The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-06

Chicago, Aug. 5.-Four lives were los
in an explosion which took place this
afternoon during a fire in the North
western grain elevator at Cook ant
West Water streets. Three of the deaC
are firemen, the body of another fire.
man is thought to be buried in the
ruins of the elevator. From the force
with which the explosions swept the
spot on which they were standing. they
certainly must have been instantly
killed. Either the bursting Of a boiler
or the explosion of mill dirt caused the
awful havoc. The three fremen who
were killed by the falling walls of the
elevator were:
Jacob J. Schnur.
John J. Coogan.
Jacob S. Stramer.
Unidentified man blown into river by
explosion, body not recovered.
The injured:
Charles n. Conway, fireman, burned
about face and hands, body crushed,
Chief Dennis Sweeney. right foot
crushed.
Fire Marshal Champion.
Lieutenant Smith, both legs crushed.
Lieutenant w. H. Bartlett, leg
crushed.
Assistant Engineer Benjamin Blanch-
ard.
William Mcguire, Is years old. both
feet crushed.
Thomas Engle, pipeman.
Ignatius Bond.
Captain John J. Evans, struck by
debris and rendered unconscious; seri-
Gus.
William Hanley pipeman.
William Thompson.
Joseph Lacey, badly burned about
face, case serious.
Frank c. Haley may lose sight of
both eyes
Captain Martin Lacey, burned.
Lieutenant John Miller, compound
fracture of leg, badly burned, condi-
ton critical
Captain William Rooder, badly
burned, may lose sight of both eyes,
condition serious.
John Evans, fracture of right arm,
badly burned, condition serious.
William Shubert.
John Massey, left arm crushed at
the shoulder.
Lieutenant Smith.
Lieutenant Frank Donavan, hurt by
falling bricks. injured internally, con-
dition serious.
Captain Falvey. badly burned.
Lieutenant Frank Nigg, badly burned.
c. ?. Walker.
John Hentz, struck by falling beam
and skull fractured.
James MCGUIRE, leg fractured
Besides these dozens of fremen and
passersby 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. Granulated dust as dry
and inllammable as gunpOwder, that
had been pi1ing up for years, formed
ready means for the fire. It spread I
with great rapidity and then came a /
terrific explosion, completing the work /
of scattering the fire throughout the |
entire structure. just as the firemen I
We're getting into position Tor advan- /
tageous work and nearly all the mem /
bers Of engine company No. 3 were /
mounting ladders and bringing lines Of |
hose to, place on the interior frcm the J
upper windows, there came a roar that [
could be heard for half Lille, the roof |
was raised high in the air and the
walls came down with a crash. The I
force Of the explosion was so great
that the eastern wall was hurled into
the river. the western wall was tum
bled down upon the heads of the I'M
fortunate men below, and the roof
was torn into many fragments and dis
tributed for blocks around. Every
window in the vicinity of the elevator
was shattered by the cohcussion, doz-
ems of persons were struck by flying
debris and several small fires resulted
in addition 10 those which were already
in existence.
At Jefferson street and Carroll ave-
nBe, many blocks distant great Eurn-
ing masses of wreckage fell upon four
wagons loaded with hay and set them
in flames.
The building was of composite con-
struction, the lower portion being of
brick and the upper part frame, COW
cred with q roof Of corrugated iron. The
explosion caused . perfect lombard
ment Of thing. bricks and sheets of
iron at almost white heat, leaving lit
tie OF the building save a framework ,
of wood and iron, surrounding q great
pile OF blazing wheat
The explosion stunned, for moment, s
the police and iremen. but icy quickly !
rallied. TO help those who had been
hurt. Dozens Of men lay injured in the c
heat-some not seriously [
hurt, and others in the throes of death
1t was dangerous work to get them out
but it WIS CALAMITY and quickly done.
and all Of the slightly injured were re-
moved. The dead were, for time, left s
where they lay. No man could reach
their bodies and live. c
The fire was most difficult to control /
as the elevator was surrounded ~ a .
number of tan frame buildings which
caught fire. The total loss :
Is estimated at $500. GOO. fully insured :
Later-Late tonight the body of Fire I
nan Jacob Struckman was found IN ]
Ter the ruins. This makes five deaths
IS a result of the fire. f
s