Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-03
EXPLOSION AND FIRE
Thsy Lay Nists Z Bloct af BuiIdlnss IN
81. Louis.
PEOPLE BURIED IN THE RUNS.
4 Na1,b~r of Dcaies Recovered frem
the Wreck-The List Of Ntsstas.
Lons-so~e Nineteen Persons Ia-
jurcd.


sr. LOUIS. MO. January 2--Just at 1
o'clock series Of terrific explosions laid
waste the vicinity OF Second and Vine
streets. where allied trades are nWnerous.
Just after the clock struck boiler In
George +. Merritz's printing Office. the
basement OF No. 9os north Third street.
Just across an alley from the storage
and commission house Of II. b. Grubb
exploded
In the rear OF the Grubb establishment
large quantity OF fireworks was stored.
and a second explosion occurred. fol-
lowed Immediately by third. that lifted
the Grubb building and dropped II In
a mass of wreckage. The explosion
caused general CONSERVATION. and every
windowpane within three blocks was
broken. A large plate glass windos IN
the Merchants Exchange. four blocks
away, was shattered. and the traders
stampeded.
Up to o'clock tonight five bodies
| had been recovered. four persons are
| missing, as far as reported to the police.
| and the list OF injured Is nineteen. Seve-
raj others were hurt. Following Is the
roll:
| The dead
JOSEPH KOvARICK. boy. employed
| by Levison Il Blythe.
FRANK NIEHAUS. boy. employed by
Levison & Blythe.
CHARLES CI.AYBROOK. colored. por-
ter for Anchor Peanut Company.
Two corpses taken from the basement
| OF the Excelsior Wire Company.
The missing:
KRIS CHARGER. shipping clerk Of
the Excelsior Company.
THOMAS LEIGH. shipping clerk OF the
| Excelsior Company.
A. l.. MELIOR, employee OF the Excel
| sior Company.
| CHARL ES ERICSSEN, employee Of the
Excelsior Company.
The injured: Albert Steinmeyer. proba-
bly, fatally; VIII Brondiweder. Christ
Kraft, Horace Diorr l.. Diort. John
Corcoran, Edgar Vance. Ben. Taylor.
Joseph Brandewide. William Horner VIII
liam Couleshaw. John Carter. Joe Parker.
Charles Ames. Hugh Alien, Joe corcoran.
Albert schneitz. Henry Stack, Richard
| Couleshaw.
The full list of all employees OF the four
| firms Is not obtainabie. and probably the
list OF dead will be increased when the
ruins are overhaucd.
The total loss will exceed 10000, all
insured The ii. B. Grubb Company oc-
cupied the ground floor Of 800 north Sc
cond street and tile Anchor Company the
second and third floors Adjoining the
wrecked building on the south is the
The Levison a. Blythe Printing Compa-
| ny's building. The north wall and two
floors OF this structure went down. Within
a half minute the three buildings were
wrapped In flames.
NINETEEN MISSING.
The police have made as complete a
canvass as possible tonight Of the citv
TO ascertain the number OF the missing.
and the result Is disheartening. The list
has grown to nnetesn, though Il Ia pro-
bable some OF these are housed with
friends.
At Z o'clock the body OF Albert Mellier.,
aged 81 was taken from the cellar OF the
Excelsior Wire building. 1t was partly
| burned.
| As late as s O'Clock groans were heard
In the wreck. and the police had difficulty
In restraining anxious relatives OF the
| missing.
The city dispensary was turned into q
hospital and fully thirty slightly injured
| persons, besides the list given. were
treated there. There are four bodies at
the morgue. one not yet Identified.
The scene OF the wreck IL the centre
Of anxious inquiry from the kindred or
missing ones. They stand In the bitter
cold and watch with fearful eyes the
work OF the wreckers. Little work can
be done tonight. but II will be continued
till the debris Is thoroughly searched.
| 1t Is believed that many buildings In the
vicinity have been rendered unsafe, and
a cessation OF business about the wreck
will be had until thorough inspection 10
| made.
Some OF the escapes from death were
miraculous. James Kennedy. pr'utsg.
| perched for twenty minutes on the frame
| OF third-story window, which fell just
as the ladder-men reached him. John
Mariowe was on the street In front OF the
| Grubb building, and was hurled across the
| street against horse that had been
killed against the opposite wall.
| James Noriasha. one OF the injured was
found under the debris. with heavy
| beam supporting the wreckage above him.
heavy telegraph pole fell across an
express wagon and killed one horse. John
! Carney, the driver. escaped unfnfured.
The stories of escape from death are
| almost innumerabie.