Accidents, Train Wrecks and other Events
about Denver County Colorado
Accidents, Train Wrecks and other Events
about Denver County Colorado
Terrible Explosion
Denver City was startled out of its propriety, on the 12th ult., a few minutes before three o’clock, just as the church bells were ringing for afternoon service, by the most terrific explosion ever witnessed in that country. A column of smoke and dust shot far up into the heavens from the very heart of the city and floated away in an immense black cloud. Thousands of people rushed to the scene of the catastrophe to find the gun shop of M. L. Rood and the adjoining premises, a mass of ruins. Fire had broken out in two places among the broken and fallen timbers and threatened a general conflagration, but by a quick and well-directed effort of those present, it was soon extinguished and there was time to enquire the cause and see the effect of the accident.
The shop was one of a long row of small, low wooden buildings fronting on F, just below Larimer Street. A workman was repairing a shot gun, and when done put on a cap to try it. The gun proved to be loaded and exploded with a terrible report, followed in about two seconds by the explosion which citizens aver shook the ground and caused buildings to rock and tremble to the outer limits of the city. It is the belief that the gun when fired, bursted or the breech pin was blown out and the flash ignited three or four open and partly filled powder kegs that stood under the counter. Hocum, who fired the gun, was taken from the burning ruins very badly bruised and cut and burned black with his clothes entirely torn off. It was first thought that he was fatally injured, but there is a prospect now of his recovery. Mr. Rood, who was in another part of the shop, was somewhat cut and bruised, but not seriously.
Dr. Gehrung, whose office next door was totally demolished, was considerably hurt but able to take care of himself. Mr. Rood estimates hiss loss at about four thousand dollars in the two buildings, machinery, tools and stock. Dr. Gehrung lost several hundred dollars in office furniture, medicines and damages to his library, etc. The desk at which he was sitting at the time, as also the chair he occupied, were entirely broken to pieces. Mr. Gehrung, brother of the Doctor, who had a well stocked family grocery on the opposite side of the gun-shop, lost over four thousand dollars in damage to stock and building. The whole side of the latter was torn out, his goods, solids and fluids, and the plaster from the ceiling and walls were completely mixed together.
Other buildings on either side were considerably damages and a good deal of glass was broken through the neighborhood. In our office considerable type was thrown down and the windows that happened to be closed were pretty well broken out. Portions of the buildings destroyed were thrown across the street and half the roof of one of them was landed entire, but upside down, on a neighboring building. Marshal Bailey, who was riding nearby, was thrown off his mule and is oblivious as to how he escaped from the wreck.
But for the very prompt efforts a destructive fire must have followed and it made one nervous after the flames were subdued to see dozens of cans and flasks of powder picked out of the charred and drenched debris. It seems miraculous that no one was killed and so few hurt. Some uncharitable persons think that the explosion was a judgment for working on Sunday, it being the habitual practice in the shop to work on that day. At any rate, we hope it will serve as a warning to the city authorities to enforce a more strict observance of the fire ordinance respecting the sale and storage of powder.
["Daily Alta California", San Francisco CA, October 3, 1864, Submitted by Nancy Piper)
A boiler in the Denver (Col.) Tramway Co.’s powerhouse exploded, killing two men outright and injuring a number of others, one of whom will die. The exploded boiler flew over 500 feet and the force of the explosion wrecked the entire building, destroying property valued at $100,000. [Source: The Beaver Herald, February 7, 1895. Transcribed by Jana Stanley]
Snowslide in Colorado Catches A Work Train - Five Men Killed
Denver, Colo., Feb. 3 - Information has been received here by Superintendent Ridgeway, of the Denver & Rio Grande road, that a snowslide on its line, nine miles east of Glenwood Springs, yesterday, came down on top of a work train, wrecking the engine and cars and killing five of the crew and injuring several others.
The known dead are: John McMahon, roadmaster Denver & Rio Grande, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, J. Dempsey, section man, Spruce Creek, Colo., and J. Mulvihill section man, Red Cliff, Colo.
The work train had been sent to clear the snow-blocked tracks east of Glenwood and was blowing through a drift when the slide came and buried the workmen. ("Fair Play", Fort Scott, Kansas, February 10, 1899, page 2 - Sub. by Peggy Thompson)
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