Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1874 — TERRIBLE RESULTS OF A LAMP EXPLOSION. [ARTICLE]

TERRIBLE RESULTS OF A LAMP EXPLOSION.

Five Persons Involved in the Flames— Death of the Father and Eldest Daughter—The Mother add Babe Severely Burned. Kerosene and gasoline have long enjoyed the doubtful distinction of being the cause of a great majority of the household casualties of the day. Scarcely a paper can be taken tip that does not bristle with exclamation points, and tire the eye with black. letter headings, announcing the burning of this or that person who was engaged in the apparent ly innocent labor of filling a burning lamp with liquid death and destruction, sold under harmless sounding names—as non-explosive kerosene, Triumph oil, etc., etc. This time the product ozoline comes to the front and deals death and sorrow around in such liberal measure that tbe destroying angel who is supposed to oversee such matters ought to be satisfied with its work, and discard every other agency hereafter. About five o’clock on the morning of January 15, James McGinnis, of St. Joseph, Missouri, his wife, his daughter Annie, aged seventeen, and the baby, arose from their beds and repaired to the kitchen to partake of an early breakfast. Shortly afterwards Mrs. McGinnis sent Annie up stairs to bring down the lamp for refilling. The lamp was brought, and Mrs. McGinnis tilled it with ozoline within one inch of the burner, then lighted the wick and turned down the chimney, when tlie lamp exploded with a loud report, hurling the flames in every direction about the small room. The oil can, which contained nearly a gallon of the liquid, was also Involved in the explosion and contributed largely to the devouring element which completely filled the room. The bulk of the flames shot like lightning across the room, and over Annie sitting between her mother and the bed, and caught the bed in which lay the little baby Florence. Immediately Mr. McGinnis seized his wife and babe and threw them out of the window. By this time Annie was in a sheet of flame and , her father very badly burned from head to foot. Joseph, one of the sons, was. up stairs at the time; but hearing the report, rushed below, and in his efforts to do something was very severely burned on lioth bands, and his hair was singed. The other children rushed out of doors screaming “murder! murder! fire! fire!” The neighbors were aroused by the wild cries of terror, and forthwith went to the house to witness a scene which baffles description. The room was ablaze. The mother and babtrwere struggling with the flames which enveloped them, upon the frozen ground. The brave father, suffering intensely, was found sitting upon tbe porch In a delirium, his every footstep from the scene of the terrible accident being marked with blood. The eldest daughter, Annie, had crawled out of the caldron of flame, and was endeavoring to climb the stairway. Annie was burned to a crisp from bead to foot, and 1 after a most agonizing struggle death relieved her of her sufferings. James McGinnis, the father, was severcly burned all over bls body, and died a little after noon. Mrs. McGinnis and liaby Florence were taken to the residence of a neighbor. She was very severely burned on the face, neck and' bo'h bands and arms; and the"baby on the face, both arms and lower limbs. Tbe Herald, of .the 16tb, says that at Igat accounts, it was thought that the mother and son only would recover.

—“I don’t believe much in the Bible," said a collegian to an old Quaker. “Does thee believe in Franee?” “Yea, I do. I never saw it, but I have plenty of proof that there ia auch a country.” Then thee does not believe anything unless thee or thy reliable friends have seen it?” "No, be sure I won’t.” “Did thee ever see thy own brains?” “No.” ‘‘Did thee ever know anybody that has seen thy brains??; “No.” "Does thee believe thee has any brains?” , * When California wants a desperado she sets about securing him with an earnestness which could be profitably imitated elsewhere. The Legislature of that State has just passed a bill authorizing the Governor to offer a reward of 115,000 for Use capture of the notorious Vwfuez »n 4 bitband. ' ■-