The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-25
BY EXPLOSION OF GAS
MANY WERE INJURED IN A HOT
SPRINGS POOL ROOM.
A RACE WAS BEING CALLED
WHEN THE BUILDING COLLAPSED
FROM THE EXPLOSION.

More Than 100 Persons Were in the
Room at the Time of the Accident.
Floor Seemed to Rise and Roof
and walls Descended to Meet III.
Then There Was "a Struggling
Mass of Humanity Seeking to Es-
cane From the Ruins-Great Ex-
element Caused-List of Injured.
Hot Springs, Ark, Dec. 24.-By an
explosion of gas or gasoline this after
noon in the cellar of the Turf Ex-
change, a club house and pool-room
operated by Chambers & Walker,
the building was badly damaged and
thirty people were injured, sixteen of
them being in a serious condition. The
most seriously injured are:
r. C. Chambers, one of the proprie-
tors of the Turf Exchange, both legs
and both wrists broken.
William Helwig, blind man, man
ager of a bath house, both legs broken,
will die.
J. S. Meeks, Hot Springs, both legs
broken.
James Pace, hotel keeper, Hot
Springs, both legs broken.
= Finnegan, plumber, Hot Springs,
both legs broken.
James Cowen, Hot Springs, both legs
broken.
William Metzger, a boy, Hot Springs,
both legs broken and skull fractured;
will die.
James Coughlin, plumber. Hot
Springs, leg broken.
C. G. Parker, Milwaukee, Wis, both
Iouc broken
Al F. Hotchskiff, Hot Springs, knee
fractured.
7. Ozier, engineer, Hot Springs, both
legs broken.
II. George, New York, leg broken.
F. Cranfield, Cincinnati. both legs
broken, ribs crushed.
Walter Powers, St. Louis, arm
broken.
Eugene Daily, Hot Springs, both legs
broken.
Thomas Phelan, telegraph operator,
Hot Springs, badly cut.
Mr.. Donnelly, visitor, residence I'M
known, leg broken, also badly cut.
Twelve others sustained bruises and
slight injuries.
Room Was Crowded.
About o'clock this afternoon the
poolroom was crowded with more than
100 persons. Just as a race at New
, OrIeansAyvas- helm gzcalled4 hy-the- opera
tor the floor OF the building seemed to.
rise. In an instant report that shook
the building rang out.
The upper floor and back walls of
the building fell on the mass of strug-
Cling men who were wildly excited and
endeavoring to escape to the street.
The entire house looked as if tornado
had ploughed through the center. The
front glass windows were broken. and
both sides of the structure were shat
tered by the conclusion, which resem-
bled the report of a 12-pounder.
The news of the explosion spread
rapidly, and soon Central avenue was
jammed with people. Reports were cur
rent that several persons had been
killed. The police and firemen took
charge of the building, and the work
of rescue began. Men were pulled from
under the debris in a terribly shat
tered state. One of the most pitiable
sights was when Billy Helwig, the
blind manager of the Lamar bath
house, was taken from the ruins. Hell
wig is widely known to the thousands
of visitors who visit Hot Springs an
nually.
A Prominent Sporting Man.
R. c. Chambers, one of the proprie-
tors of the Turf Exchange, is also a
lCooS6 vi Tic It VI I1i1S, OIlIs, IdCC lldth,
and is one of the best known sporting
men in the country. His condition is
serious.
The injured were taken in charge by
the local physicians.
The exact cause of the explosion has
not yet been determined. 1t is said by
some that gas which had escaped in the
cellar of the building was ignited in
some manner, causing the terrible acct
dent.
Another report, which is probably
correct, says a driver of a gasoline
wagon was filling tank in the cellar
when the explosion occurred.
Hot Springs, Ark. Dec. Is, 1 p. M
Billy Helwig, one of the victims of the
explosion, died at midnight.
Willie Metzger. the 12-year-old boy
who was injured. is not expected to
survive many hours.
The condition of r. c. Chambers is
now considered more serious than at
first realized.