The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-25
WRECKED.
Pool Room at Hot Springs, Ark,
Blown Up
By an Explosion of Gas or GasO-
line in the Cellar.
80 PERSONS INJURED.
The Place Was Crowded When
the Floor Bulged Up.
Upper Floor and Walls Fell on
the Occupants.

Hot Springs, Ark, Dec. 25--By an ex-
plosion of gas or gasoline in the cellar
of the Turf Exchange, a club house and
pool room operated by Chambers q
Walker. the building was badly wrecked
and thirty persons were injured. sixteen
of whom are in serious condition. The
most seriously injured are:
william Helwig. a blind bath house
manager; both legs broken; will die
A. r. Donnelly. visitor, s0s State
street, Chicago; leg broken, also badly
r. c. Chambers. one of the propri-
etors; both legs and wrists broken
J. S. Meeks, Hot Springs: badly
Joseph Kinney. Hot Springs: legs
Joseph Pace, hotel keeper, Hot
Springs; legs broken
- Finnegan, plumber, Hot Springs,
both legs broken.
James Cowen, Hot Springs; both legs
broken.
legs broken and skull fractured: viii
de
James coughlin. plumber. Hot
Springs; leg broken, zei1,,,,oo w,. both
legs broken
Al F. Hotchskiff. Hot Springs; knee
fractured.
T. Ozier. engineer, Hot Springs; both
H. George. New York; leg broken
F. Cranfield, Cincinnati; legs broken.
ribs crushed.
Walter Powers. st. Louis, Mo-: arm
broken.
Eugene DAILY. Hot Springs; both legs
broken.
Thomas Phelan. telegraph operator.
Hot Springs; badly cut.
]. c. Burch. Chicago: leg broken; not
expected to live.
W. S: McInerney, Louisville. KY; in
ternal injuries; probably will die.
Henry Lindsey, New York: injured
about lower limbs.
]. C. Crawford, Cincinnati: leg and
wrist broken.
Twelve others sustained bruises and
slight injuries.
When the explosion occurred, the pool
room was crowded with more than 1e9J
persons. Just as a race at New Orleans
/ was being called by the operator the
floor of the building seemed to rise and
1 in an instant report that shook the en-
tire block rang out. The upper floor
and back walls of the building saH on
the mass of struggling men. who were
wildly scrambling to escape to the
street. The entire house looked as If a
tornado had ploughed through its CEN
\ ter. The front glass windows were bro
ken and both sides of the structure were
1 shattered by the concussion.
The news of the disaster spread rap
idly. Reports We're current that several
! persons had been killed. The police and
/ firemen took charge of the building and
work of rescue began. Men were pulled
from under the debris in terribly shas@,
tered state
/ One of the most pitiable sights was
when Billy Helwig. the blird manager
of the Lamar bath house. was taken
from the ruins. Helwig is widely
known to the thousands of visitors who
come to Hot Springs annually.
r. C. Chambers one of the proprie-
tors of the Turf Exchange. is one of
the lessees of the Fort Erie. Ontario,
race track and is one of the best known
sporting men in the country. His condi-
ton is serious. "a
The injured were taken II barge by
the local physicians and eve thing pos
sible is being done to alleviate their
sufferings.
The police have made full investiga-
tior and have held Ben Murray. who Is
alleged to be responsible for the disas-
ter in carelessly handling the high COM
bustible. The bank roll of the pool
room consisted of $55.000. and was blown
away in the explosion, but the greater
part of it has been recovered.