The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-05
ESCAPE OF THE DAYS.
One of Them Was the Conductor Held
Up on the Ripple Line.

One of Them Was the Conductor Held
Up on the Ripple Line.
Jesse Day. street-car conductor, living
about two blocks from the scene of the
disaster, who hurried to Greshs store as
soon as he heard the first explosion. and
who escaped from beneath the walls of
that building after the second explosion,
tells his story as follows:
GAS soon as / heard the second explo-
sion hurried down to the store and saw
the people carrying articles out of Greshs.
The Odd Fellows Lodge belong to meets
in the hall over the Gresh store, and it oc-
CURED to me to try and save the receipt
book of the lodge before the flames could
reach the upper story. My cousins, William
and Amos Day, and myself placed lad
der against the front porch and climbed up
to the window 1 entered first and was fol-
lowed by Amos I FASTENED over to the
desk at the far side of the room, but not
seeing the book lying outside, I opened
one of the drawers, and not finding what
was looking for, concluded that it was in
the safe, and started back toward the win
dow / did not regain the window before
the explosion occurred. 1 was within about
two feet of the windo hen the floor
seemed to bulge upward there was a,
QSdlSliIlS ISpOIl, anu III &c waits WCiC
wrenched away from the la and fell out
ward. In an instant the floor upon which
1 was standing dropped to the floor below,
and for moment 1 was dazed by the
plastering that fell about me and sent up
clouds of dust. Seeing light in front of me.
/ grasped the sill of window and lost no
time in crawling out. did not know what
had become of Cousin Amos, who was in
the room with me, but some one told me
that he had escaped, and / Immediately
returned home to examine my injuries. /
had a very fortunate escape, being only
bruised my right shoulder, left hip and
on the small of my back. l think these in
juries were caused by the plastering which
fell upon me-"
Day is the conductor who was held up
by highwaymen on the Broad Ripple street.
car line last Thursday night.
SAVED THE LODGE BOOKS.
William Day, a cousin of Jesse Day,
started to follow Jesse and Amos Day into
the Odd Fellows Hall just before the Sec
ond explosion. He gives the following ac-
count of his experience: LAS soon as my
cousin Jesse and brother Amos entered
the hall by the window over the front
porch 1 also started up the ladder to as
sist them in any way could. had gained
the roof of the porch and had one foot
thrust over the windowsin when the ex-
plosion came. At that instant l saw Jesse
stoop before the safe and take hold of the
knob of the combination lock; and Amos
was coming across the room with chair
in either hand. The conclusion must
have stunned for a minute
or two, and when recovered my senses 1
found myself lying upon my back upon
hurled across the street. Hearing cries
from the interior of the wrecked building.
1 hurried over to see if 1 could render any
assistance. / did not stop to see if l was
hurt myself, but when l entered the ruins
| began to feel sick. l saw Jesse and Amos
both leave the ruins, and then turned my
attention toward the books of our lodge
which saw lying scattered upon the floor.
1 hastily gathered these together and
rushed out of the place, and / afterwards
found that had saved all the books. When
/ again stood in the street 1 became very
been lying here on this couch ever since.
Something must have struck me under the
chin, for you can see how my neck and
chin are swollen. My teeth are all loose,
several have been knocked out, and my
tongue is SO lacerated and swollen that it
Is difficult for me to talk, but do not be-
lieve that there is anything serious"
Amos Day, as stated, was also in the
lodgeroom when the second explosion oc-
Cured; He was badly cut under the chin,
knocked loose and right knee badly bruised.
When seen his head was so bandaged that
he gave his account with difficulty. II
hurried over to Gresh's store when l heard
the first explosion said he, and there I
met my cousin. Jesse Day, and my brother
William. We three belong to the Odd Fell
lows Lodge which meets in the hall over
the store. and Jesse thought that probably
the receipt book of the lodge was up in the
room. and we decided to try and recover
it before the fire destroyed the building.
Jesse was the first to ascend the ladder,
which we placed against the front porch,
and / mounted to the roof close behind him.
AS soon as / entered the room / looked
around to see what / could save. When
the explosion occurred / was standing
about fifteen feet from the front of the
building with a chair in either hand. The
floor at first seemed to bulge upward be-
meath me, and then suddenly dropped as
the side walls fell outward / think /
landed on my hands and knees as we
reached the lower story, for l remember
getting to my feet and looking about for
an avenue of escape through the clouds of
dust raised by the plastering. l did not
lose my head and felt confident that I
would get out all right. Determining which
was the front of the building / started to
pick my way out over the ruins. / heard
a crash overhead. and. looking upward /
saw a large timber falling toward me, and
was obliged to step backward to avoid it.
/ then stepped over it and made my way
out of the ruins without any trouble. and
after making sure that Jesse and William
were both safe out / came home to have