Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-05
FATAL GASOLINE EXPLOSION
Six Persons Killed Last Evening a.
Cincinnati.

The five-story building at 1870 and 432 Wal
nut street Cincinnati was blown to pieces
by an explosion of gasoline last evening.
Six persons are known to be dead and eleven
injured. OF the dead but two had been iden-
titled last night. The list of casualties then
Tade up is follows:
Dead-R. A Davis, manager of the Column
bia Carriage Company, at Hamilton, Ohio.
instantly killed, thirty years old married
Adolph Drach, proprietor of saloon, head
crushed and body and limbs badly broken
forty-six years old, married; four uniden-
titled
lnjured-C. S. Wells, A and 46 Harrison
street, badly crushed: II. f. Hulwick, thirty
four years, 10 East 18th street. right shoulder
dislocated; Joseph Spriggs, twenty-one. col
ored porter, 10 Harrison street face and
hands badly bruised; Willard E Cook.
thirty-six years Avondale. right arm
bruised cut over eye; sydney W. Johnson
thirty-three years. barkeeper at Fey's cut
in back of head and over eye; j. B. Ward
tWenty-nine, single, Toledo race horse man.
cut with glass in knee a Gibson House en-
trance; barbara Huddselman, forty-four
years. domestic al Fey's, dust and sand in
both eyes: Emil Drach, three years old.
right arm broken, cut over eye: Peter Burns,
Charles Spiller John Mccarthy.
Inc ground story of 49, Walnut street
was occupied by A. c. Drach as a saloon,
He owned that part of the building and the
other was owned by NJ. Goldsmith. The
first floor of the building at 430 Walnut
street was occupied by saloon 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
flats or how many We're in the saloon, but
none escaped as the building Immediately
collapsed.
There was no fire to consume the debris
ana make certain death of all in the build
Ing but the dust and dirt continued flying
for long time so densely that the work Of
resculng the victims proceeded with great
difticulty. although the police and fire de-
partments rallied heroically 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,
because he knew that his wife and four chill
dren were in the ruins. One of his children
was recovered dead soon afterward
Inc explosion was caused by gasoline
engine used as motive power in generating
electricity for use in the building Last
night was the first time the engine had been
put In active operation. 1t was put in two
weeks ago. and had been experimental with
for several days past. At the time of the
explosion Mr.. Drach was superintending the
hlling or the reservoir. Beyond that no in
formation as to how the explosion occurred
can be had.
The explosion occurred at 7:45 o'clock, and
was followed by the collapse of the building
the roof and upper stories crushing in a
heap. The side walls which are walls also
OF adjoining buildings, stood, and pictures
were discernible hanging on the walls of
what moment before had been a happy
nome: A street car passing the front of the
building was stopped dead still, the trolIeys
broken on, the windows shattered, and the
roof demolished. None Of the passengers
were badly hurt.
The building is just opposite the Gibson
House, and there was almost a panic in
that crowded hoStelry