Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-05-05
BLOWN TO BITS.
Cincinnati Apartment House
Wrecked by an Explosion.
Gasoline Tank Ignites and Result o
Explosion is Awful.
Said 10 Be from IS 10 40 in The Ruins
Search Being Made.

Cincinnati. May 4.-What may prove :
disastrous calamity of the year. occurred
in this city. tonight, when five stOr,
brick structure filed with people. col
lapsed, burying the inmates beneath ii,
ruins. 1t is impossible to tell how many
persons have been killed, some placing
the number as high as 40. others as low
as Is. No accurate statement can bt
given on this point until the debris Is
cleared away, which will certainly take
all night.
The building is situated on the east sids
of Walnut street. just south of Fifth, the
lower iloor being occupied by Drachs
saloon. The upper apartments were
rented to dodgers. The people for several
blocks around were startled by terrific
explosion. about IA. The fire alarm was
instaty Turned in and in few minutes
half the fire department reached tn,
scene and found the building wreck.
] he work OF rescue was instantly be-
gun. The first persons who appeared up
the scene went TO the rear of the build
ing where the cries and means ola fema IL
were the only evidence of life beneath the
wreck. The cries came from the cellar
II is impossible that any persons on the
Other noors could have escaped death
La addition to the victims buried beneati h
the building. II is estimated that fully I0t
people were more or less injured by con-
cussion falling electric wires and the frag-
ments of falling glass. stone and timbers.
Three persons We're slightly injured in
a passing street car. and several ladies
shock. A Newport. Ky. car which was
near the place. was suddenly brought to
a standstill by fearful shock and an
immense mass came era shing through the
roof. This proved to be an iron door
from the cellar of the building. No one
in the car was hurt.
Brown street car was smashed al
most into fragments. but Fortunately there
were no passengers on board. and the con-
ductor and motorman escaped with slight
injuries.
The explosion was caused by the igni-
ton of a gasolene tank. Adolph Drach.
proprietor of the saloon on the lower floor
had "A gasolene engine in his cellar for the
purpose of generating gasoline fuel The
,ator of the engine had been burned out,
setting fire to the gasoline. The walls of
the buildings adjoining remain intact
The streets all around the block are lit
orally covered with pieces of glass. 1t is
almost impossible TO push ones way
through the throng of excited thousands
gathered about the place, as late as mid
night.
The, identified dead are: r. A. Davis
travelling man. Hamilton. Ohio and
Adolph Drach. There are four unidenti-
fled bodies. OF the injured it is believed
that several will die. Several more vic
Tins are beneath the ruins and every
thing possible is being done to secure the
bodies.
BY digging through an adjoining wall.
tfle nremen came upon John Mccarthy.
lying upon his back. helplessly pinioned.
Mccarthy was released after the hardest
labor
Near where Mccarthy was found. were
three other victims, among them a woma n
ana child not yet taken from the ruins
The means of the woman and the cries
OF the little one. begging mother to come
to her. stimulated the brave fellows who
are working with might and main to save
them.
Two priests. Fathers Tiernan and
Kelley. were conspicuous for their eff
forts at consoling those beneath the
ruins. When leaning forward to admin
lister consolation to an unfortunate cry
ing for aid. Farther Herman was struck
by falling tile and badly hurt