Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-08-12
A YERITABLE TRAP.
At Least Five Lives Lost by an
Explosion
During the Burning of an EIevaeor-DoEeng
OF Ffremen and Citizens More or Less
Cut and Bruised by Glass and Flying
Debris-The Injured Rescued.

CHICAGO, Aug. 6.-Four and proba-
bly, five lives were lost in an explO-
sion which took place last evening
during fire in the Northwestern
grain elevator at Cook and West Water
streets Three of the dead are fire.
men-the body of another fireman Is
thought to be buried in the ruins
and one person was blown
into the Chicago river. From the
force with which the explosion swept
the spot on which they were standing,
it is certain they must have been in
stantly killed. Either the bursting of
a boiler or the explosion of milIdust
caused the awful havoc. The three
firemen were killed by the falling
walls of the elevator.
Besides those killed dozens OF fire.
men and passers-by were more or less
cut and bruised by glass and flying
debris.
The origin of the blaze is believed to
have been in the vicinity of the boiler
house. Accumulated dust, as dry and
infammable as gunpowder that had
been piling up for years, formed a
ready means for the fire. 1t spread
with great rapidity and then came a
terrific explosion completing the work
of scattering the fire throughout the
entire structure.
Just as the firemen were getting
into position for advantageous work,
and nearly all the members of Engine
Company No. 3 were mounting ladders
and bringing leads of hose to play on
the interior from the upper windows,
there came a roar that could be heard
kor half mile. The roof was raised
high in the air and the walls came
down with crash. The force of the
explosion was SO greatthat the eastern
wall was hurled into the river, the
west wall tumbled down upon the
heads of the unfortunate men below
and the roof was torn into mighty
fragments and distributed for blocks
around.
Every window in the vicinity of the
elevator was shattered by the concus-
sion, dozens OF persons were struck by
flying debris, and several small fires
resulted from falling timbers that were
still in flames.
At jefferson street and Carroll ave-
nue., many blocks distant, great burn
ing masses of wreckage fell upon four
wagons loaded with hay and set them
in flames.
The elevator was of composite con-
struction, the lower portion being of
brick and the upper part of frame COW
cred with corrugated iron. The ex-
plosion caused perfect bombardment
of bricks and sheets of iron at almost
white heat leaving little of the build
ing save framework of wood and iron
surrounding a great pile of blazing
wheat.
The explosion stunned for moment
the police and firemen, but they quickly
rallied to help those who had been
hurt Dozens of men lay in the with
ering heat, some not seriously harmed
and others in the throes of death. 1t
was dangerous work to get them out,
but it was gallantly and quickly done,
and all of the slightly injured were re-
moved The dead were, for the time,
left where they lay. No man could
reach their bodies and live.
The fire was most difficult to control
as the elevator WAS surrounded by
small frame buildings which were
continually catching fire. The total
loss is estimated at $500. 900, which is
fully covered by insurance.
Late last night the body of Fireman
Jacob Struckman was found under the
ruins. This makes five deaths as the
result of the fire.