The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-11-03

OF the chemicals IN n burning oullQ-
ing-and fully five minutes occurred
between the first and minor explo-
sion, which warned every one within
hearing, and the second one.
Carried Away an L Road Station.
The big explosion completely car.
ried away the station of the Ninth
Avenue Elevated road, and the mass
of masonry that fell with it broke
through the flooring and almost de-
molished the structure just below the
building. Immense masses of mason
~, pieces of cornice, great beams,
window castings and an indescribable
mass of wreckage of every descrip-
ton tumbled suddenly into the street
in front of the building. all at once.
Nearly Wrecked the Irving Bank.
The wreckage was thrown through
the windows of the building in which
the Irving national bank is, on the
northeast corner of the streets. Tho
offices of the Irving bank and OF
Meklen Bros, bankers and brokers,
were nearly wrecked.
At the first explosion ar attempt
was made to gather all the money
and paper that was lying on the coun.
tiers together and to throw them into
the safe, and it was supposed that this
had been done when the second explo-
sion brought flying glass and plaster
ing from the skylighted ceilings down
about the heads of everybody and
caused them to escape in 4 hurry.
Money Scattered in Confusion.
Capt. McClusky, of the detective
bureau, who hurried every available
man of his staff to the fire, was ap-
pealed to to protect the funds of the
bank, he being told that they we're in
the vault, the door of which was sup
posed to be unlocked. When the cap
tain and his men went in, however.
they found about ten thousand dol
lars scattered in confusion over coun
tiers and floors. This was hastily
thrown into the vault and the door
locked.
President Fancher of the bank ar
rived within a few minutes of the
start of the fire, and was nearly hys-
terical when he found what had hap
Pened. By half-past two, however,
the directors of the bank had met and
posted a sign in the window stating
that the bank would "do business to-
morrow"
Mor Loos Wealth Lying Around.
Down in Mecklem Bros offices in
the basement there were II. H. Neck
lem and his brother William, with
Frank Heckenberry, a boy; Thomas
Hackett, a clerk; another man named
Bruce and some girls, among them
Ellen Van Deem and May Dunkle-
mann. When the fire broke out $780,
600 in money lay upon the counter.
Heckenberry was stationed at the
door, while this was gathered togeth-
er for putting in the vault.
Force was Exerted Horizontally.
The second explosion completely de-
molished windows along Greenwich
street, on both sides and for three
blocks in both directions
The force of the explosion was *
erted horizontally across the street,
skylights being carried away as if by
a storm, and the castings of doors
broken away with the glass. The ex-
plosion did not spare the interiors of
stores, everything being heaped up in
confusion.
Tore Down Buildings.
The explosion tore down the build
to the west, the walls of those on
the Washington street side being
explosion had taken place locally in
of away at the Greenwich street
end of the block. 1t was thought, in
deed, hat explosions had followed in
these buildings, but no cause for them
could be found.
mems Buildings Collapsed.
The immense buildings of j. II.
& Co., fronting on Wash
street. simply collapsed, 4 del
uge of barrels and boxes, filled with
fruit, rolling out and forming 4 pile
that stretched half way across the
otlSCt. IA Tic tiiuS VI Tic tADiOSlOu
blazing barrels were hurled clear
across Washington street and set fire
to the buildings to the west, threat
an extension of the confagra.
ton in that direction. but the firemen
deluged these buildings and saved
them.
wild Reports of Loss Of Life.
The first reports of the fire that
out were that the Tarrant build |
in it's fall, had crushed down upon
two crowded restaurants and buried
a hundred or more in each. Subse-
quent examination showed that if any
persons were caught in these places
it was the kitchen help and very few
outsiders, if anybody. A man who
the fire from across The
said hat the crowd in the res !
was evidently warned, and
swarmed out after the first explosion,
being out when the second
explosion came.
Another Restaurant in Peril.
4 restaurant on the south side Of
Warren street was in as much danger, |
and the building was totally
destroyed by the fire, but it was said
hat the crowd got out of this also.
It was thought that the cooks in the
Buckley restaurant and some of the
nests who tried To eScaDe nv n rear