The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-09-23
A DISASTROUS FIRE.
An Explosion in q Grain Elevator
Causes a Panic.
EIGHT PERSONS LOSE THEIR LIVES.
Many Others Are inferred and win Not Sur
tIVe the Burns and Bruises with which
They are COVered-The Prop
erty Loss Great

erty Loss Great
Toledo, O., Sept 2L-Eight men Gre
mated and eight more fatally burned
is the result Of the most disastrous fire
that ever occurred in toledo. The
spOnt aneOus combustion of dust in 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 are: Dave D. Kemp, Bar
ney Welch. Charles Keller, Fred Bardi-
gillis, - Elliott, Charles Bookseller,
Everett Smith, Hamilton Parks, Viii
liam J. Parks, w. c. Jordan, Peter
Haas and Al Baldie- -Four others,
names unknown.
William ]. Parks, the superintend
ent, after being blown through the
window Of the lower story, was con
sciOus for a moment and said that
about 500 o'clock a terrible explosion
occurred on the south side Of the ele-
vatOr, and that be knew there were
about 90 men at work on the seven
floors of the enormous building.
None Of those who are now alive viii
survive the burns and bruises with
which they are covered. Besides those
regularly employed at the elevator,
the three children Of Superintendent
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
yet been found, being either blown to
atoms or cremated.
At $50 o'clock last evening the peO-
pie ali over Toledo were startled by a
terrific explosion which caused a panic
all over the neigh bOrhoOd. Houses
were shaken as if by an earthquake,
and windows were shattered for blocks
arO1nd. Those in the vicinity of the
Union elevator soon noticed flames
bursting from all sides of the build
ing. It was but a few minutes until
the FIRE department Of the city began
the work of rescue. which was rem
dered difficult By the terrific heat Of
the FIRE The ftFcr cat of escape on
one side, and there the flames seemed
to be less fierce. The families Of q
dozen men who were known to be at
work within rushed to the scene and
women calling for their imprisoned
husbands, brothers and fathers made q
scene indescri b2ble-
It was learned that the force Of %
men expected to load so, 600 bushels Of
gSBin during the night Not one Of
- 4
any part of the building and it was
impossible to reach them in any way.
William Parks was found first. BE
was 20 feet from the building, fright
fully burned and his clothes almost
entirely torn of. He had been hurled
from his place in the main room
through a window and his agonizing
cries were most pitifuL Another en-
pIoye, John Carr, was hurled from the
fifth floor Of the building and was
found bleeding and burned. with mary
bones broken. He did not long sur
vive. Fireman David Kemp and
Charles Keifer, the engineer, were
found at their places in the engine
rooms They were wounded by fall
ing timbers and their faces were
charred to a crisp by the flames.
The little daughter Of William Parks
was sitting at the desk in the Office at
the time of the explosion and she was
hurled out Of the door. She walked
down the elevation on which the build
ing stands and dropped down, to be
carried away unconscious, suffering
from wounds from which she cannot
recover. John Smith was fatally
burned. He was literally dismembered
and was taken 10 the hospital to die.
The missing men are doubtless al
dead No trace can be found Of any Of
them and az they were employed at the
top Of the elevator their chances fort
escape were but slight.
The heat became so intense that 20
cars standing on the sidings near the
burning building were added to the
loss The fire department had a hard
struggle to save other elevators and
property. The bridge across the Mau-
NEE river was on FIRE several times,
but outside the loss Of the elevator the
damage is slight
Mr. Paddock, q member Of the firm
owning the plant said there was be-
tween 500, 900 and 600, 600 tons OF grain
in storage at the time, the most Of it
being winter wheat The property
and the grain is an entire loss and win
reach $3.50, 600. The insurance is $685.
600 on the building and the grain is
covered with S25s, 600 insurance