The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-05-05

CINCINNATI, Ohio. May Sat S
o'clock tonight the flve.story building
80 and $50 Walnut street. between
Fourth and Fifth streets. was blown
10 the ground BY an explosion OF gaso-
line The shock was 30 terrific that 1t
va, tel, all over the city, and not one
brisk upon another is left In the front,
and rear walls of the building. while the
ad,acen, buildings are badly damaged,
and the glass In the windows of the
Gibson House and large Johnson build
Ing across the street. were all broken.
The glass was broken out OF street
cars tha; we're passing at the time and
one OF the cars was badly wrecked. but
none OF the passengers were seriously
hurt. All the horses in the immediate
neIrhborhood broke from their fasten-
inEs and ran away and there was not
only intense excitement. but also the
rrea,es; confusion. The explosion took
place four doors from the intersection
nom Fifth and Walnut streets, whete
the p0st0ffice Is located on one side
and Fountain Square on the other. No
Part Of the city Is crowded more at
that time OF the evening and there were
Saop many thousands OF people about
Fountain Square and the space around
the government building, while Walnut
street was completely blocked. There
we're at first reports about are works
being stored in the building, so that
there were several stampedes. Several
people were slightly hurt In these Stam-
The ground floor Of 43s walnut street
vas occupied By AdOlph c. prach as
saloon. He owned that part OF the
building and the other part was owned
by N. Goldsmith and the tirst fioor OF
the building at 40 Walnut Htreet was
also occupied by a saloon run by Louis
Fey. The upper floors of the fve story
building were occupied az fiats. It Is
moi known al 10 O'Clock how many peo-
pie were In the fats or how many were
In the saloons, but none escaped, as
the building Immediately collapsed.
There was no hre TO consume the de-
hrik and make certain death OF all In
the building, but the dust and dirt con-
;!uued flying for a long time 50 densely
that the work Of resculuE the victims
proceeded with great difhculty. al
though the police and fire departments
rallied heroically to the work.
DIany PeFiahsd.
The saloons were said TO be quite full
Of people. One of the barkeeperS who
was not on duty at lae time and es-
caped, Lived In one OF the upper fats and
was wild with grief because he knew
that his wife and four children were
In the ruins. One OF his children was
recovered. dead. soon after the explo-
SION.
There are wild reports about the ex-
tent OF the loss Of life. Six bodies were
recovered UP TO $50 p. m. and i IS
known that here are many moro. The
f.remen are working In the rear and on
both sides OF the wreck. while the pO-
Ice are keeping the place clear and pro.
tectlng the work that is going on 10 res
cue the victims. Part OF one Of the side
walls is stIIl standing and on the fifth
fo0r. plainly in view by the electric
Eight. hangs q picture that was dear 70
some family occupying the nat while the
occupants are no doubt in the debris.
One Of the children Of Mr. DEachs was
recovered dead.
The bodyrSof Mrs. Drach was found
soon after the explosion. but It could
not be extrIcated from the timber and
was still In the debris at 10 o'clock.
During the evening there was much
excitement among the guests IN the
Gibson House and ht all places In that
vicinity or Walnut street. The excite
ment was the more Intense because u
could not be definitely learned for some
time what caused the explosion.
II was finally aScortaIned that the sa-
looms in the building had put IN their
own electric plants for incandescent
lights and had Just secured gasoline
engine with which to run the dynamo.
The plant got out Of FIX and there was
fash which communicated TO the
gasoline and caused the explosion. The
sudden collapse OF the large building
snnthered everything IN the cellars 80
that there was no FIRE. The hremen
were soon assisted by some expert en-
GIHHerS who made openings through the
basement walls OF adjacent buildings
and were recovering some of the vic
tins In that manner. The debris SEEM
ID 10 all fall into one heap and not scat
ter about the street, 80 that there was
III" greatest difficulty In recovering the
dead bodies and rescuinE the injured.
Although all possible efforts we're made
to clear up the place. II Ii conceded thai
Il will be impossible to ascertain the
extent Of the loss Of life tonight. The
loss In property Is quite large.
S0ms EIPsrlsness.
Mr, John ]. James. OF the Salt Lake
City Herald, was Just leaving the Glib
ton house at the time OF the explosion,
and with his heavy grip waG blown into
the doorway OF an adjoining Gtorp. He
vas knocked GensciesS. but hftGrward
recovered sufficiently to take the 'rhln
Tonight for St. Louis on his way west
Soland Davitt, n travelling man for
~" Columbus Carriage Company, WAS
Walking along the street at the time OF
the explosion and was blown under q
atrcot car and killed.
Cal Grim, well known detective in
this city, who worked up the evidence
against JaCkRon and WallinR for the
murder Of Pearl Brynn, is among those
known to have been In DrachS' SALOON
nj tho time, and now among the Victims
~ III" ruins. AZ 10 o'clock there were
twelve injured persons nj the hospital.
None Of them werc considered seriously
injured,
IA the night passed, tho sccueB about
the wrecked building became moro hia-
tr0HElhg than ever. WOmn whose huB-
hands and sons had not reached home
ry 10 or II o'clock came down IN the
Fountain Square and nlled up tho Hpnce
about the government building. where
they wore weeping and crying about
tdeir friends beinH in the wrccbed build
irR. There were quite n number OF