The Saint Paul globe., 1898-08-27
FIREWORKS. FLASH FATAL
SEVEN PEOPLE BURNED BY A
PREMATURE EXPLOSION
RecOver-Building ON NicOlIet
Avenue Partially Wrecked by the
Explosion, and the Inmates
Hemmed In by a Wall of Flame
News of Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 26.-Four men
and three women were burned and in
jured. one of the women probably fatal
ly, by an explosion of almost ton OF
fireworks which occurred in a front
room ON the second floor Of the build
ing 246 Nicollet avenue, at $3.50 o'clock
this afternoon. The injured are:
Martha Il. Betcher, seamstress, residing al
sol Fourteenth avenue north, both arms
broken at the wrist, nose broken and severe
fracture of the skull will probably die.
Mrs. J. Ginsburg seamsteress residing al
sos Sixth street north, face and both arms
seriously burned. Her sight will be saved.
Emma Becher, seamstress. residing at SO1
Fourteenth avenue north. several slight
August Kloehn. tailor. res,dfr t lS11 Wet
ern avenue, slightly burned, and bo h ankle
bones OF leg broken.
A. Griswold, tailor, residing at 1908 Third
street north, right ankle severely sprained
w. ]. Krussow, tailor, slightly burned, and
both ankles sprained.
The second floor of the building 24S
Nlcollet avenue was occupied by the
Minneapolis Cloak and Fur company,
ana George w. Porter, manufacturer
OF fireworks. The fireworks company
has been buSily engaged for the past
few weeks preparing pyrotechnical ex-
h1Dlts for the different county fairs.
ana yesterday afternoon while prepar-
ing an exhibit for shipment, somebody
stepped on an explosive. There was a
hash and report, and the front WIN
doWs of the building were blown out
by blazing mass of skyrockets, ro-
man candles, and flower pots, which
We're hurled across the street.
The rear Of the second floor was oc-
cupied by the tailoring company, where
three men and three women were en-
ployed The force of the explosion blew
down the partit on, and the unfo .tunate
people We're enveloped in a sheet Of
flame. A gasoline stove standing near
the partition was knocked over and
exploded, and the burning gasoline was
scattered everywhere.
The two Betcher girls dashed to the
rear windows and jumped. Martha
turned over in her fall, and her head
struck the alley pavement with terrific
force. Her sister was more fortunate,
and escaped with slight injury.
Mrs. Ginsburg seemed afraid to jump,
and would have been burned to death
had not James Hanley and Murray
Van Stone, two cutters employed at the
Northern Manufacturing company, Sc
cured a ladder and gone up through
the Hames after her. Both young men
risked their lives in saving the woman,
and deserve great credit for their brave
deed. Hanley was badly scorched
about the head
The three men jumped, and with the
exception of Kloehn, escaped with no
broken bones.
The patrol wagon removed Mrs. Gins
burg to the city hospital after her
burns were dressed by DR.. Kelly, and
Kloehn was also taken there. Martha
Betcher was unconscious when picked
up, and was taken to the city hospital
in the ambulance. The doctors at the
hospital report that she is seriously in
jured. and express little hope for her
recovery.
Cecil Kelsey, an employe of the fire.
works company, was reported missing
and it was thought that he had been
buried to death, but he was found
later, after having turned in an alarm