The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-09
.RAINED ROCKETS.
A Fireworks Factory Blows Up
in Chicago,
Filling the Air With Rockets.
Roman Candles and Glass.
MANY PEOPLE HURT.
Passengers Blown Off Passing
Street Cars.
A Match CareIessly Drapped
Caused the Explosion.

Chicago, June "a match dropped
carelessly by one of the workmen in the
fireworks factory of NJ. Shure, at West
Van Buren, and Halstead streets, caused
terrific explosion a few minutes after
o'clock last night. 1t was shortly aft
er the closing time of the factory and
many of the workmen had gone home,
otherwise the loss of life must have
been very heavy. AS it was a number
of the employees were badly hurt and
flying rockets and candles struck sever
al people who were passing on street
cars and ON the sidewalks. Following
is the list of injured:
Mrs. Maggie Kenny struck by run
away horses; bruised and cut
Miss Minnie Theuey, bruised and cut.
NJ. Shure, proprietor of the fireworks
factory, badly cut by glass.
Obin Temper, cut on head by falling
beam.
Fred A. Stiles, motorman on passing
cable car, severely bruised and cut by
being thrown from his car.
Andrew Lawson, conductor on the
same train, bruised by being thrown
from the car.
Phillip Sheppard, struck in back by
skyrocket while on the opposite side of
the street. and badly hurt.
Samuel Brasnik tailor, jumped from
a balcony, leg broken.
VIM. BIaha, leg injured by a runaway
horse.
Max Braiselinck, spine injured by
Idll.
Beck Maret. back struck by falling
beam.
Patrick Hussey, struck by falling
beam and several ribs fractured.
SWenie's buggy.
oscar BeRike, clerk for Yondorr
Brothers, struck by falling walls, not
serious.
c. Gordon, hurled through a plate
glass window into a saloon, badly cut.
The following who were slightly in
jured Oy flying glass, are expected to
Nellie Burke. Peter Bullet, Frank
Picke, Charles Cardiff, Alpha Jones,
Mrs. Kate Grant, George Grant, c. N.
Smith, ]. F. Harris, Edward Haes.
The force of the explosion was so
great that nearly all the windows in
the block were demolished and the
Shure building, which is a four story
structure, was badly damaged. Imme-
diately following the explosion the
building was ablaze from cellar to roof
and the fire department had desperate
struggle before it succeeded in eXtin-
gushing the flames. The building was
almost entirely destroyed by fire, and
such portions of the large stock of fire
throughout the neighborhood by the
explosion were destroyed, causing a
heavy loss to Shure.
The explosion caused a panic in that
portion of the town for a time, and the
widest stories were current regarding
the number of killed and wounded 1t
happened at a time when the street was
crowded with people on their way to
their homes and the street cars, which
pass the front of the building every
minute were densely crowded with pas
sengers. The flying missiles from the
Factory struck a number of people on
the cars and one man who was gazing
into a store window fully 400 feet dis
tant had his attention suddenly attract
ed to other matters by a rocket which
hit him squarely in the back. He fell
to the sidewalk unconscious, and was
carried to the hospital before he was
able to give his name. The majority
of those injured, received but trif1ing
hurts and will be around within day
or two. The loss to the building and
contents is estimated al $50, 900.