The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-11
AND THE DEATH-ROLL IS IN
CREASED TO ELEVEN.
Eighteen Were injured - Property
Loss of a Million and a Hall
Subscriptions Started For Needy
Victims of the Calamity-Thrill-
ing Story of the Confagration.

ing, at the risk of their lives, but W
to nightfall but little progress had beer
made in clearing away the debris. Tht
work will be continued without ceSsa'
| ton until il is known no bodies remain
/ buried.
Blackened walls tower from the midst
of heaps of smoulderinS rubbish
threatening to topple over at any mn
ute Twenty streams are constantly
playing on the still burning ruins. a
heavy pail of smoke overhangs the des-
oIate scene, and the tired policemen
have hard work to keep the hands OF
curious onlookers from getting within
the lines. Many of the people who
fed panic-stricken from their homes
last night are plucking up courage
enough to return to places not Jeap-
ardized by the weakened walls
NEED OF AID.
Mayor Ford this afternoon. realizing
that some of the worst features OF the
calamity are yet to come, so far as the
dead and heads of families are con-
cerned, and that many will be in need
of aid. issued a public letter suggest
ing subscriptions from the citizens for
distribution among the needy victims
There is no reason TO change Iast
nights estimate of the aggregate loss
of property.
It is dificult to get figures. but in
surance experts say that it will be at
least 81, 100000, and may be more
STORY OF CALAMITY.
It was lust 1855 o'clock last evening
when smoke was seen issuing from the
fourth floor of the Union Storage COM
panys building on Pike street, near
Thirteenth. The building was SIX
stories in height. and occupied almost
the entire block between Twelfth ana
Thirteent- streets, and Pike street ana
Mulberry alley. The first floor OF the
front was occupied as offices. OF the
Union Storage company and the Chau-
tauqua Lake Ice company me sec
ond floor front contained the stables OF
the Chautauqua company, ana IN the
Twelfth street end they nad thelr zee
making plant, which occupied the three
first floors.
This was filed with valuable ice
making machinery and other property
of the ChautauQua company Inc
balance of the building was occupied
bv the storage company. Immediately
upon the discovery of the ire an alarm
was sent in and responded to promptly,
but owing to the construction of the
bnilding it was practically impossible
TO fight the fire from without, while the
volume of smoke inside the building
made It impossible TO fight 1t from
within. The only three openings in the
fire walls dividing the building were
closed by heavy iron doors, and these
were locked. For three hours the fire
men worked. scarcely knowing what
they were doing. The iron shutters
were impregnable to their attacks The
smoke that found its way out Of the
building filed Mulberry alley and Pike
street. sitting the firemen and render
ing them practically sightiess. II
would clear for a moment or TWO, ana
they would again endeaVor TO make
some Roadway. but to no avail FINAL
ly at II o'clock the flames burst out
through the roof and shot upward
hundred feet into the air. and making
that part of the city as light as day.
FLIGHT OF PEOPLE.
This was the first note of alarm that
started the flight of residents from
their homes on Pike. Thirteenth and
Twelfth streets. Women and children
started forth barefooted and in their
night clothes. followed by their hus
bands. bearing what little they could
carry in their arms of their household
effects The police We're watchful and
the crowds were kept back by fire
lines and the fearful heat of the flames.
Suddenly above the roar of the flames
and the putting of the fire engines.
which were everywhere, came the most
powerful noise of the first explosion. +.
The din of falling walls fOretOld de-
struction and death in thunderous
tones Those within the fire-lines were
seen to fall in all directions. Those
outside the lines were not without the
reach of danger. The great puff of air
created by the explosion. seemed to
make everything sway, and shake
In hxr
dictionary waves of air as the falling
walls created a vacuum that seemed
o draw in everything.
WHERE THEY FELL.
1t was on the Mulberry alley side,
where the least danger was antici-
)ated (the greatest volume of smoke
having come out of the Pike street
iide), that the force of the explosion
vas most severe, and there the great
st number of fatalities took place.
The falling walls crushed in the rear
# buildings having fronts on Pennsyl-
-ania avenue. The side of Hoeveler
building on Pike street was crushed in
md entry made for the flames AT the
Thirteenth street end of the warehouse
he most terrible effect of the explo-
ion was manifest.
I;XLlosiO' followed ex .losion for
Lbout half an hour between u and 1
fclock. After each report, like the
hot of cannon, the fire burst through
he walls in all directions Burned
ut walls came topping down and fire
men, policemen and spectators were
endered almost .powerless to act.
NARROWING SCENE.
The scene at the morgue today was
narrowing one. AS soon as badly
urned and mangled bodies were re-
overed they We're taken there, where
hey were washed and placed in pre-
entable condition. Every victim was
overed with wood and dirt, and most
very body scalded and charred.
zones protruded from the charred and
roken hands, of some, and gaping :
POUNDS were found here and there over
he bodies.
The injured were taken to the Home .
pathic hospital and some were placed .
l the emergency ward and scattered
trough the various wards.
George LOveless. apparently least in
Ired. was able to get off the stretcher
'ithout assistance. but as soon as he
TODD up he became faint and rapidly s
ecame meaker. He went from one I
iinting spell into another and sud- ,