Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-02-13
FAMILY BLOWN Up
BY GAS EXPLOSION
Twelve Lives Believed to Have
Been Lost in Chicago.
THE DISASTER IN A BASEMENT
Flames Added to the Horror OF
the Scene.


The Explosion in the Building Was Fol-
lowed by Explosions in Main and u
Manhole in the Street.-The Stories of
Those Who Witnessed the Accident.
Chicago, ILL.,, Feb. BY an explo-
sion OF Illuminating gas in the base
ment of the two-story frame building
376 Twenty second street, last evening,
q dozen persons lost their lives and the
building was blow into kindling wood.
Two other explosions Of gas followed so
quickly that it was hard to distinguish
them. First to explode was % main at
Twenty second street and Archer ave-
nue.. Then the manhole half block
south on Archer avenue was thrown
into the air. Flames leaped from the
hole, and the fire also spread below the
street.
The flames from the first gas main
shot high into the air, and reached,
with the aid of the wind, the Trostle
butcher shop. The building was a
three story frame structure, and it had
been weakened and nearly wrecked by
the shock 1t is supposed that the oc-
cupants of the building were knocked
unconscious. The flames caught the
weather worn timbers. The dry and
Fotting wood was food for the ire, and
IN an instant the flames had enyeloped
the structure. With roar the build
: ing collapsed, and the occupants, with
one exception, were carried with it to
the basement. The adjoining build
ing, two-story structure, fiared up,
the next building was wrapped in
flames, and then another structure
caught fire. 1t seemed that the whole
mould If, out = -,
tiremen could bring the blaze under
control. A fire wall of brick build
ing at the corner of Archer avenue
and Twenty second street held the fire
in that direction. On the west of the
burning buildings were two small one
story cottages. They were a few feet
from the burning buildings and that
gave the hremen an opportunity of
heading off the fire Many persons in
buildings near the explosions were
knocked down. Scores of men and
women, many of them carrying children,
rushed to the streets.
Following is list of the dead, as far
as ascertained: Otto Trostel: Mrs
August Trostel Annie Trostel, IL years
of age; Lena Trostel, wears of age
Sophie Kneippe, domestic in the Trostel
family Otto Trostel, Jr. Mrs. Mamie
Rosenthal; Fred Trostel: unknown
man and unidentified woman.
The most graphic story of the acct.
dent was told by j. Pauly Of &c Twenty,
second place, who stood across the
street when the building went up.
"The first thing | knew" he said
81 was blown against a telegraph pole.
I was facing the market, and it seemed
that the whole. building rose in the ali
at once and then collapsed into thu
cellar heap of ruins | ran acros.
the street, and as | crossed the ca
tracks / could hear the cries of thu
people imprisoned in the wreckage
Almost Immediately the flames burs
out all over the place, and it seemeG
that everything was on fire at once.
'tThen | caught sight of maj
crawling out from the basement. HI
did not seem to be badly hurt, AM
called for help. | recognized him a
the sausagemaker Trostel had hired
few days before. l do not know wha
bis name is, A man who ran III
jumped down to help him, and be
tween us we got him to the street. II
was able to walk and went away a
once.
1.-THE first explosion in the buildin
disconnected the gas mains, and the
caught fire at once. The fire SCENE
to follow the pipes, and five minute
later the manhole west on Archer ave
nue. blew up with a rip almost as lou
rs the first.
'sWe could hear the cries in th
basement growing fainter, and we ha
to allow the sufferers to die withou
doing anything to help them. -
j. G. Kleiner, proprietor of the dru
store at Archer avenue and Twenty
second street, was witness to the e,
plosion. He said that no one cam
from the butcher shop after the shocl
II was standing in the front of III
store when the explosion occurred,
Mr.. Kleiner said. Il was Just lool
ing down Twenty second street, whe
the building trembled. | saw the er
tire front Of the butcher shop fly OF
into the street, and Immediately the
was fash of fame. turned to tt
telephone and called up several doctor
md told them of the disaster A
st them responded,
81 realized that something awft
had occurred, but could not tell iu
what it was, As I turned to loo
down the street again heard the Fl
Department coming. Then the ma
holes began to explode, and one by OF
the caps were blown high in the al
The force of the explosion was so gre
chat the windows in the street ca
were shattered.
1.-THE scene was one / will nev
forget. do not believe person
Che butcher shop or the fiat above c
capped.