Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-05-06


John Beers, Lafayette, Ind.
William Carr, Newport, Ky. I
Cincinnati, Ohio, May 5.-The bur
ial alive of well known people has
caused general distress here to-day.
After the explosion last night that
demolished the five story building. oc-
/ cupied by Adolph Drach and Louis
Fey, on the first floors, and with flats
on the four upper floors, relays OF
workmen continued removing the de-
bris till almost noon when every body
was ordered from the premises and
Walnut street between Fourth and
Fifth streets was kept clear. Holes
| had been made in the walls of adjoin-
/ ing buildings through which TO eXtri-
cate victims. The great mass OF debris
| supported these walls and its removal
| caused the adjacent walls to bulge out
so that a sCill greater calamity has been
momentarily expected from both sides
of the wreckage.
When the street cleaning force and
firemen were ordered away. it was be-
/ lived that there were several persons
still in tn debris and some of them
alive. but the engineers agreed with the
building inspector that the loss of life
10 the workmen was inevitable If they
proceeded. Braces were put up against
the walls and scaffolds quickly con-
structed. The work of tearing down
adjacent walls is progressing with all
possible speed tonight.
Meantime those still in the debris had
to be left to their fate and no more are
likely to be taken out alive. There
have been eight dead recovered up to
10 o'clock tonight and seven are still
missing.
There were many more included in
the list of those missing during the
day but those who are still missing to-
night are generally believed to be in
the ruins. The names of all missing
persons have been so generally publish
ed that those not belonging in that list
promptly reported to police headQuar-
oers. Inquiries have been made in the
residences of those who are still miss
ing tonight and there has been moth
ing seen or known Of them for over
twnety-four hours.
All of the injured persons, except
John Mccarthy, are doing we'll at tha
hospital Mccarthy died tonight from
internal injuries. He begged his broth
er and the firemen TO kill him last night
when he was first found in the debris
and he suffered intensely until his
death
One of the most prominent victims
of the disaster is c. f. Address. presi-
dent of the -Meara Wall Paper
Co. He was seen to enter Drach's sa-
loon on his way home last night just
before the explosion, and it was thought
he had escaped. When he did not ap-
pear as usual at his place of business
to-day, inquiry was made at his resi-
dence and it was learned that he had
not been home last night.
The workers had reached his body
when they were called out, but they
asceTtained that he was dead and that
it was impossible to eXtricate the body
without endangering their own lives.
Andres was sitting in a chair at a
table drinking glass of beer and read
ing a paper when the explosion occur
red. This is clearly indicated by the
present position Of his body which is
held fast in the timber. He was one of
the most prominent business men of the
city.
The body of Matte Kennedy was also
found by the workmen in the debris,
but it could not be brought out and none
Of the bodies remaining in the wreck
can be recovered until the danger from
the surrounding walls is first removed.
There is very much indignation to-
day because the explosion is said to be
due 10 carelessness in emptying a bar
rel of gasoline into tank and leaving
it so exposed that the flash from the
deranged electric wires caused the ex-
plosion. But as Adolph Drach was
himself experimenting with his new
engine and electric plant and he was
one of the victims there cannot be any
investigation or redress on any of the
complaints.
There are still ten victims at the hos
pital. All are doing well except Mrs.
Olga Drach. Even Willard Z. Cook
and Sidney Johnson, who were consid-
cred dangerously Injured last night. are
now improving. 1t is feared that Mrs.
Drach, whose head. body and feet are
badly hurt. will not recover She is
worse tonight. Her little boy with
his broken arm and bruised body, is in
the hospital with her He asks for his
father and sister. Mrs Drach is also
worrying very much over their death,
as we'll as the condition of her littfe boy.
The bodies of her husband and little
girl are at the morgue.
The workmen at midnight were max
ing such progress on the building walls