Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-03-17

People Are Wounded Death Roll l. No.
known, But There Are More Than a
Score Missing Who It Is Feared Found a
Grave Among the Debris-Firemcn Have
81 Narrow Escape-Heroic Torewoman.
Chicago. March 1.-THE most appall-
Ing fire since the cold storage holocaust
at the Worlds fair, broke out in the
Conover Piano building, 2l5 to 81 Wa
bash avenue al IL yesterday forenoon.
Three hundred girls employed on the
top floors Of the building tramp!cd oyer
one another in their frantic efforts to
escape the flames. Within half an hour
after the sheet CT fire shot out from the
toy floor Of the six-story building TIE
oniirc structure was wrapped in flames.
and the crash CT the huge walls as they
tumbled down was heard for blocks
around. The streets in the vicinity O:
Wabash avenue and jackson boulevard
were literally black with people who
STRAINED thi;her from all parts Of the
city. attracted Ivy the clouds of smoke
which heiched from the burning build
Ing and spread ali over the downtown
district.
Nunber of Dead is in Doubt.
TIE number Of dead is in doubt, and
probably will not he definitely known
until the debris of the building is suffi-
GENTLY cleared to admit search being
mace for the bodies Of those who are
undoubtedly in the ruins. This will be
days hence CT least. Three men are
known TO b. Gcad-Samuel =. Clark,
hookkcerer for Olmsted Scientific com.
H2ny; Miles y. Smith, salesman fer
Clms,ed Scientific company. and Ed
yard BintE, Cachicr for Sweet, Wallach
e X.
To mi~zir~ Of whom nothing has
been learned ut this writing. and NEST
f whom are probably buried in the
wreck of the building are: w. \. DIM
5tcd. president OF Olmstpd Scientific
o1.nTary; {. II. Ans. secretary of the
cimst,d company: Eils. r.. =. Harris.
widow. 5.ukkCygcr Ter the Clmstel
company; unknown vcrin. :cen at Z
window q! TIE sixth GsOr shorty after
Miles Smith lecT-l 70 his Death: c. y.
Anderson. employed Iy Sweet. Waiiach
Z Co: --- Ni,i. assistant in Office Of
tho Presbyterian BOARD or Publication:
Tuay - OGst name urxrown), office
hog for Sweet. Wsllach & Co; Fred
IaUin. vaudeville singer; g. y. Price,
cashier olrstcd company: SclCmcn
GTcliman. J-., western agent for Henry
Holt=n,ar. Columbus. O.; Solomon
Gro!lwer. ST.. with G.onman. Jr.; Arna
Guest, cashier for the National Music
company: l.. i. Nelson. worked fer
OlnstCd c0m~1ny; william Marvin,
shipping clase r0r the Presbyterian
Board 81 PcI!.g alton: WA. IGss. cr-
rand Eoy Ger che Presbyterian Board Of
Publication: ". ]. Wilcox. Partner Of
W. :. ClustCC; Hattie Davidson. en-
ployed by the Clrls:cd company.
Explosion wuunr> Number.
An explosion caused by the varrisho3
in the piano cgrrany's portion of the
building caused the wound.ng of Z
number 81 people. TIE rear wall was
blown cut Ey the force Of the explosion.
The iron shutters ~ the buildings acrcss
the alley. facing State street. had been
closed. The stone and brick crushed
through there - IL they Rad been "a
per. William I.Galey. awaiter Toy y.
II. Eoh!Saat g ca. Az State street. Lad
his leg broken 10y the falling Debris.
Large numbers Of Iystsnders in both
the front ard rear were struck in this
way or burned By the flames. whichshot
clear across the street in front and the