Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-09-24
ELEVATOR EXPLOSION
Caused by Spontaneous Combustion
Of Grain in Toledo.
EIGHT DEAD, SIXTEEN INJURED.

Houses As In an Earthquake. and
windows were shattered For Blocks
Around-Many Orthe Injured VIII Die
Toledo. o.. Sept. 21.-EiEht men were |
sremated. eight fatally burned and |
eight more seriously burned last I
night in the most disastrous fire
that ever occurred in Toledo. The |
spontaneous combustion of dust I'm the
grain elevator owned by Paddock.
Hodge & Co. caused this terrible de-
struction OF life, and none of those WHO
were taken out after the fire started
were far enough from deaths door to
tell any of the details
The dead are: Samuel Alexander.
Bert wainwright. Fred Garrett, Harold
Parks, John Smith, Grace Parks. Frank
Van Housen and John Carr
The injured: David Kemp Barney
WEIGH. Charles Keller. Fred Pargillis.
George Eliot. Charles BROKER. Everett
Smith. Hamilton Parks. William j.
Parks. w. c. Jordan. Peter Haas, Al
Baldie and four others. names I'M
known.
William J. Parks, the superintendent.
was blown through the window Of the
| lower story. He said that about $3.50
| a terrible explosion occurred on the
south side OF the elevator. and that he
knew there were about 20 men at work
on the seven floors of the enormous
building. None OF the injured will sur
| yive their burns and bruises Besides
| those regularly employed at the eie-
vator the three children Of Superin-
tendent Parks were visiting him at the
| time. One of these may recover from
his burns, but Grace. a 17-year-old girl,
IS burned almost beyond recognition.
and Harold, the third child, has not
been found.
i At $3.50 O'Clock the people Of East
Toledo were startled by a terrific ex-
plosion. which caused panic all over
the neighborhood. Houses were shaken
as in an earthquake. and windows were
shattered for blocks around Those
in the vicinity OF the Union elevator
soon noticed flames bursting from tbs
building. 1t was but a few minutes
: tiu the FIRE department OF the city be-
gan the work of rescue, which was
] rendered difficult by the terrific heat
e The river cut of escape on one side
: and there the flames seemed TO be les
, fierce The families of a dozen mel
who were known to be at work within
!, rushed to the scene. and women cali
ing for their imprisoned husbands
Il brothers and fathers made scene In
u describable.
e II was learned that force OF 20 me
u expected TO load q. 900 bushels of graz
{, during the night. Not one OF the en-
y tire number could be seen in an
= part OF the building. and it was impos
sible to reach them in any way. VII
- fam Perkins was found 20 feet from tn
building, frightfully burned. and n
clothing almost entirely torn on
Is had been hurled from his place In II
,e main room through a window. and n
40 agonizing cries were most pitifuL Al
other employee. John Carr, was hurlS
from the nth floor of the building, ar
was found bleeding and burned. wit
many bones broken. He did not Tor
survive The bodies OF Fireman Dav
Kemp and Charles Keifer, the ems
eo neer, were found at their places In Il
engine rooms. They were wounded
el falling timbers and their faces we
rd | charred to a crisp.
The little daughter OF William Par
al was sitting near the desk in the {
e fee at the time OK the explosion, al
-, she was hurled out OF the door. s
- walked down the elevation on viii
- the building stands and then fell u
conscious suffering from wounds frt
,ss which she cannot recover.
&C John Smith was fatally burned L
90 missing men are doubtless all dead.
trace can be found Of any of them, al
he as they were employed at the top Of
a~- elevator. their chances for escape vi
nm but slight
81 The heat became so great that
To- cars on a siding near the burning bui
ing were added to the loss. The
department had hard struggle to IS
- other elevators and property
bridge across the Maumee river v
-" on fire several times. but outside of
loss Of the elevator the damage
- slight.
Mr. Paddock. a member OF the +
owing the plant. said that there '
Ano between 500. 900 and 100000 bushels
@'e grain in storage at the time. most o
being winter wheat The property
,eS grain is an entire loss. and will re
$450.0O0.