Evening star., 1896-09-28
BUILDING WRECKED
An Explosion This Afternoon and
Possible Fatality.
GASOLINE SHOWED ITS POWER
One Person Thought to Be Buried
in the Wreck
HEARD AT GREAT DISTANCE

About As o'clock this afternoon there
was an explosion which completely demol-
ished the building No. BIOS NJ street.
One man is known to have been badly
hurt, and 1t seems probable that another
was buried beneath the ruins. F.remen at
once started to work clearing away the de-
brs, but up to 3 o'clock this afternoon they
had not succeeded in finding anyone 1t
will take several hours work. however. to
finally settle the question.
The building, an old two-story brick
house, was owned and occupied by NJ c.
Mitchell, and was used hardware store
1t was filled with stoves, tin and hardware
and it is understood that several barrels of
gasoline We're stored in the cellar.
Joseph Oliver, young white man en-
ployed in the store, was waiting on a Gus
toner when a call was made for piece of
casting
Oliver went down into the cellar where
such articles were kept, and the supposi-
ton is that he lighted a candle or match
ana that In this way the explosion came
about There were several barrels of drier
such as painters use, and it may be that
that was what exploded. This seems more
likely in view of the fact that Oliver need
not have gone into that part of the cellar
where gasoline was kept.
The wreck of the building was complete
hardly one brick being left standing upon
anothe:. Where the house stood is now
but mass of timber, brick and mortar
scattered through with the contents of the
store. Tie explosion made a tremendous
report, that was heard for squares and the
pieces of the walls and the contents of the
building were sent flying in every direc.
tion A colored woman and child were
seen in front of the building shortly before
1t collapsed, but it is thought that they
We're not caught by the falling walls.
John Henry, white man. was at work
J in the rear of the building but he man.
aged to make his escape without any diff
Guilty.
Policeman Housed was standing at the
corner of .1St and NJ streets when he heard
| the explosion, and without stopping TO
learn the nature Of the disaster, at once
turned in an alarm from the box located
at that corner, and fire engine compa ny
| No was quickly on the scene and be-
gan work on the ruins.
| Fortunately there was no fire and the,
! were able 10 devote their attention to dig
! ging into the debris to ascertain If an,
| one had been caught by the falling build
ing.
| When Policeman Housed reached tn.
| scene he saw the head Of man buried
| among the rafters near the sidewalk lin,
| of the building
| With some assistance from outsiders the
! man was able to get out, and proved to be
young Oliver. His head and hands were
| badly burned, cut and bruised, and he was
| taken into nefghboring building and &
| physician was summoned. divers injuries
| while painful, are not regarded as serious
| and he was able to be removed to his hom.
shortly afterward
The only question is as to whether the
customer on whom Oliver was waiting
| when the building fell had time between
| the first explosion and the falling of the
| building to make good his escape Oliver
| who was unable to tell very much about
! the affair, does not seem to know who he
was. The firemen are now hard at work or
| the theory that at least one man is buried
| in the ruins.
| The buildings adjoining the one which
| was destroyed were both badly damaged
| The one on the east, 31O6 NJ street, is own.
ed by Morgan Goddard, and occupied by
j. Bender as a bakery. The building No
| $40 Is owned by Ed. Daw and occupied ~
j. Kaufman & Company a clothing
| store.
The damage done is not yet known. The
| loss on the building Is complete, and the
| stock is also badly wrecked, but 5000 will
| probably cover it all.