The evening times., 1898-02-10

Pittsburg. Feb. 19.-The fire here last
night was the most disastrous con-
fiagration Pittsburg has experienced
since the great fire of lS40. The loss
OF life was terrible. The property loss
is estimated to have been greater than
that occasioned by the late Jenkins
Horn fire. The total number of dead
viii not be known until the wreck
age is cleared away.
The great siX-story plant Of the
Chautauqua Lake Ice Company, occu-
plying the half square bounded by
Twelfth and Thirteenth streets, Pike
street and Mulberry alley. was de-
stroyed and great damage done to ad-
joining property.
A fearful explosion while Pike street
and Mulberry alley were filed with
firemen, was the cause of the death
OF at least twelve persons.
The known dead are:
JOHN A. BERRY. acting police cap
tain.
GEORGE LOKELESs. spectator.
WILLIAM SCOTT. JR., believed to
be a son of William Scott, president OF
tie Chautauqua Ice Company. bat so
mutiiated as to make identity uncer-
tain.
STANLEY SIPE. eighteen years old.
who was crushed horribly.
The unknown dead are a teamster,
anC labUreT
Those injured badly are: Owen MALTA
han. William Fleming. Joseph deadiey,
scalp wounds and cOntusions OF the
body: Robert Dobs0n. Allegheny. contu-
sion OF head and body: Captain J. J. A.
Brown. superintendent Of buildings, leg
broken; XXI Wilson, bridge builder,
Paducah. KY. bruised badly; RoOeri
ROsamOnd. lieutenant Of fire engine No.
. both legs crushed. amputation neceS-
sary: owen Fielder compound fracture u
right leg; George Perry, fireman, cut
about head and body: Charles Johnson
driver patrd wagon No. 3. head cut;
George Price. fireman. kicked 10y horse
John 4. Hunter, fireman, leg broken.
What caused the first explosion Is not
vet known The erally-accepted
supposition is that il was oceasiOnEd 10y
the FIRE reaching . O0O barrels Of whisky
stored in a United States bonded ware
house on the fifth floor in about the
center Of the mammoth building The
force uf this explosion was terrific
Heavy telephone and telegraph poles
bearing sixty ana seventy wires. as Wei
as heavy cables. were snapped of short
as far away as three squares. htterlng
the streets with live wires. adding Il
the dangers threatened from fire. Foi
squares distant window glass was bIok
cn, Chimneys were tCppled over and
people were thrown fTom their feet.
There was bat liItle noise accom-
panying this explosion. except that &C
Casioned by the fearful and terrifying
roar CT the towering brick walls as the.
collapsed.
The value Of the merchandise stored il
the great building last night is not les
than 81 coo. 0oe. and the damage TO ma
chinery and adjoining property viii reaci
another million. The building was nile
with the surplus stocks of possibly hal
the wholesale merchants OF Plttsbufg.
With the first explosion there came
terrible confusion. amounting almost {
a panic. TIE streets and alleys wer'
packed densely with people. The din ol
falling walls foretold destruction and
death in thunderOus tones. Those with
IN the fire lines were seen 10 fail in al
direction. Those outside the lines wer'
not without the reach Of danger. many
being thrown to Tie ground more OF les
injured 10y being trampled upon. FIX
plosion followed explosion for an hour
fire after each report bursting throug
the woiis i'm all directions The fire wa
not under control until 2:45 o'clock thi
morning. when Chief Humphreys sal,
he estimated the loss at least s.. SOC, 600.
Ten mangled bodies had been takei
from the ruins and it is known pOsitiVel,
that two more are still in the smoking
pile.