The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-07-04

fire in the collapsed Oscar Ruff build
ing on Saturday afternoon. Mr.. Landry
came here about 10 years ago from
Oskaloosa where he had been cutter
in F. D. Boyer Merchant Tailor estab-
lishment He engaged in business here
for himself and has built up a big
business and >prospered Mr.. Landry
was not at his place OF business at
the time of the catastrophe so himself
escaped.
Thirty Nine Known Dead.
Thirty-nine persons are known to
have been killed and a score or more
injured
Five other persons are reported to
be missing and it is evident that the
death list will pass the forty mark be-
fore the search for the bodies is end
ed
Today it was reported that all of
the injured taken to the hospitals viii
recover.
Yesterday the work of clearing up
the wreckage progressed rapidly and
thirty lone bodies were recovered.
All hope that the persons in the de
bris were alive was abandoned today.
Floor Had Been Lowered
w. j. Becker, vice president of the
Ruff company said that the first floor
of the building had been lowered eight
to ten inches, but that this work had
been completed three days ago. The
walls of the building were not touched.
Mr. Becker announced.
'.Sponges saved my life" said Hans
Asper Asper was pinned under the
ruins more than six hours before he
was rescued Buried under tons of
wreckage with fire likely any moment
to deyelope him and water threaten
ing TO drown him Asper gave direc-
lions to the rescuers how to reach
him.
While waiting for the rescuers to
help him out Asper wet sponges from
the pile on which he had landed and
kept his face buried in them and this
kept him from being asphixiated.
Asper Saves Leg.
Asper talked the surgeons out of
amputating his leg and thereby retain
ed his chance of getting into the ma
tional army next month. Wherefore
Hans Asper is glad.
Workers insisted that an amputa-
ton of his leg, which was pinned I'M
der a case would insure him of rescue
Asper objected. AmputatiOn meant eX-
elusion from the army and Asper is
scheduled to depart with the July con-
tingent of selective men. Asper want
ed to fight for democracy and he won
out His leg was not amputated.
Firemen had to stand in water up TO
their armpits for two hours TO chop
him out of the wreckage. But they
chopped him out
Ruff is Freed.
Oscar Ruff, proprietor of the Run
drug store. walked forth from his sup
posed tomb in the basement, alive, af-
ter seven hours of torture and impris-
onment. After the flames had more
than once crept within two feet of
him.
Il arose out of my chair, and the
next thing / knew | was sitting on the
floor with my chin resting on the
chair" Ruff related.
"The first floor dropped into the eel
lar and the second floor pitched down
over me. II stopped about three feet
above my head. My chin still rested
on the chair and | was compelled to
sit in the same position until taken
out.
The flames once were within two
feet of me. and, another time stream
of wateer hit me directly in the face.
/ did not suffer from the heat
1T was quite awhile before knew
they were trying to rescue me, and !
suppose they thought ] was dead. II
seemed as though was held prisoner
there for days. The air in the cellar
was clear and I had no trouble in
breathing. The compartment formed
about me by the falling walls and
floors protected me from the smoke
and FIRE" qa .rs
The Dead w
Alfred j. Hanson
Joe Awe.
Ole X Roissum.
ole Z. Running.
John Levine.
Mrs. Mabel cayens (colored).