The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-06
FLAMES BURST
FROM EARTH.
Gas Main Expiodes Under Street
in Chicago.
Fire Leaps Out and Ignites Sur.
rounding Buildings.
1S PERSONS KILLED.
A Number Injured, and Prop
erty Loss of $5O,UOO.
Window Glass Broken Through
out the NeighbOrhOod.

Chicago, Feb. 6.-Thirteen lives were
lost, many persons slightly injured, two
buildings at 372 and 374 Twenty-second
street, were wrecked and $50, 900 damage
done by an explosion of gas last night
at the intersection of Twenty-second
street and Archer avenue.
DEAD.
OTTO TROSTEL, 80 years old, butch
MRS. OTTO TRosTEL. s5 years.
OTTO TROSTEL4, JR., 2 years old.
LENA TROSTEL, z years old.
ANNA TROSTEL,, 9 years old.
MAMIE TROSTEL, L year old.
FRED TROSTEI1, butcher, nephew of
Otto TrosteI, % years old.
SOPHIE KNIGHT, domestic in Tros-
tel family.
MARY RosENTHAL. 81 years of age.
MRS. NJ KAUFERT, s74 Twenty
second street.
EDWARD KAUFERT, IA years old.
MAMIE KAUFERT, 4 years old.
ANDREW KOLB, roomer with Mrs.
Kaufert.
Two explosions of gas followed so
quickly that it was hard to distinguish
them.
The first to explode was a main at
Twenty-second street and Archer ave-
nue.. Then the manhole, half a block
south on Archer avenue, was thrown in
to the air by a loud explosion. Flames
leaped and reared from the hole. The
fire spread below the street and smaller
manholes were blown into the air. The
flames from the gas main shot high into
the air and reached, with the aid of the
wind the Trostle butcher shop. The
building was three-story frame struc-
ture, and it had been weakened and
nearly wrecked by the shock
1t is supposed that the occupants of
the building We're knocked unconscious
or were too panic stricken to rush from
the place. The flames caught the wealth
er-worn timberS The dry and rotting
wood was food for the fire, and in an
instant the flames had enveloped the
structure. With a roar the building col
lapsed and the occupants with one ex-
ception were carried with 1t TO the base
ment.
The adjoining building, a two story
structure, fared up, the next building
was wrapped in flames and then anoth-
er structure caught fire. 1t seemed the
whole block would be wiped out before
the firemen could bring the blaze under
control A fire wall of a brick building
at Archer avenue and Twenty second
street held the fire in that direction. On
the west side of the burning buildings
were two small one story cottages.
They were a few feet from the burning
buildings and that gave the firemen an
opportunity of heading off. the fire.
Window glass throughout the neigh
borhood was broken and bottles and
glassware in the dwellings and stores
were thrown to the floor and broken.
Many persons in buildings near the
explosion were knocked down. Scores OF
men and women, many of them carry
ing children rushed to the streets. They
We're greeted by the glare of the fire
from the manholes. Fearing further ex-
plosions the people rushed down the
street, many of the women screaming
with fright. On several street cars near
the place the windows were smashed
and the passengers severely shaken up.
When people in the cars saw the flames
gush from the, ground all hands rushed
for the DOORS A number of persons
were bruised and knocked down in the
excited exit. One car filled with passen-
gers was thrown from the tracks.
Adjoining the Trostel building on the
west, at 374 Twenty-second street, was
a two-story frame building in which
John McLead had a saloon. 1t vanish
ed in the same second as the meat mar
ket. 1t was reported that one or two
people were killed here. but the story
could not be substantiated.
In the ruins of the buildings occupied
by Trostel and McLead flames burned
so fiercely that even though the inmates
had not been killed by the first force of
the explosion they must have met a.
quick death by fire Close to the Trostel
building stood the Peoples hospital. a.
small affair, which had but a few
patients. The building was badly rack
ed and every window in it blown out,
but none of the patients were injured.
One of the hospital attendants sustain-
ed slight cuts, caused by flying glass;
The patients were hastily removed to
safer quarters in the neighborhood by
the firemen.