Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1920-03-04
Man Burned to Crisp on Craft
Owned by Former Baraboo
Resident----Damage Placed at
$5O,OOO
ACCIDENT HAPPENS AT
TAMPA, FLORIDA DOCK
Explosion Takes Place While the
Tanks Are Being Filled With
Gasoline----0thers Injured

The following from the Tampa (Flor-
3da) Tribune tell of serious fire on
John Ringling's yatch, one man burn
ing to crisp, and others being in1ur-
ed. The account reads:
Ben Olsen, machinist on john Ring
9ing's 120-foot gasoline yatch Vidofner
H. was burned to crisp yesterday al
ter noon, while James Conoley a
deckhand; Irving Gremli, chief engin-
eer, and Cohen Micelbrooks, a ship
carpenter, suffered painful injuries,
as the result of an explosion followed
by fire which damaged the pal1tlal
vessel to the extent Of probably $780,
500. as she lay at the Gulf Refining
Company's docks on the river just
south of the Fortune street bridge,
taking ON gasoline.
The Vidofner III has been at the
Tampa Steam ways for several months
having new engines installed, and 9TH
er remodeling done, at a cost OF over
$4,000. The engine installation had
baen completed and the vessel was
shifted to the Gulf Refining docks to
take on gasoline for her dock trial.
At 3:45 =. ~, as the gasoline was flow
ing into the two 500 gallon tanks, and
when the vessel had been at the docks
for only about a quarter OF an houf'
on explosicr occurred
Olsen, who had been assisting in put
ting the gasoline in the tanks was
knocked down, and in some manner
--ns co.t was oought beneath ral
guard and he was quickly burned to
death in the flames which followed tn ;
explosion.
Conoley, whose ankle was badly
crashed and whose clothing was III
flames, was thrown overheard by two
fellow deckhands, and chung under
the dock until the vessel had been
pushed off and the flames were some
what under control when he was res
cued.
Chief Engineer Gremli, who was
seated with Conoley and Midcibrooks
at the time of the explosion, tsil oVel
backward, over the gasoline tanks,
but although his clothing took flre
he had the presence Of mind to jump
overheard and swan ashore sunerlne
less serious burns than Conoley. MID
elbrooks, the carpenter, was rescued
by other members of the crew who es
tinguished the flames about his cloth"
ing.
Anthony WiLlig and John Curran
both deckhands, suffered minor burns
on their hands as result or then
work in rescuing their shipmates
Freddie Huffman, another deckhand
who assisted in the rescue work es
capped injury.
Think was caused by Spontaneous IN
milton
Second Engineer Jerry Myerson an(
Carl Rebl, the latter representing the
Winton Engine Works OF cleveland
were in the engine room sixty rec
from the scene of the explosion at TN
time. and escaped unhurt. MI. ReD
who was putting the gasoline i'll tn
v
been purchased, stated that II wa
his opinion the gasoline was force
into the tank more rapidly than In
air in the tank exhausted, and tnat
nrassure was thus developed WINE
resulted in spontaneous ignition OF IT
gas He stated that the flames Wer
intensified by the fact that the negr
who was putting tn gasoline IN tn
tank failed to shut off the steam I'M
mediately after the explosion. f. !
Tongino got to the gasoline line q
quickly as possible and cut 1t on
Earl Cavanaugh, Capt. D. Jones, an
Gulf Refining employees and memoel
of the vatch's crew showed the vess'
off a little way from the dock 10 pr
vent the latter burning. Chief Ma
thews ordered our fire-fighting appa'
atus from Station 1, 8 and 5. The bl
new triple combination engine fro
No. 8 station, handled by Capt. I.
Leggett. received its baptism OF fir
this engine feeding all the streams
water in fine shape.
Conley and Gremli, who are Saraso
men. were rushed to Gordon helle
together with Midelbrooks, who is
Tampan. Conoley is the more serious
injured but is expected to survive. "
lig, Huffman and Curran are Tarnpar
Olsen, the man who burned to deaf
was from Sarasota, and his brothe
in-law, DIR. Schultz, made a fast n
to Tampa last night on being infor