Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-02-10
EXPLODING WHISKEY
Does Deadly Work at a Fire
at Pittsburg, Penn.
Sends an immense Wall Into Street
Crowded With People.
Six Bodies Recover ed-Many Others SUI
posed to Be In Ruins.

Pittsburg, Pa. Feb. "a fire Of fnys-
FERROUS origin was discovered, about 5
O'Clock, this evening. in the large g.
story cold storage plant Of the CHATEAU
qua Lake Ice Co. and at this hour
01.30) il looks as though the entire
building would be destroyed. together
worth about $l.775ooo worth Of mer-
chandise Of all kinds stored within It's
walls
The building occupies the block from
18th to 18th streets between Pike street
and Mulberry alley. 1t is 6-story
brick building, with three heavy fire
walls, making in reality four buildings,
The company has its plant and stor-
| age warehouse on the lower floors and
the Union Storage Go. occupies the
balance Of the building with merchan-
disc Of all descriptions, the property Of
| many merchants and househOlders Of
! the city. one of the compartments is
used as the government bonded ware
| house and contanes about 400 barrels
Of whiskey and alcohol.
Fifty horses belonging to the Ice co.
were stabbed in one end of the building
but We're rescued.
The windows Of the block are pro-
tected by heavy iron shutters which
cannot be opened and for this reason
the fremen We're badly handicapped
being unable to properly get at tbs
fire. The loss cannot as yet be esti-
mated. but at least 300, 600 worth of
property has already been consumed.
The building and contents are we'll in
sured.
At 1l.15 p. NJ. an explosion Of
whiskey occurred which blew out the
Mulberry alley wall with terrible re-
suits
AT the time the alley was filed With
tiremen. policemen newspaper men
and others. Many were caught by The
falling wall. There are rumors that
least % or 80 men are still under the
debris
Three dead have been taken out
among them Police Captain Berry
The other two bodies are at the morgu
unrecogniZed as yet. Many people
were injured by flying blocks ana
beams and all the ambulances ana
patrol wagons of the city are in con-
slant service
Some Of the injured whose names
have been secured are:
Charles simon, travelling salesman
from Cincinnati. badly cut on head.
VIM. Fleming, squeezed by falling |
ratter may die.
Daniel Maloney, carried through toi
the cellar, but dug his way out. He is |
internally hurt.
Charles Wilson, bridge builder, badly |
cut and internally hurt.
VIM. Desmuke, peddler, head anaj
shoulders badly cut.
Mary Desmuke. his wife, internally |
hurt.
Davis Stewart, badly cur on head
Capt. J. \. Down. building inspector. |
both legs broken.
Robert A. Rosamond. Engine Co. ,, |
leg crushed. necessitating amputation; |
body bruised.
owen X. Fielder. compound fracture |
Of right leg.
George Douglass, Bellevue. thought |
to be internally injured.
VIM. Fleming. Commissions on body.
Joe Headiey and Kit Wilson, head |
cut.
Robert Dawson, head and body in |
jured.
The telegraph, telephone and electric |
|
sylvania streets fell shortly after the
explosion and killed an unknown man. |
Just after the explosion the large |
warehouse of w ~ Hoavler K Co, |
situated on Pike street directly oppo-
site the Chautauqua Cos. building. was
abaze and in a short time was be
yond nope OF saving.
At about I.l5 the fire was gotten I'M
IL. \
expected.
The TWO large buildings are a total
wreck and the loss cannot be much less
than Sl,150000. Until the fallen walls
have been cleared away there can be
no certainty as to the number of vic
Tins.
At : A. NJ. there are six dead at the
morgue only two of whom have been
identified They are Police Lieutenant
\. J. Berry, acting captain, and VIM.
Scott. Jr. aged 20, son of the president
of the Chautauqua Ice Co. His brother
Jonn. aged Is is missing, supposed to be
buried under the ruins. The following
is the best list of losses obtainable. to-
night:
Hoevler Storage Co, building and
contents, 100000: Chautauqua Ice Co.
$l50,000: Union Storage Co. 81 .000009,
Small Pennsylvania avenue houses.
$4,000 making a total Of Sits, 600 all
we'll insured
Some of the heaviest individual
losers who had goods in the ware
houses are: The Economy Distilling
Co. bbls. of whiskey worth 500 00o,
Mongahela Textile Co $l25 600 pounds
of wool; Ceilings Sugar Co. - car
loads tobacco: w. n. Williams % car
| loads of sugar
\ statement of insurance cannot now
be obtained.
NEW TONIlNE OPENED.