The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1902-02-07
OFFICIALS UVCtRl
UNABLE TO PLACE CAUSE
OF GAS EXPLOSION.
&
Graphic stories Related By
Eye-WitReSSes To the
Disaster.

CHICAGO. Fh. 6-The cause of last
nights explosion by whcih \ dozen
hives were lost. has no; yet been dxed.
Two business men In the vicinity said
the explosion was in a defective
boiler connected with the gas system
in the basement ~ the building occu-
pted by Butcher Troestel. which em-
ployes had attempted ~ thaw out.
Others Insisted the explosion was
caused by the gas itself. but they
were unable TO say how the gas had
caused Il.
The experts " the Peoples Gas
Company are investigating the cause
and are as yet uncertain. They think
some one was thawing out a pipe and
that the explosion resulted. The city
fire marshal is likewise uncertain AS
to the FIRST cause.
The most graphic story " the acct
dent was told by J. Pauls OF SIS Twen-
ty-second place, who stood across the
street when the building went up.
The first thing I knew" he said. L
was blown against a telegraph pole I
was facing the market and It seemed
that the whole building rnse in the air
az once and then collapsed into the
cellar a heap ot ruins, I ran across
the street and rs I crossed the car
tracks I could hear the cries ot the
people imprisoned in the wrackage.
Almost Immediately the flames hurst
out all over the place. and It seemed
that everything was on fire at once.
Then I caught sight OF a man
crawling out from the basement He
did not seem to be badly hurt and
called for help. I recognized him as
the sausage maker Troestel had hired
a few days before. I don't know his
name. 4 man who ran IN jumped
down to help him, and between US
We got him into the street. He was
able 20 walk and went away at once
THE first explosion in the building
disconnected the gas mains and they
caught fire at once. The fire seemed
10 follow the pipes and FIVE minutes
later the manhole west in Archer ave-
nue. blew up with a report almost as
loud as the first. The manhole in the
east followed in a few minutes.
we could hear the cries in the
basement growing fainter and we had
to allow the sufferers to die without
doing anything to help them"
]. J. Kleiner. proprietor OF the drug
store at Archer avenue and Twenty
second street was a witness 10 the
explosion. He SAYS that no one came
from the butcher shop after the shock.
7 was standing in the fro1t Of my
store when the explosion occurred"
Mr.. Kieiner said. I was just looking
down Twenty second street when the
building trembled. 7 saw the entire
front OF the butcher shop fv out into
the street and instantly there came
n flash Of flame I turned TO the telr-
phone and called up several doctors
and told them of the disaster All Of
them responded.
II realized that something awful had
occurred. but could not tell just
what II was. As turned 10 look down
the street again I heard the fire de-
partment coming. Then the manholes .
began to explode and one by one the ,
caps were blown high in the air The F.
force OF the explosion was so great
that the windows in street cars were .
shattered
The scene was one shall never /
forget. do not believe a person IN |
the butcher shop or the fat above !
escaped
On Monday Otto Troestel insured /
his life for 5000 making his wife the .
beneficiary. Yesterday Mrs. Troestel .
called on the insurance agent and .
asked il the oldest two children could /
be insured. She said she had a pre-
sentiment that something would hap
pen. The agent was instructed 10 .
write policies Of $1,000 each.