Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-12-22

Chicago, Dec. 22.-chief Fire Marshal
Horan, Assistant Chief Burroughs.
Lieutenant Fitzgerald and nearly forty
other firemen were killed. and prop
erty loss Of a million and half re-
suited from the destruction OF the meat
warehouse Of Morris & Co. at the union
stock yards this morning.
It is thought the dead may reach
forty. The entire crews of engine COM
panies 81 and SO are said to be among
the dead. in addition to six members
of Company 20 and some OF No. 4s were
killed. The hope Of the firemen and
hundreds Of admirers Of Fire Marshal
Horan that the fire fighter and his men
had not perished was practically lost
when Battalion Chief Lacey told OF
seeing the marshal and Burroughs.
together with eighteen or twenty men.
20 down beneath falling wall.
eaw Men Buried.
"chief aorau was in front Of the
pipemeu," said Lacey, "and Burroughs
a short distance behind him directing
the work when the crash came. I
know Just where they were and am
sure they had no chance OF escape.
Dozens Of firemen saw the same sit
uation and many Of them ran to the
F5piisl Aimos: frantic ana began throwing
bricks away with their hands They
were like 50 many Goals Of fire and any
work Of that sort was useless. I or
dered them back to fighting the flames
in the hope that the fire might be
stopped in time to find q way to rescue
the poor fellows we saw go down to
what seems certain death. was deter
mined to make every effort within
human power to save the men, but the
condition Of the building made it sui
eide for the rest Of them to try to
enter It,"
Caused BY Exploding Ammenia.
The fire started from the explosion
Of an ammonia pipe. and spread with
such rapidity that the entire building
was in flames almost in an instant A
general alarm brought all the available
fro fighting apparatus to the scene.
Marshal Horan arrived Immediately
and took up the task Of directing his
men. With Battalion Chief Burrows
he led his men to the east entrance Of
the building and the battle against the
flames was taken up from beneath a
heavy wooden canopy with hung mem
acingly above them.
Caught in Death Trap.
Apparently not noticing their danger
the fremen crowded beneath this
death trap. Suddenly with roar like
an explosion the canopy and tumbling
tons Of bricks buried the chief of the
department. together with more than
a score Of his aids.
The fremen, learning Of the fate OF
their chief and his men fought fran
tically to control the fire at the spot
where the disaster occurred. It was
hoped the victims had been taken out
and carried to hospitals. but inquiry
brought the information that such was
not the case.
Frantic Efforts ut Rescue.
The men attacked the pile Of red
hot debris to rescue their comrades
and dug with desperation with bare
hands until ordered away by officers
to stop the spread Of the flames. which
threatened the entire district.
Agraphic story Of the collapse Of the
east wall which carried the men down
to death beneath the wood covering Is
told by Lieutenant Mackey, who was
leading company Of fremen from the
top Of the canopy.
Miraculous Escapes.
Mackey said he saw the walls bulge
and Immediately shouted a warning.
At the same time he jumped from the
platform himself and was followed i'm
mediately by ten or twelve Of his men.
The escapes Of these were miracu-
lous.
+ was :: charge of the firemen
nghting the flames from the railroad
tracks. saw one man fail near where
the men were caught. fell and
ran. and catching hold Of his legs
1 axasyol him 70 the railroad tracks and