Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-05-08


CINCINNATI, May 5.-The FIVE story
building at 48O and 432 Walnut street, be-
tween Fourth and Fifth streets, was blown
TO the ground by an explosion. The shock
was 80 terrific that it was felt all over the
oity, and not one brick on another Is left
IN the front and rear walls of the build
ing, while the ad jscent buildings are bad
ly damaged, and the glass in the windows
In the Gibson House and the largo John
son building across the street were all
broken. The glass was broken out Of
street cars that were passing at the time,
and one Of the cars was badly wrecked but
none of the passengers was seriously hurt.
All the horses in the immediate neighbor-
hood broke from their fasteninRs and ran
away. and there was not only intense ex-
element but also the greatest confusion.
The ground story of 432 Walnut street
was occupied by A. g. Drach as a saloon.
He owned that part Of the building, and
the other was owned by NJ. Goldsmith,
and the first floor of the building at 430
Walnut street was also occupied by a sa-
loon run by Louis Fey. The upper floors
Of the five story building were occupied as
flats. 1t Is not known how many people
were in the fats or how many were in the
saloons, but none escaped, as the building
Immediately collapsed. There was no fire
TO consume the debris and make certain
death Of all in the building, but the dust
and dirt continued flying for long time
30 densely that the work of resouing the
victims proceeded with great difficulty,
although the police and fire departments
rallied heroioally TO the work. The saloons
were said to be quite full of people. One
of the barkeepers, who was not ON duty at
the time and escaped, lived In one Of the
upper flats and was wild with grief be-
cause he knew that his wife and four chill
dreB were in the ruins. One Of his chill
dren was recovered dead soon after the sx-
plosion.
Pinioned Under Timbers.
The body of Mrs. Drach was found soon
after the explosion but it could not be ex-
tricated from the timber.
The 3-year.old boy of Adolph Drach was
taken from the ruins so badly hurt that
he is not likely to live. His aged grand
father was among those who had come to
the scene and soon learned that Mr..
Draoh's youngest child had been taken
out dead his g. year old boy removed from
the debris seriously injured, and that the
body of Mrs. Drach could not be extricat-
ed from the heavy timbers. The old man
broke down under the news and is in a
very serious condition.
There was much excitement among the
guests In the Gibson House and at all
places in the vicinity Of Walnut street
The excitement was the more intense be-
oause it could not be definitely learned for
some time what caused the explosion. 1t
was finally ascertained that the saloons in
the building had put in their own electric
plants for inoandescent lights and had
just secured a gasoline engine with which
to run the dynamo. The plant got out of
fix, and there was flash, which uni
Gated to the gasoline and caused the ex-
plosion. The sudden collapse of the large
building smothered everything in the eel
lar. so that there was no fire. The fremen
were soon assisted by some expert engi-
neers, who made openings through the
basement walls of adjacent buildings
They recovered some of the victims in that
manner. The debris seemed to all fall in.
to one heap and not scatter about the street,
so that there was the greatest difficulty in
recovering the dead bodies and rescuing
the injured. The loss in property is quite
large.
Mr.. John ]. James of the Salt Lake
City Herald was just leaving the Gibson
House at the time of the explosion and
with his heavy grip was blown into the
doorway Of an adjoining store. He was
knocked senseless, but afterward recover
cd sufficiently to take the train for St
Louis on his way west. Roland A. Davis,
travelling man for the Hamilton Carriage
company was walking along the street at
the time of the explosion and was blown
under a street car and killed.
YAIe's Crew at Henley.
NRw HAVEN, May 4-Captain Tread
way announced the i candidates that will
comprise the Yale crew at the Henley re-
gatta. They are No. /, Simpson; No. 2,
Brown; No. 3, Beard; No 4, Rodgers
No. 3, Bailey; No. q, Longacre; No Z,
Treadway. captain; No. g. Longford
stroke. Substitutes, whitney, Mills and
Marsh. The Grew will sail from New York
June g
Women and Children Burned.
BROOKLYN, May 6.-Two women were
burned to death and four children serious