Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-22
Mass of Red Hot Bricks TumbIes Upon Men Lead
ing Fight Against Blaze at Morris & Go.
Meat Warehouse.
FEW SURVIVE TO TELL FEARFUL STORY
Mayor Busse Narrowly Escapes Flying Missiles When AM
monia Tank Blows Up-0ver Million Dollars
Worth of Property Destroyed.

CnlcagO, DeC. SS'-AI 1
o'clock the fire was believed
to be under control. The dead
are now placed at 29, includ
ing Chief Horan; the injured
at so, some fatally, and the
property loss at $1,250,000.
Seven bodies were recover
ed at 1890 p. m, but it was
believed the others could not
be recovered until tomorrow,
in spite of the frantic efforts
of the firemen and wrecking
crews.
The buildings destroyed in
clude two warehouses full of
dressed meat, hemp, etc, a
tallow house and other struc-
lures.
Chicago. Dec. 22.-Chief Fire
Marshal Haron, Assistant Grief Bur
roughs, Lieutenant and 20 or more
other firemen were killed and prop
erty loss of half million dollars,
caused in the destruction of the
meat warehouse of Morris & Co, at
the Union stock yards this, morning,
THREE CREWS CAUGHT.
The entire crews of engine COM
panies 81 and 50 are said to be
among the dead. In addition six
members of company % and some Of
No AS were killed.
Hone of the firemen and hundreds
of admirers of Fire Marshall Horan
that the firefighter and his men had
not perished was practically lost
when Battalion Chief Lahy told Of
seeing the marshal and Burroughs
together with IS or 20 men go down
beneath a falling wall.
THE KNOWN DEAD.
The known dead:
MARSHAL JAMES HORAN.
JOSEPH MURAWESKI. pipeman.
PATRICK COLLINS, captain engine
company SO.
DENNIS DOYLE, captain engine
WILLIAM J. BURROUGHS, Assis-
tant marshal
CHARLES MOORE, truckman.
company 80.
The missing: Thomas OConner,
pipennan; James Foster, pipemah; Jo-
seph Osborne, driver. and J. H. Behr-
ems. driver. all of Company 50; Mich
OILS Crane, truckman; Charles Moore,
truckman; Charles Berkery, lieuten-
ant: Frank Waters, Charles Sweenie,
William J. Daley, Peter J. Kill, Will
liam T. Weber; John Dubach. lieuten-
ant; Charles Cooney, John G. Link, Jo-
seph P. Mulhern, Francis P. Eagan,
John J. McClary, James J. BannOn,
John HeIfert, William T. Murphy.
IN FRONT OF PIPEMEN.
"Chief Horan was in front of the
pipemen," said Larry, land Bur
roughs a short distance behind him
directing the work when the crash
came. | know just where they were
and am sure they had no chance of
escape. Dozens of firemen saw the
same situation and many of them ran
to the pile, almost frantic and threw
bricks away with their hands. They
we're like so many Goals of fire and
any work of that sort was useless.
RETURNED TO FIGHT.
81 ordered them back to fighting
the flames in the hope the fire might
be stopped in time to find way to
rescue the poor fellows we saw go
down to what seemed certain death.
I was determined to make every et-
fort within human power to save
the men but the condition of the
building made it suicide for the rest
of us to try to enter it.
AMMONIA STARTED 1T.
The fire started from the explosion
Of an ammonia pipe, and spread with
such rapidity that the entire building
was in flames almost in one instant A
alarm brought all the available
ire fighting apparatus TO the scene.
Marshal Horan arrived Immediately
and took up the task of directing his
men. With Battalion Chief Burroughs /
ne led the men to the east entrance I
If the building and the battle against
he flames was taken up from beneath
| heavy wooden canopy which hung
nenacingly above them. Apparently