
along the street at the time ,. he ex-
plosion and was blown under a street car
and killed.
Cal Grim, a well known detective in
this city who worked up the evidence
against Jackson and Walllng for the
murder OF Pearl Bryan is among those
known to have been in Drachs saloon at
the time and now among the victims OF
the ruins.
AT 10 O'Clock there were l2 injured per-
sons a the hospital. None OF them were
considered seriously injured.
At l0:O the 3-year-od son OF DraChs
was taken from the ruins 50 badly hurt
that he is not likely TO live.
Among the injured were: Sid Johnson
barkeeper for Louis Fey: Billy Cook.
Barbara Huttleson. Harry Harwick. Fred
Healey. Motorman Stafel, James Sprague
Conductor Folliard. Fisher, William
Lauth. William Loheide, Huron,
II. K. Hunwick, 5. 5. Wells, w. D. Crosby,
W. E Cook. J. D. Ward.