Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-09-21
EIGHT MEN CREMAT TED.
Shocking Destruction Of Life
.. in Toledo.
A TERRIBLE EXPLOSION
Spontaneous Combustion of Dust in a Grain
Elevator Causes the Most Disnstrous
I. Fire la tho History
of che City.
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION

TOLEDO, O.. Sept. 2O.-Eight men
cremated and eight more fatally
burned is the result of the most disas-,
trous fire that ever occurred in Toledo
Thc spontaneous combustion of dust in
the grain elevator owned by Paddock,
Hodge & Co., at 9 O'clock caused this
terrible destruction of life
William j. Parks, the superintendent.
alter being blown through the window
OIL the lower story was conscious for a
moment and said that about $3.50
o CLOCK terrible explosion occurred on
the south side of the elevator and that
ne Knew there were about twenty men
at work ON the seven floors Of the enor-
nous building. None of those men
who are now ally" will survive the
burns and bruises with which they are
covered Beside those regularly en-
pioyed at the elevator the three child
rem OF Superintendent Parks were yis-s
ting him at the time. One of these
may recover from his burns but Grace.
II 1'-year-old girl, is burned almost be-
yond recognition. and Harold the third
child, has not been found. being either
blown to atoms or cremated
at $40 this morning the people OF
East Ioiedo were startled by terrific
explosion which caused a panic all
over the neghborhood. Houses We're
shaken as in an earthquake, and win
DAVIS were shattered for blocks
around Those in the vicinity of the
Union elevator soon noticed flames
bursting from the sides OF the building.
1t was but a few minutes till the fire
department of the city began the work
of rescue. which was rendered difficult
by the terrific heat OF the fire The
river cut off 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. broth
ers and fathers. made q scene indescrib-
able. .s
1t was learned that the force OF
twenty men We're expected to load
10000 bushels of grain during the night.
Not one OF the entire number could be
seen in any part of the building, and
1t was impossible to reach them. Will
liam Parks was found first He was
twenty-feet from the building. fright
fully burned, and his clothing almost
ntirely torn off NJ he h1d BEEN hur9ed;
FROM his pfAc &c NM sTnpgn
y aafns
cries were most pitt fuisss SherSeIr2
ploye. John Carr, was hurled from the
fifth floor Of the building and was Gounds
bleeding and burned with many bones
broken. He did not long survive
Fireman David Kemp and Charles
Keifer. the engineer, were found at
their places in the engine room They
were wounded by falling timbers and
their faces We're charred to a crisp by
the flames. 5 5
The little daughter of William Parks
was sitting near the desk in the office
at the time of the explosion, and she
was hurled out of the door. She walk
ed down the elevation on which the
building stands and dropped down to
be carried away unconscious. suffering
from wounds from which she cannot
recover
John Smith was fatally burned The
missing men are doubtless all dead No
trace can be found of any of them.
and as they are employed at the top
OF the elevator their chances for
escape were but slight. s%
The heat became so intense that
twenty cars on sidings near the burn
ing building were added to the loss.
The fire department had hard strug-
gle to save other elevators and proper
ty. The bridge across the Maumee
river was on fire several times, but out
side of the loss of the elevator, the.
damage is Slight
Mr. Paddock. a member of the firm
owning the plant. said that there was
between 100000 and 100000 bushels of
grain in storage at the time the most
OF it being winter wheat. The property
and the grain is entire loss and will
| reach $450,Oo0. Insurance is s1s5G00 on
| the building and the grain is covered
with $25S. 900 insurance. AT 1920 o. clock
| the flames were under control.