Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-29
Two Hundred People Lost in Terrible Ex-
p|osion in New york---Chemica|
Works Blown Up.
MOSTLY WOMEN AND GIRLS
IN THE TOP OF Sx-ST0RY UILDING ADDS TO The
HoRR0R-A TERRIBLE DISASTER IN THE HEART -
OF THE CITY.

PAs'1C glass NluuOWS were smashed and
people thrown to the street a distance
OF four blocks. The employees of the Irv-
ing National bank, whose building
stands directly across the street from
Iarrants place. were busily engaged at
their desks at the time of the first exc
ploslon. There was not a clerk or off,
clal OF the bank, but who was thrown to
the floor by the force of the concussion
Thinking the building was about to fall
several officials ran for the cash and had
1t taken out of the building and to a,
place of safety The clerks and other
employees then made their way to the
sidewalk and ran for places Of safety.
Every available physician and ambul-
ance surgeon who could be reached was
called into service and the various stores
winch We're not damaged by the explo<
sions, We're turned into temporary hos-
pitals for the care of the wounded.
1t was only an instant after the first OF
the explosions occurred when the ele-
waited street structure caught fire. For-
tunately there was no train In the im-
mediate vicinity. at the moment. The
structure was in blaze for distance Of
half block in less time than it takes to
tell it.
The streets for several blocks We're
strewn with broken glass and other
debris. Blood was spattered in everyI
direction, showing there must have
been some in the vicinity at that time
who were injured by falling glass
The first alarm of fire was carried in-
to an engine house close to the building
where 1t started. Fire Captain
Devanny, who was in command, and
his men hurried out and coupled their
hose to the hydrant under the elevated
which was on fire. The minute he saw
what sort of fire it was he turned IN
a second alarm. Then came the ex-
plosion. The firemen saw the building
coming down and fled for their lives,
-Four were injured. The engineer.
Rockberry, was seriously hurt. So was
Captain Devanny. Both We're taken to
hospital. Firemen Brown and Devon
were also injured. The engine had to
be abandoned. Captain Devanny's suc-
cesssor sent in a third alarm and then
fourth and general call for am-
balances. The engines and ambulances
We're blocked by the immense crowds
which gathered by thousands. The
building fell and the elevated station
was demolished and hidden from view
by debris.
Joseph Beck, an employe ofTarrantan1
I'll.
His head was swathed IN bandageis and
his right arm hung limp. He said that
there We're about 200 girls in the build
ing. Many Of them escaped ON the fire
escapes. At least Is, he said could not
possibly have gotten away. The girls
were all eating their lunch at the time
the fire started. he said.
= AT 1850 p. m. two explosions occurred
IN the building occupied by J. H. Mohl-
mann and company, grocers in Green.
wlch street. The entire block on Wash-
ington street from numbers 253 to 263 was
burning at lila o'clock. Soon after the
flre seemed to be giving way to the efforts
or the fremen and the lower half of the
plock below Warren street seemed in a
lanr way to be saved from destruction,
AT that time it was not possible to ten
III any OF the firemen were missing There
was report that Assistant Chief Cruger
and fifteen men of No. 10 truck were
missing. The tiremen were so busy and
hhe confusion was such that nothing Ger.
tain could be learned
A girl employed near the TarranH
building declared that the girls We're al
their luncheon on one of the upper floors.
she said she knew they could not have
escaGed.