The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-29
DEAD BODIES FLY THROUGH AIR

h MohIeman & Co, grocers, in Green
wien street The entire block on Wash
lngton street, from numbers 253 to 263
was burning at lis O'Clock Soon after
the fire seemed to be giving Way to the
eiforts OF the hremen and the lower half
OF the block below Warren street seemed
In fair way to be saved from destr1Ic-
ton At that time 1t was not possible
70 tell If any Of the firemen were miss
ing. Ihere was report that Assistant
Chler Kruger and Is men of No 10
truck were missing. The ffremen were so
busy and the confusion was such that
nothing certain could be learned.
SCATTERED WITH BLOOD.
The streets for several blocks were
strewn with broken glass and other
debris and blood was spattered in every
direction, showing that there must have
been many persons in the vicinity at the
time who were injured by failing glass
From an unofficial source. it was said
that the fire started on the third floor
of the building which was a folIr.-sto4.v
structure Immediately a column of
white smoke shot up through the roof
rms column of smoke was followed by
an explosion which shook the entire
building, lifting the roof completely off
and tearing away part of the front wall
Nobody up to this time has been found
who saw any of the employees leave the
building The force of the explosions
shook the very foundations of the build
ings in the vicinity, and was felt clear
down to Wall street, where it was
occurred.
The first alarm of fire was carried into
an engine house close to the building
where it started. Fire Captain Devanny
who was in command, and his men hur-
r1ed out and coupled their hose to the
hydrant under the elevated structure
and alongside the building which was on
fire. The minute he saw what sort of a
fire 1t was he turned in a second alarm.
Then came the explosion. The firemen
saw the building coming down, and fed
for their lives. Four were injured. The
engineer, Rockberry, was seriously hurt.
So was Captain Devanny. Both were
taken to a hospital F'iremen Brown
and Dillon were also injured. The en-
gine had to be abandoned. Captain De-
Vanny'S successors sent in a third alarm
and then a fourth and. a general call
for ambulances- The engines We're then
ordered from half a dozen or more sta
tions
A girl employed near the Tarrant
building declared that the girls were at
their luncheons on one of the upper
floors. She knew they could not have
escaped
DESCRIBED BY EYE WITNESS.
The Rev. Martin Luther, of the Will
son memorial chapel who was within
a block of the scene of the accident
when the explosion occurred. had a re-
markab bic escape. He was on his way
from the Franklin street ferry to attend
the noon meeting at the John Street
Methodist church. He was suffering
from wound in the head as a result of
trying to hold a horse which had been
kicked in the head My experience" he
said, was one which will never for
get. came up Franklin street from
the ferry and turned down Washington
street to Warren. had just turned
the corner into Warren street when the
first explosion occurred. When the sec
ond and terrific crash came 1 was in
the middle of the block between Green
wich and Washington streets, on the
south side of the street
Just before the great explosion had
been directly opposite the burning build
ing looking at the fire and the people
escaping down the fire ladders. Had 1
remained in that position a few mo-
ments longer 1 would have been killed
I consider my escape an act of Provi-
dence
when first arrived on the scene there
was dense black smoke pouring out of
the windows of the burning building
AS I looked men and women were be-
ing assisted out by the firemen and
were coming down the ladders. There
was a noise from the interior Of the
structure and a white smoke began to
pour out. Just before that / left the
front of the building and went down
that block. Fver4yone on the escapes
seemed 70 have been rescued and so far
as I could see there was no one on the
escapes when the explosion occurred.
fsAS I looked one man appeared at
one of the upper windows. His face
expressed beth agony and fear. The
smoke almost shut him out from the
view of those in the street
THE BIG EXPLOSION.
Go UP to the roof. For Gods sake /
go up the crowd shouted
s'rThe man left the window. A few mo-
ments later the big explosion occurred
and believe he perished. 1t seemed to
me that the whole building was carried
I'D into the air only to break into thou
sand pieces to come down on the pave
ment and houses, bringing death and
destruction There was a slight sound
before the explosion and then with a
fash and noise that shook the ground
the building went up
Il was standing near building and as
there was a break in the crowd darted
through and got just inside the shelter
of the doors when the glass in the win
dows of the building crashed in and the
glass fell all about me.
THE crowd stampeded down the
street Women and men fell over one
another and to add to the excitement
of the scene, the truck horses stamped
ed. There was a great number Of trucks
in the vicinity and as 1t was the noon
hour, many of the horses had their feed
bags over their heads. At Greenwich
street they blocked the street. Those
that had fallen We're kicked and run
down by the others trying to get past I
tried to get to one of the horses which
was not injured but which had fallen 4
made an effort to get him on his feet,
but was kicked in the head
LIST OF CASUALTIES.
It is learned that Teller Dunlap of
the Irving bank was not killed. He
was, however, seriously cut about the
face and head.
Edward Bradley and his wife, en-
ployed by J. Carroll. printer, 40 Murray
street, were on their way to lunch when
the explosion occurred They were in
the doorway of the building. His wife
was few feet back of him He heard
her shrek for help and looked around
but the place where she had been was
covered with debris He is certain she
was killed. The following injured per-
sons have been attended at the Hudson
street hospitals:
Peter Wilson, porter in building, cut
about head and face.
Fireman Mason. cut about face, hands