Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-02-18
GAS EXPLOSION CAUSED MEXIA,
 TEX. DISASTER
Collapse of and Fire in Opera House, Where Nine
 Died, Due to Blast.

Mexia, Tex. Feb. 1.-The list of | dead as a result of the collapse and explosion at the MeXia opera house last night still stood at nine this | morning.
 Search of the ruins continued, how ever. Chief of Police Patrick Richards thinking it possible others may have lost their lives in the accident. An official investiga ton will follow quickly.
 Chief Richards this morning said that in his opinion the collapse of the opera house was the result of an explosion A majority of the persons in position to know, he said, had made statements to the effect that an explosion took place and flames darted from the building before it came tumbling down. All the persons who had been in the opera house have been accounted for. If any new vic tims are discovered, it is expected they will be found in the debris of Ed Hitt's restaurant, where most of the fatalities occurred. Says Three Negroes Caught. The restaurant, caught in the rush of flames and the fall of brick and timber, was destroyed almost ilnme- diately. Bunk Revill, who escaped from the building with serious injur ies, thinks it possible that there were two or three negroes in the rear of the restaurant who have not been ac- counted for. If there were any oth- CTS killed, they were transients.
 Chief Richards says that all 'MeXia
 The flames had been extinguished early today, with the total of build ings damaged limited to five.
 The bodies of Ray Hit and Paul Yelldell have been removed to their respective hcmes. The bodies of the other dead are at two local undertak- ing establishments.
 Superintendent and eMrs. A. B. Weisner, who were caught in the collapse of the opera house, had no relatives here. Friends are caring for the surviving ten-year-old daugh ter.
 Speculation Over Explosion.
 There is much speculation az to how the explosion took place. G. w. Per kins, city secretary, entered the build- ing early in the evening and lit gas Estove in vacant storeroom on the first floor, where an art exhibit was to be given by the Mothers club for the benefit of tho public schools. Chief Richards thinks it possible that there may have been leak from one of the connecting pipes and that the fire in the stove set off the fumes.
 According to one story, Prof Weis- ner struck match to find the electric switch in the room and illuminate the exhibit, the explosion resulting. The chief of police discounts this story, however. He says that he was in the exhibition room short time De- fore the explosion and that the elec- tric lights were or. 4
 He was outside the opera house, ne said when the detonation came, and flames shot out of the door and win dows.
 The upper stories of the opera house came crashing down. Shriaks and calls for help came from the ru- ins, and these were echoed from the Hit restaurant.
 Virtually every resident of MeXia came to the rescue. All available equipment was utilized in fighting the flames. Forces were divided, some combating the fire and some aiding in rescue work.
 Very few persons went to bed until early this morning. A force of 20 men was organized to search the ruins for more bodies.