Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-02-08
NO ONE ESCAPED.
EXPLOSION OF GAS At CHICAGO
KILLS EVERY OCCUPANT or
THE BUILDING.
VICTIMS NUMBER ELEVEN

Collapse Of the Structure Followed I'M
nediateIy by the Outbreak Of Fire
and the Remains of the Dead Are
Burned Beyond Recognition Eight
Members of One Family Included in
List of Casualties.
Chicago, Feb. lit is believed that
IL is the correct number of people
who lost their lives by the explosion
of gas in the Trostle butcher shop at
376 Twenty-second street during the
night The bodies, charred past hui
man semblance in the majority OF
cases, lay at the nearby morgue, while
firemen and neighbors still dug in the
ruins on the bare possibility that more
bodies might be under the debris. Fire
Chief Musham declared his belief that
the explosion was that of a pocket OF
of gas. A force of laborers was put
at work at daybreak tearing up and re.
pairing the gas pipes which were dam
aged by the two explosions following
that in the butcher shop, but when the
coroner learned of it he ordered the
work stopped.
81 want no change in present condi-
tons made, unless necessary, until |
have Investigated fully to discover if
roc
BILE for the loss of life" he said.
The following is believed to be
correct list of the dead: 5E
Otto TrostIe, owner of butcher shop;
Augusta Trostle, wife of above; Otto
Trostle, Jr., aged IL years; Anna
Trostle; aged 9; Lena Trostle, aged z;
Minnie Trostle, aged 6; Baby Trostle,
aged 2; Fred Trostle, nephew OF Otto
Trostle; Sophia Kneipp, niece OF Mrs.
Trostle; Mary Rosenthal, a neighbor;
"Otto," an employe, last name not
known. Il r. 49, n.
r The experts of the Peoples Gas com
pany 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. .....t ~ .... -g.
Had No Chance to Escape.
j. C. Kleiner, proprietor Of the drug
store at Archer avenue and Twenty
second street, was an eyewitness to
the explosion. He says that no one
came from the butcher shop after the.
shock. ssia
81 was standing in the front Of my
store when the explosion occurred,
Mr.. Kleiner said. Il was Just looking
down Twenty-eecond street when the
building trembled. saw the entire
front of the butcher shop fly out into
the street and instantly there was a
flash of flame. turned to the tele-
phone and called up several doctors
and told them of the disaster. = All OF
them responded. ...5 .....
"As / turned to look down the street
again, heard the fire department com.
ing. Then the manholes began to ex
plode, and one by one the caps were
blown high in the air. The force OF
the explosion was so great that the
windows in the street cars were shat
tered.
Il do not believe a person in the
butchers shop or the fiat above es'
capped"
On Monday Otto Trostle insured his
life for $4,000. making his wife the
beneficiary. Wednesday Mrs. Trostle'
called on the insurance agent and
asked if the oldest two children could
be insured She said she had a pre-
sentiment that something would hap,
per- The agent was instructed to
write policies of $4,000 each.
Search is being made for a sausage
cutter named George, who, minus one
shoe and with his hair and mustache
singed, escaped from the butcher shop,
He is believed to have been the only
one who escaped alive and the coroner
desires, his testimony. ...<..t. W