Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1896-05-09
CINCINNATI BLOCK RAzEO
FIVE STORY BRICK IN A HEAP q,
THE GROUND.
victims Fatally Injured Will Num
her More Than IL Dozen
and Are Buried.

Cincinnati May AT o'clock tongh
the five-story building at Nos. 43O and
Walnut street, between Fourth and Fifth
streets, was blown to the ground by an
explosion Of gasoline. The shock was
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 arr
badly damaged, and the glass in the
windows of the Gibson house and the
large Johnson building across the stree
are all broken. The glass 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 of Fifth ana Walnut
streets, the postoftice located on one side
and Fountain Square on the other. The
ground floor of No. 432 Walnut street was
occupied by Adolph G. Drachs for sa
loon. The upper floors Of the ffth-stoy
building were occupied as flats. 1t is not
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 a 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 it is known that there are
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
going on to rescue the victims. Part Oh
one of the side walls is standing.
The body of Mrs. Drachs was founO
soon after the explosion, but it could not
be extricated from the timber and was
still in the debris at 10 o'clock.
It could not be definitely learned LOT
some time what caused the explosion
but it was finally asCertained that tnS
saloon people had put in their own eiec
trio plants for incadescent lights and hdu
Just secured a gasoline engine with when
to run the dynamo. The plant got out o
fix and there was a fash which communF
Gated TO the gasoline and caused the "a
plosion.
Debris Heaped Up.
The debris seemed to have fallen INV
one heap and was not scattered about tn'
street, 50 that there was the Creates
difficulty in recovering the dead DouiVT
and rescuing the injured. Although a.
possible efforts were made to clear up NV
place it will be impossible to ascei "a.
the extent of the loss of life tonight Inv
loss in property is quite large. ,,..
John j. James of the Salt Lake Wv
Herald was Just leaving the Gibson nous
at the time Of the explosion, and WIN ~ -
heavy grip was blown into the doorway "
an adjoining store. He was hhoo~
senseless, but afterwards recovered ou
ficiently to take the train tonight lor N
west. .ho
holland David, travelling man lol %
Columbia Carriage Company was Wa'Nin9
along the street at the time y 'He oar
plosion and was blown under street
and killed. IN
Cal Grim. a we'll known detective =.
this city who worked up the eVlu'I 1So
against jackson and Walling 1or os
murder of Pearl Bryan is among INT ot
known to have been in Drachs saioOi II
the time and now among the Vlc'i'N
the ruins. uor.
At 10 o'clock there were IL inJureu pore
sons at the hospital. None or thel'
considered seriously injured. .o.hs
At 1890 the 3-year-old son OF hurt
was taken from the ruins so pauis
that he is not likely to live. sop
Among the injured were: STA 'oi cook
barkeeper for Louis Fey; Bllly rrd
Barbara Huttleson, Harry HarWlcA' oue
Healey, Motorman Stafel, James opl,T5ou
Conductor Pollard, - Fisher wan .ou