Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-12
HOTEL WRECKED By Gas
Particulars OF the Disaster at
Lusk, Wyo., in Which Miss
Parks Was Killed.
Explosion OF an Acetyline Gas
Plant Almost Destroys
Building.
Remains OF Miss Parks Reach
Marshalltown..The Funeral
Services.

The body of Miss Alice Parks, the IT,
year-old daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. c. A,
Parks, of Lee street, who died as the
result Of injuries sustained in an ex-
| plosion at Lusk, Wyo arrived in the
city this morning, shortly after mid
night. Mr.. and Mrs. w. S. Herring,
the remains.
Mr.. Herring was seen upon his ar
rival in the city and from the him the
first definite particulars of the accident
are obtained. Miss Parks death was
most tragic and her dying hours most
pitiful. The affair was more serious
one than anticipated in the first tele-
gram announcing the accident, and as
a result of the explosion the Hotel Her
ring, owned and conducted by Mr.. and
Mrs. w. S. Herring and Mr.. and Mrs.
Harry j. Herring, all former Belle
PLANE people, is in ruins. Mr.. Harry
Herring is seriously burned about the
face and hands, and Hattie Shafnit, an
the state, employed as a waitress by
the Herrings, was also burned and
bruised.
The terrible calamity was due to the
explosion of the acetyline gas plant
furnishing the hotels lights. Mr.. Har-
ry Herring was informed by an en-
ploye that the gas was evidently Leak
ing in the basement and that it ought
to be shut off. Mr.. Herring thought at
once that the leakage must be from
jet in the vegetable room, which ad-
joins the acetyline generator. Upon
reaching the basement he lighted lam
tern and the explosion was instantane-
Gus. The generator, filled with escap-
ing gas, exploded with great force,
shooting up thru the floor above.
tearing it away and crashing thru the
ceiling of the second floor. Miss Parks
happened to be standing directly over
the generator at the time in the kitch-
en-. She was driven up to the ceiling
and fell downward thru the aperture
made by the generator in the kitchen
floor, to the basement below. The head
cook, who was also in the kitchen, es-
capped without the slightest injury, and
the only other employe hurt was Miss
Shafnit one of the dining room girls.
The accident happened at 1855 o'clock
Thursday afternoon. 1t was not
thought Miss Parks could possibly be
alive, but she was and survived until
$40 o'clock Friday afternoon being
perfectly conscious and rational until
midnight Thursday. Her dying hours
were most pitiful. indeed. She was
frightfully burned, both eyes being
gone. and her face unrecognizable, so
severe was the flesh charred. Her body
was burned from the head to the
waist. and especially about the face,
breast, arms and hands. She spoke of
her poor mother and how she would re-
ceive the news. but was glad that she
was the one to die, and not her sisters,
as she said she was prepared to go.
Just before lapsing into unconscious
ness she asked those about her bedside
tc, sing favorite song that she learned
while attending the Sunday school OF
the First Baptist church in this city.
Mr.. Herring is unable to state def
ritely what the damage will be to his
hotel property. The entire side of the
building, eighty feet in length, was
blown out from the basement floor
distance of three feet upwards. Every
window in the hotel was broken, ana
the sashes and doors of the first floor
were torn out. Every dish and particle
ct glassware in the hosiery was also
broken. To make matters worse the
hotel took fire and for time 1t APP
reared that the building would be con-
snned by the flames. Prompt and eff
Client work Of the fire department, how
ever, saved 1t.
The funeral of the unfortunate girl
was conducted this afternoon at
o'clock from the Parks home by Rev.
F. w. Parsons, of the Baptist church
the hour being set late in order that
rupils and teachers from the high
school, where Miss Parks attended
school before going west, could be pres
ent. Miss PARTS went to Lusk with Mr..
and Mrs. Harry Herring last fall more
on account of her health than anything
else. Mrs. Herring says that the girl
had improved wonderfully, and only a
few days ago she was speaking Of how
much better she was feeling and that
she contemplated trip home to visit
her parents.
Those present at the funeral from
out of the city were Mr.. and Mrs. Her
ring, of Lusk, Wyo.; Mr.. c. D. Parks,
Of Eldora. an operator in the employ of
the c., /. & D. railway and brother of
the deceased; G. w. Parks, of Eldora,
a. half brother in the employ of the
F,sgen Lumber Company; Miss Myrtle
f. Parks, sister teacher in the Hub
hard schools; Miss Mamie E. Parks, a
another sister employed as a teacher
in the schools at Cedar Falls.