Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-03-11
EIGHT PEOPLE
KILLED OUTRIGHT.
Boiler in Chicago Laundry ExpIodes
Twenty-Five Victims Said TO be in
The Ruins List OF Names

Inc NIeCkago near the boiler opd ia
the east part OF the building M once
TOOK IRE and through the bllndlng
clouds or dust and smoke and psconlng
steam could be seen struggling mon
ana women, some Of them half buried
~ WIeckage, others feobly endeavorlng
70 clllnb to some place of safety. while
from various parts OF the ruins orles
came for help, The fire department
soon eNtinguished the flames ana the
work OF rescue began at once. one law
one the wounded and bleeding girls
were carried TO nearby stores Where
they were given hasty medical atten-
tlon and then taken to hospitals In am.
bulances, Dead bodies were taken ca
the morgue, In two Instances the bodies
were 80 frlghtfully mangled that a
clothes basket was used 10 carry them
out At the morgue the bodies were
Identified by relatives. Most of the
dead we're found in the east end Of the
building, whore the fire ragged the
ilercest, PiniOned under tons OF heavy
tlmbers, crushed and mafgled almost
beyond identification and ia one or two
Instances half-cooked, were found five
OF the dead The wreckage al this
point was so maesed that the ilremen
had great difficulty In working and n
VIII be nightfall before the bottom of
the mass can be reached and the dead
II any more are In the ruins, recovered.
MANY STORES WRECKED.
All Of the dozen or more little stores
attached 10 the Wayerly theater facing
on Madison street. We're wrecked by the
explosion, ana In one Of them a restaur-
ant owned 10y Peter Dean. one OF the
fatalities Is supposed 10 have occurred
The rear OF the restaurant was almost
opposite the boiler Mr.. Dean. his wife
ana two boys We're eating breakfast AT
the time of the explosion, which blew
In the rear wall Of the little
establishment, burying the Dean faml-
~ In the ruins. All were extrIcated
except William 10 years old. who has
not been seen since, and who is believed
TO be buried In the debris.
A Madison street cable train passing
the building at the time OF the explo-
sion, was almost lifted from the tracks
by the conclusion and the passengers
thrown Into a panic. but none were In
jured.
ONE OF THE VICTIMS.
Lille Olsen, one Of the injured girls.
was working near a window opening
into the laundry office, She was picked
up bodily and hurled through the win
dow to the floor Of the office. When she
recovered consciousness she cried that
her sister was In the ruins. and IL took
The combined efforts Of three officers 10
prevent the frail girl from rushing
back into the smoking ruins IN search
Of her sister
A, Shopp, proprietor Of confecton-
cry store was near the rear wall ana
was completely buried by the explosion.
He escaped serious injury and was
soon dug out, George Edom. a laundry
employe, who will probably die as
result Of his injuries. was In the boiler
room when the explosion occurred, and
how he escaped instant death is a mys-
terry. He did not lose consciousness,
and assisted the firemen IN extricating
him.
The cause Of the explosion is mys-
terry, and as the engineer, George Phlel
was killed, II may never be known No
statement has yet been obtained from
Proprietor Doremus, who was affected
by the disaster so as to be unable TO
give to the police much information.
BOILER AN OLD ONE,
The boiler, II Is said, was an old one
of l25 pounds steam pressure, and was
fred UP Gt Z o'clock. II is stated that
the gas used was manufactured on the
premises and a great deal OF gasoline
was also dsed, This may account In
part for the violence Of the explosion.
Among the narrow escapes were those
Of five girls working In the papier
mache works OF J. X. Young. occupying
part Of the wrecked building The
plant was completely wrecked and
the ROOF blown in. but none 0. the
employees were injured.
il Is reported that an officer from
the boiler inspection department
warned Mr.. Doremus not later than
Friday that the boiler was unsafe to
use in its present condition. Laundry
employees. however. declare that the
boiler had not been inspected, and
therefore not condemned.
No arrests are expected 10 result
from the disaster at least until the YER
diet Of the coroner's jury.