Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-22

wrecking engine on the Chicago &
Eastern Illinois railroad brought der
rick. toppling obstruCting cars into the
ditch as it came.
A road scraper attached to one of
the derricks cables scooped up great
masses of bricks and scorched firemen
savagely pushed the great scoop into
the brick heap.
When the firemen learned the loss
of their chief. who was very popular
with them. the wearied men sobbed
like children as they held the gushing
nozzles.
WEEP AT SIGHT.
Those detailed to recover the bodies
wept anew at every evidence of their
lost comrades brought to light. A
crushed helmet brought up in the
scoop of the big scraper caused
hush to fall over the throngs. Soon
the front piece of the helmet came up
on another load 1t was seen to be
that of Assistant Chief Burroughs and
the devoted workers went back to their
tasks with tears streaming down their
faces anew.
OTHERS NARROWLY ESCAPE.
At 11:25 the fire was still burning
fiercely. An explosion occurred on top
Of warehouse No. and the roof was
blown into the air. The flames shot
skyward and half a dozen companies
of f1remen who had stationed them
selves on the further end of the roof
narrowly escaped being struck by fly
ing debris. They managed 10 Chamber
down the fire escapes in time to es-
cape.
BUsSE NARROWLY ESCAPES.
Mayor Busse, while discussing the
fate of Horan with Marshal Seyferlich,
had a narrow escape. An explosion of
ammonia pipes in the building they
were watching threw bricks, beams
and frozen meat in a shower about
them. Seyferlich threw himself in
front of the mayor, almost crushing
the chief executive 10 the ground in
his efforts TO shield him from the rain
of debris, and then, grasping the mayor
by the arm, rushed him to safety.
CAPTAIN SEEMS IMMUNE.
Captain H. H. Fuchs of engine com
pany %. who had just left Marshal
Horan with orders for his company,
walked out from the fatal canopy Just
as it crushed out the lives behind him.
I'm immune, chief" he told the as
sistant marshal when he reported to
him few minutes later. the only man
left of his crew. They didn't get me
Thanksgiving, either, though they
came close to it, he grinned through
parched, split. blistered lips and with
a grimy countenance
THREE COMPLETELY BURNED.
The buildings totally destroyed at
IL 80 a. N. included:
The beef house of Morris & Co., loss
100000.
Warehouse No. 6. loss $550.O0O
Refrigerator storage shed, $4,000.
Several other buildings were afire.
but it was believed the flames would
soon be under control.
The body of Assistant Chief Mar
shal Burroughs was recovered from
the char lei heap at noon.
NEWS KEPT FROM WIFE.
Marshal Horan was married six years |
ago. He was the father of four chill |
dren, the youngest Of whom is 2 years. |
Word Of his death was kept from Mrs |
Horan by the firemen who notified her |
by telephone that he had met with an
accident. Later it became evident the /
chief was surely dead and that it would /
be better to let her know the truth. /
Mrs. Horan swooned in her Ashland |
boulevard home and was unable to
further continue the conversation.
SUCCEEDED MUSHAM
Horan assumed command of the fire
department after the death of Marshal
Musham. who had succeeded Campion
who took up the reins laid down by
the veteran Dennis Sweenie