The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-04
FIVE KILLED.
Power House of G. g. N. w. Ry.
Blows Up.
Besides the Dead I2 Persons
Are Badly Injured.
A TRAIN STOOD NEAR.
Part Of Boiler Driven Through
Passenger Coaches
But Over the Heads of the
Passengers Inside.

Chicago. Dec. Alive railway em-
ployes were instantly killed and twelve
people injured by the explosion OF a
boiler in the power house OF the Chicago
& Northwestern road last evening. Sew
eral Of the injured are hurt 50 badly
that they may die.
THE DEAD.
August Clamman. section foreman,
crushed by falling walls while standing
near power house.
Anthony Krause, fireman at power
way to hospital.
August Weiss, section hand. struck
by boiler.
Joseph Specht, section hand, caught
Henry schnuir. Is years old. clerk in
auditing office of Northwestern road.
neck broken by flying debris while walk
ing past power house.
The seriously injured.
John Butterworth, chief electrician OF
power house; skull fractured. internal
injuries; will probably die.
Anthony hrause, scalded, chest
crushed, both elbows dislocated; VIII
probably die.
part of roof of parlor car falling on
him.
Mrs. August Beck, Milwaukee. thrown
against seat; internally injured.
Michael Gregor, severely burned; may
die.
A number Of strangers were standing
around watching the dynamos in the
electric light plant.
Just as the explosion occurred the
Ashland limited train was pulling out
of the station. The greater part OF the
train had passed, and although all the
cars were heavily battered with falling
debris and bricks, only the last two
coaches. a Pullman sleeper and draw
ing room car, were badly damaged. The
boiler head and the boiler itself caught
- .
rear car. while the boiler head plowed
through the one Immediately in front.
Fortunately both few high and struck
the cars above the windows. carrying
away portions of the roof and vesti-
bule. Few OF the passengers happened
at the time to be in the ends Of the two
cars hit by the flying metal, and such
of them as were hurt were struck by
flying splinters and suffered from being
thrown violently TO the floor.
On the train were Mr.. and Mrs. Au-
gust Beck, of Milwaukee, and Mr.. ana
Mrs. William Bicker, OF SheboyBah,
Wis. Both couples were returning from
their bridal tour, and all four were IN
jured Mrs. Beck was dashed against
a seat in the car and sustained Internal
injuries which may prove fatal. Neither
of the cars were thrown from the track
and the engine drew them quite dis
tance before coming to stop. Iratic
however was interrupted for nearly four
hours. The destruction of the electric
lighting plant plunged the station into
darkness and the pile OF debris was
thrown across the tracks temporarily
blocking suburban traffic. The cause OF
the explosion is not known The prop
erty loss TO the road will be 100000.
DEATH LIST GROWS.
Chicago Dec. A-The list OF killed in
the explosion late yesterday afternoon Of
one of the boilers in the lighting ana
heating plant of the Chicago g. North
western railway near the Wells street
depot numbers six while five others were
so badly injured that they may not re-
cover. Nearly a score Of persons were
more or less injured by the explosion.
Three of those killed were section men
working over a hundred feet ffom the
The list OF dead is as follows:
AUGUST WEISE-
HENRY SCHNUR
JOSEPH SPECHT.
AUGUST CLAMMAN.
ANTON KRAUSE.
HUGH M'GREGOR.
THE INJURED.
John ButterwOrth serious.
A. J. Scully. serious.
George Gillis, serious
Mr.. and Mrs. August Beck. Milwaukee,
both serious.
Mr.. and Mrs VIM. BicIzei. sheboygan.
Wis
Joseph KovelskL
John Volter
Aug Holtz.
John Barron.
w. T. Standig.
H. N. Townsend.
E. A. Gingrich.
Albert LevisOn.
Joseph Krause.
Several others received slight injuries.
August Beck and his bride Of Milwau-
ixee who were thought last night to be
only slightly hurt, were reported today
to be in a critical condition and their
deaths are expected. At the time Of the
explosion the Ashland limited train was
passing the spot and Mr.. and Mrs Beck
were in the parlor car which was par
TALLY wrecked by the dying boiler.
Buildings for a distance OF three blocks
from the explosion were shaken ar n bya
an earthquake and many narrow escapes
from flying bricks and debris Of all
kinds were reported
A peculiarly of the explosion was
that the dynamos and immediate con-
nections were practically unin1urcd by
the explosion, although the walls Of the
building on three sides were almost
completely blown away.
Chartere Suaneuded