The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-10
BLOWN Up.
5000 Barrels of Whisky Ex-
pIOde in PittSburg Warehouse
While Wrapped in Flames and
Fourteen People Killed.
MANY OTHERS HURT.
Cold Storage Warehouse Gov
ering all Entire Block
Is Destroyed and Property Loss
Approaches 2 Millions.
MANY OTHERS HURT.
A WHOLE WALL FALLS
Burying Scores of People, Fire
men, Policemen, Reporters.

Pittsburg, Feb. 10.-At $3.50 last night
fire started in the large three story cold
storage house of the Chautauqua Lake
Ice company, occupying a block from
Twelfth to Thirteenth streets between
Pike street and Mulberry and before
the flames were subdued, at lis a. m.
nearly two million dollars worth of
property had been destroyed. fourteen
lives lost and many people badly in
jured.
The fire in point of fatalities, is the
most serious that Pittsburg has ever
had. The department responded
quickly and a general alarm was sent
in. Other alarms quickly followed and
at midnight Alleghany's department
was called upon for help
The origin of the fire is unknown.
The vicinity is composed Of a mixture
of huge warehouses and many private
residences, the inhabitants of which
fed, carrying with them as much port
able household goods as possible. There
We're frequent explosions, which great
" added to the alarm.
The streets were completely blocked
with people and their goods interfered
with the fremen, who were already
handicapped in their efforts to control
the flames, on account of windows and
doors of the burning buildings being
strongly barred by heavy iron smut
ters.
At 11:15 p. m. an explosion of whisky
stored in the warehouse occurred, blow
ing out the Mulberry alley wall with
terrible results.
At the time the firemen, policemen,
newspaper men and others crowded the
street nearby and the alley. Many
were caught in the falling walls How
many will not be known until the de-
briS is cleared away.
Many people were injured by falling
bricks and beams, and all the ambu-
lances and patrol wagons of the city
We're called into service.
Telegraph, telephone and electric light
wires at the corner of Thirteenth and
Penn fell shortly after the explosion,
and killed an unknown man
Just after the explosion, the large
warehouse of w. A. Haviler & Co,
situated on Pike street directly oppO-
site the Chautauqua cOmpany's build
ing, was abIaze and in a short time
was beyond hope of saving.
AT about 1:15 the fire was gotten I'M
der control. Two large buildings are
a total wreck.
The following is the best list of loss
es Obtainable:
and contents. $500, 900; Chautauqua Ice
company, S150,0O0; Union Storage COM
pany, $175,000
Some of the heaviest Individual los
ers who had cOnsignments in the ware
houses are:
The Economic Distilling company,
5000 barrels of whisky worth $75O,0o0;
MOnOngahela Textile company, wool
dealers, 125, 900 pounds of wool; Collins
Cigar company 25 car loads tobacco;
w. II. Williams, commission merchant,
20 car loads sugar.
The list Of dead, injured and missing,
as far as known is as follows. Dead:
JOHN A. BERRY, lieutenant of pO-
lice, aged about so years.
n y refo civ
VIM. SCOTT. Jr.. aged 20 years. son
of President VIM Scott, of the Chau-
tauqua Lake Ice company.
STANLEY SEITZ, aged Is years.
GEORGE LOVELESS, 40 years old,
married.
JOHN HANNA, ,bookkeeper Chautau-
qua Lake Ice company.
STANLEY SIPE. aged 16 years.
WILLIAM SMITH.
Fireman, white, name unknown. aged
about 40 years.
VIM. L. WALLENSTEIN, employed
in Rudensamens MIX depot.
Two unknown men.
INJURED.
Robert Rosamond, single, aged 40.
lieutenant of engine company No. ?,
right foot crushed. Amputated below
the knee at Homeopathic hospital. He
was also bruised about the body.
Owen K. Fielder, aged Is, compound
fracture of the right leg.
George Douglass, 35 years, of Belle
vue, unconscious, thought to be intern
ally injured.
owen Mullhan, married, 80 years,
1acerated scalp.
VIM. Fleming, % years, single, con-
fusion of body and scalp wound.
joseph Hadley, aged 80 years, bruised
about the body ana head.
Kit Wilson, SO years, of Paducah, Ky
received injury about the head, not IA
tai.
Robert Dobson, 35 years. badly in
jured about the head and body.
Captain J. A. Brown, superintendent
Of the bureau of building inspection
right leg cut and bruised.
Peter Malone. aged % years, slightly
injured about the legs.
Davis Stewart, aged 50. badly cut by
falling bricks.
VIM. Desmuke, aged SO years, injured
about the head and shoulders.
Charles Wilson, struck by falling
bricks and seriously hurt.
Police officer Rodgers, cut and
bruised internally.
Mrs. Mary Desmuke, aged SO, cut
about the head and arms and hurt in
ternally.
Charles Simon, aged 20 years. travel
ing salesman of Cincinnati, badly cut
on head by brick.
George King. engineer No. 7 engine
company, scalp wound and bruises.