The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-06-09

A terrible explosion that was heard
throughout the business district com
pltrely wrecked the plant NJ the OK
lhhoma city Ice and Cold Storage com.
pauy nt BOS South Broadway shortly
nfter q o'clock this morning. Paul
l.. Poage, bookkccpcr at the plant
was buried In the debris aud severely
burned aud bruised. 4. W. McCaryer
passing In front Of the building, was
struck by the flying bricks and Knocked
down Both men were taken 10 the
Wesley hospital by chief " Police
Nichols and Assistant Fire Chief Tony
Meyers.
II is believed that the explosion
was due 10 natural gus PONCE was
the only one In the plnui at the time
According 10 his statement hC walked
| through the office aud into the cold
storage room, where he opened the
door uf the vault aud struck n match
~ see how much Ice was on hand.
A sheet of fire swept over him, and
thnl was the last he remembered.
When found 10y nearby wOrlmcn u few
moments after the crash, W was buried
IN Il solid mass NJ bricks and wreck
age with only his hcud clear His
hurts are not SERIOUS, the burns about
his head Hnd hands being the most
painful " his injuries. liz lives ut
go West Seventh street
McCaryer Directly In Way
McCUrcr wns wnlklng north ON the
west side NJ the street.. and was di.
rcrlly In front NJ the structure. which
f. un the cnst side. when the entire
front wall seemed to burst out aud
crashed completely over the street
McCar,rr lives at 2lS South Robin.
son Both " the injured men will he
nhlc tu leave the hospital Thursday II
was stated
\ lnrgr crowd rushed to the scene n
the explosion Immediately after the
shock. was fclt the great cloud N
dust Witch rose for several hundred
feet IN the air. giving the impression
that n hlg fire WIS occurring Fire
companies I, . aud . responded 10 the
cnll aud helped clear away the wreck
age. II was at first feared fhat more
lpdles were covered Fire started N
Vlh bhttOm NJ the mass NJ tangled
Hinbets mud debris. but was soon ex
tIngnlshed No explanation could h,
found for a time tu account for N,
violence NJ the explosion, as gas offi
cinls stntcd that the lines into the
plant had been cut uff. II was Thought
by the police and fire officials thut
either ammonia ar dynamite was thp
case, hut us only dead ammonia wa
IN the pipes, siucr no lee has hccI
made In the plant fOr several months
every indication pointed to n dyna
mite explosion until much NJ IN,
wrcckage could be- cleared away. Il
was then found that n twoinCh gn'
linc ran along the south side ~ th,
building, anu was not cut Off eNcep
NJ the meter connection IN the rear nj
the plnnt 4 large drain pipe raI
from the storage vault io the stree
adjoining the gns line The gas lin,
was IN bad state of repair bcinl
nearly rutted through ln places. Thu
the sccplng gus had followed the drnlI
tlllng lp Into the storage vault Aul
collected there Is the explanation mos
probable
Plant Worth $4,000
The plant was twOstOry hricl
structure, with frame engine room
in the rear The explosion OcCurrpl
at the renr NJ the brick pnrl wher,
the frame work begins. The damng
to the property Is estimated at Sl0.OO0
That amount Of Insurance was carrie,
on the plant, hut viii probably NO
npply 10 the damage resulting frm
the explosion. e. q. Rogers and g. W
Brandon are the owners NJ the plant
Rogers had just left the place whel
the explosion occurred.
Many peculiar fenmres attended IN
occurrence. Part VI the roof ON TN
house across the street was torn ava.
hut not window In the place wa
broken dog was also blown Int
the place, mad the leaves were tor
from the trees In the yard The grpn
smoke stack ~ the plaut fell ncrOS
the rulns Nv the west neing blown Il
NJ the hotinm A slight incident prof.
nhly saved several NJ the police frnu
serious Injury. Another call had bee
answered hy Captain NJ PollCe Joh
Huhntkn, Detective John Cassidy nn,
Dale Smith. Just before reaching IN
icc plant they turned their car Int
Robinson street IN mail letter fo
Captain Huhntka. and were directly 4
trout of the building aud nne bloc
west. when the explosion came The
were the first IN the scene. Had
not been for the letter. they declnr
That their eur would have been III
rectly IN front " the Inflated stru,
ture when the explosion came
Street ear service was mterrupte
Tor some time. owing 10 the tons a
wrorkRge which strewed tho atraet