The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-03
A TERRIBLE DISASTER
Three Persons Killed, Four Missing and
Thirty.twO Ipiurnd nv mn Ern,n.ian

Three Persons Killed, -Four Missing ana
Thirty-two Injured by an Expiosion.
ST. LOUIS Mo-. Jan. 2-Three par.
sons were killed, two fatally injured,
Your moro are missing and shirty ono
received injuries, more or less eericus
rs the result from an explosion that oc-
CURED this afternoon ut 3G9 North
SECOND street. Everybody for blocks
around Second, Third, Locust and Olive
atreets wore startled shortly before I
oc.ock to-day by series of three ex-
plosl2ns that demolished tho building
In which 1T occurred, and set on IRE
another occupied by the Anchor Peanut
company. The flames which started on
the first floc- communicated to o GUAM
tity OF fireworks on the second floor,
owned by Grubb. These exploded with
terrific force, throwing burning brands,
bricks and debris in svery direction.
The conclusion hat rent the partition
wall to the south into tho Levieon &
Blythe Mucilago and Ink Manuiac,ur-
Ing Company and the Excelsior Wire
and Iron Manufacturing Company, ad-
joining on the north, and she flames
soon communicated to these two build
lngs, In which considerable nuuber OF
men and boys were at work. Three
alarms were sen. in. Tho whole dowr =
town fire department. responded and fCr
some time six smbulanoes were keut
busy taking on tho dead and wounded
and conveying them to tho morgue aud
city dispepsary. Emmett Kennedy q
boy was taken from G three-ssory front
window Of Leviaon e. Blythe's eskablis
ment. Kennedy said there were two
other mon near the middle OF the second
floor.
Abort Steinmeyer WAS taken ont snd
soon aftee the crushed and dead body
at Frank Neihaus was secured. Tho
firemen soon cleared away the debrla
aud with thirty minutes work two
bodies were brought to lighs, lying side
by aide. They were horribly thangled
and burned and were hurried to tho
morgue, where they vera identified ts
Albert Melller and Paul Hauptner
The hremen kept at their work clear.
Ing away the debris and searched every
foot OF the ground for the bodies OF the
other missing men. They were unable
to find any more, however. The miss
ing, IL is thought. may sill b, in the
ruins or may have escaped and neg.
lecsed to report their safely For three
hours the city dispensary physicians
were kept busy attending to the injured
victims as they were brought in by tho
ambulances.
E c. Whi.lock, foreman OF gang o.
hASh Az buo HAColblOr WIS COMPANY
was on the third tieor OF the building 80
the rear when he saw the emoke acrose
the alley, and realizing the danger,
called to his men, and they all at
tempted to escape by the rear stairway.
Before they could reach It. the ex-
ploslon came. Whitlock was buried
under mass Of debris, and did not re-.
gain consciousness until dragged out BY
fireman. He sustained fractured
rib, and was sent to the city hospital.
The building, 800 North Second
etreet. in which the explosion occurred,
Is complete wreck. The rear half
was blown to atoms and the whole frons
OF the four-story building was blown
out. L Lay, Charlie Axon and Joseph
CAvreck are reported missing and their
bodies may be in the ruins. a loss of
sc least 100000 resulted from the do
ssruction of the buildings.
Open Every Night.
WARERoOMs of Hobbie Music COMPANY
arc open at night for convenience Of
those who cannos call during the day.