The herald., 1897-08-06
FIREMEN DIE.
While Fighting a Blaze at
Chicago
AN EXPLOSION OF MILL DIRT
COUNTS ITS VICTIMS BY THE
SCORE
Four Men Killed Outright, One Will
Die, Fifty-one Firemen and Many
Citizens Injured

CHlCAGO, Aug. 5.-Four, ana pos
sibly more, lives were lost in an explo-
sion which took place this evening dur
| ing a fire in the Northwestern grain
elevator, at Cook and West Water
streets. Three of the dead are firemen.
The body of another fireman is thought
to be buried in the ruins of the elevator.
From the force with which the explo-
sion swept the spot on which they were
ben instantly killed. Either the burst
| ing of a boiler or the exploding mill
dirt caused the awful havoc. The three
firemen who were killed by the falling
walls of the elevator are:
JACOB ]. SCHNUR.
JOHN j. COOGAN.
JACOB S. STRAMER.
Unidentified man, blown into river;
| body not recovered.
The injured:
CHARLES H. CONWAY, fireman;
body crushed; may die.
CHIEF DENNIS SWEENEY; foot
crushed.
FIRE MARSHAL CAMPION.
| LIEUTENANT SMITH; legs crushed.
LIEUTENANT w. H. BARTLETT:
| leg crushed.
| ASSISTANT ENGINEER BENJA-
MIN BLANCHARD;.
| JOHN F. SMITH.
WILLIAM MAGUIRE; feet crushed.
THOMAS ENGLE, pipeman.
| IGNATIUS BOND.
| CAPTAIN JOHN j. EVANS; struck
| by debris; serious.
WILLIAM HANLEY, pipeman.
WILLIAM THOMPSON.
| Besides these, dozens of firemen and
passers-by were more or less cut and
bruised by glass and flying debris. In
all fifty-one firemen were injured.
The origin of the blaze is believed to
have been in the vicinity of the boiler
house Granulated dust, as dry and
inflammable as gun powder, that had
been piling up for years, formed ready
means for the fire. 1t spread with great
rapidity, and then came terrific eX-
plosion, completing the work of scat
tering the fire throughout the entire
structure.
Just as the firemen were getting into
position for advantageous work and
nearly all the members of Engine COM
pany No. were mounting ladders and
| bringing lines of hose to play on the
| interior from the upper windows, there
came a roar that could be heard for
| half a mile, the roof was raised high in
| the air, and the walls came down with "A
crash
The force of the explosion was 50
great that the eastern wall was hurled
into the river, the western wall was tum-
bled down upon the heads Of the unfor-
tunate men below, and the roof was
torn into many fragments and distrib-
uted for blocks around. Every window
in the vicinity of the elevator was shat
tered by the force of the conclusion,
dozens Of persons were struck by flying
debris and several small fires resulted
in addition to those which were already
in flames.
At Jefferson street and Carroll ave-
nue., many blocks distant, great masses
of burning brands fell upon four wagons
loaded with hay and set them on fire
The building was of composite con-
struction, the lower portion being of
brick and the upper portion frame COW
cred with roof of corrugated iron. The
explosion caused a perfect bombarding
Ol llltS, DllChS anu SIltClS VI liOll, dlIlloSl
at white heat, leaving little of the build
ling save framework of wood and iron
surrounding a great pile of blazing
wheat The explosion stunned for mo-
ment the police and firemen but they
quickly rallied to help those who hal
been hurt. Dozens of men lay injured
in the withering 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 quick
y done, and all of the slightly injured
were removed. The dead were for a
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
number of frame buildings which were
continually catching fire. The total loss
is estimated at $500, 000 fully insured
Late tonight the body of Fireman ia.
cob Strikman was found under the ru-
ins. This makes five deaths as the result
of the fire.