Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1884 — HOT SHOWER BATHS. [ARTICLE]

HOT SHOWER BATHS.

Three Men Burned to Death by Blazing Oil from an Exploded Tank. —-*—. ICleveland Dispatch.] An explosion occurred iu one of Merriam & Morgan’s paraffine works in Central way, corner of Ohio street, by which three workmen met with horribled deaths. At the time of the explosion a number of men were in the vicinity of the refining mill, but all ex' cept three escaped injury. At the moment of tho explosion a largo fiery mass of refined oil wns belched upward into tlio air, and fell to the earth like a stream of molten metal from a broken retort. Of tho workmen in the vicinity, August Fisher and August Guenther were closest to the exploded still. They were enveloped in the liquid shower of flame, and in an instant nothing but charred and horribly disfigured remnants remained of what they had been. ■William Stalilman was a short distance panions. When the muss of flames descended upon him his clothing was consumed like ego much tinder. . lie made a wild and desperate effort to escape, but soon succumbed. When the fire tould be sufficiently subdued to allow the firemen to enter the inclosure, the remains of the three workmen were removed to the adjoiuing pump-houso and placed upon shutters. The bodies of Fisher and Guenther were the most horribly burned. Scarcely a vestige of them remained below the hips, and the upper portion of their bodies wore so charred that they could scarcely be recognized as the remains of human beings. Stalilman was about 26 years of age, and lived with his wife In Seymour avenue. He leaves no children. Guenther was 27 years of age. He was married, the father of three little children, and, lived at No. 129 Herseheil street. Fisher was probably 30 years of age. His homo was at No. 160 Tfumbull street. He leaves four children, with a wife, who is in a delicate condition. The exploded still had contained about twenty-five luirrels of paraffine. What caused the explosion Mr. Merriam is at a loss to conjecture, as It was a new one of the most approved pattern. The loss to the firm will be about $20,(00, upon which there is no insurance. Coroner Bock will hold an inquest over the remains.