St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-03

exploded with terrihce force. throw
ing burning brands, bricks and debris
in every direction. The eoncussion had
rent the partition wall to the south
into the Levison e Blythe Mucilage
and Ink Manufacturing company, and
the Excelsior Wire and Iron Manu-
featuring company, adjoining on the
north. and the flames soon communi-
Gated to these two buildings, In which
considerable number of men and
boys were at work. Three alarms
were sent In. The whole downtown
fire department responded and the
work of rescuing the injured was per-
formed i'll courageous manner by the
police and fremen. For some time
six ambulances were kept busy taking
out the dead and wounded and con
veying them to the morgue and city
dispensary
BURNING TO DEATH.
Emmett Kennedy, a boy was taken
from a third story window of Levison
& Blythe's establishment. Kennedy
said there were two other men near
the middle of the second floor The
firemen hurried to the spot and could
hear the cries of the men, who were
slowly burning to death. BY this time
stream of water was turned onto
the fire surrounding the burning men.
who were screaming piteously for help.
As soon as the flames were subdued
a dozen firemen began to tear away
the wreckage around the imprisoned
men with picks, axes and saws. AL
bert Steinmeyer was taken out, and
soon after the crushed and dead body
of Frank Neihaus was secured The
most horrifying incident of the fire
was the sufferings Of Steinmeyer
while the firemen were removing the
debris which held him pinned down
in the wreck. Both of his legs were
fastened by tinbers and heavy iron
ring encircled his neck, while the fire
was eating into his flesh He suffered
the most horrible agony as the rescu-
ers pulled away at the splintered tim
bers and twisted ironWork. Dr. A. L.
Boyce, who happened to be passing,
was called in, and he crawled into
the wreckage and administered hy-
podermtc injection of morphine to the
sufferer. When he was finally rescued
Steinmeyer was bleeding from a hun
dred wounds, was burned in many
places and badly crushed Manager
Moore. of the Levison & Blythe COM
pany, stated that Joe Maverick was
missing, and that his body must be
In the wrecked building. The firemen
again returned to the exploration of
the wreckage and cleared away a
great portion of it without finding the
body. Flames broke out afresh, and
it was decided to abandon the search
until the wreckage was soaked with
water.
TWO DEAD MEN.
The hook and ladder was then trans
ferred to the rear of the Excelsior Iron
works, where fifteen men were at work.
How many escaped could not be learn
ed, but the following We're reported
missing: Joseph Chemelier, Paul Haupt-
er,L. Lay. Charlie AXon and Norman Nc
Arthur the foreman. The firemen soon
cleared away the debris and with thir-
ty minutes work two bodies were
brought to light, lying side by side
They were horribly mangled and burn
ed and were hurried to the morgue,
where they were identified as Joseph
Chemelier and Paul Haupter. The fire
men kept at their work clearing 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 missing 1t is
thought may still be in the ruins, or
may have escaped and neglected to re-
port their safety.
For three hours the city dispensary
physicians were kept busy attending
to the injured as they were brought in
by the anibulances. When he heard of