Horrible Fate of Henry W. Shaner, His Young Son Lawrence, George S. Grim, and Irwin Houck, Last Monday Night.
The Most Appalling Catastrophe in the History of Boyertown.
Explosion Follows A Blaze at George W. Carver's Bakery and Scattered Death Among the Crowd of Onlookers -- The Victims Horribly Mangled -- The Cause Is Attributed to Gas Formed By Smoke and Flame -- The Building Wrecked -- Hundreds Visit The Scene Next Day.
Monday night, the 3d of February, will long be remembered by the people of Boyertown. On that night the most appalling accident that ever visited our town occurred, and four human lives were sacrificed, and their deaths were so shocking, that the whole community was appalled.
The ghastly tragedy had its beginning in a small fire at the home and bakery of George W. Carver, corner Philadelphia Avenue and Jefferson Street.
The dead are:
Henry Wilford Shaner, aged 39 years, who leaves a widow and three children.
Lawrence R. Shaner, 14 years old, son of the above.
George Grim, aged 35 years who leaves a widow and 5 children.
Irwin Houck, aged 15 years, son of Philip Houck.
The injured are:
Allen Fry, leg broken and badly bruised by falling debris.
Augustus Conrad, head cut and internally hurt by falling brick.
George P. Rahn, slightly bruised and lacerated by flying bricks and woodwork.
Philip G. Houck, badly bruised by falling bricks.
The causes which led up to the catastrophe were as follows: About 10 p.m., fire was discovered in the basement of the bakery of Geo. Carver, on Phila. Ave. and an alarm was promptly sent in. It was supposed that the fire had originated in an overheated flue, and by the time the fire companies arrived the flames had spread to the second floor.
The bakers were at work in the rear of the building when the flames were discovered, and pending the arrival of the firemen they began to fight them. When the firemen came they found that the flames had extended to the second floor, despite the efforts to check them, and were eating their way towards the roof.
Apparently they were confined to the rear of the building, and here the firemen prepared to battle with them. A line of hose was brought around the rear and into the kitchen on the second floor. In the meantime a large crowd gathered to watch the fire, and had pressed closely to the building.
The flames were only visible in the rear, and the spectators imagined that the fire would be easily extinguished by the firemen. While the latter played the hose upon the flames, without warning, a deafening roar was heard, and before the astonished crowd could realize what had happened, the side of the building was seen to bulge out and fall amidst the affrighted spectators.
There was a rending of timbers and falling of bricks, and a dense volume of black smoke poured out into the street.
At the time of the explosion there was a large crowd of onlookers gathered around the building, some assisting the firemen to drag the hose to commanding positions; clouds of dust and smoke filled the air. It was so sudden and unexpected that for a few minutes the crowd was dumb-founded. When they recovered willing hands went at once to the rescue of those caught by the falling wall. The lifeless body of Lawrence Shaner was the first to be recovered from the ruins, immediately followed by the body of Irvin Houck who was taken out by another gang, and presently George G. Grim was recovered from the ruins and all three carried into the house of Jarius Stauffer across the street. Grim was alive and still conscious when taken out but died about an hour afterwards. The dead body of Henry S. Shaner was soon afterwards taken out. Alvin Fry was found with a broken leg, but was other wise unharmed. He had crawled across Philadelphia Avenue by himself. Augustus Conrad and George P. Rahn escaped with several scalp wounds, and Philip G. Houck, the father of Irwin, is nursing a bruised arm, where he was struck and knocked down, but luckily escaped other injury. All the dead had their limbs broken and heads crushed. Death must have been instantaneous with Houck, and Shaner and his son.
The body of Henry Shaner was not found until some time after, and it was not known that he was missing. His cap was found first, and this being recognized by someone in the crowd, it was suggested to clear away the debris, and then only was he found.
The cause of the explosion was due to an accumulation of gas, hot air and smoke in an almost airtight building but recently constructed. No gasoline was kept in that part of the house to cause any explosion. Only a gallon was bought at a time and that was kept in the coal house, near the bakery, while the fire was in the dwelling part of the house. The bottle with the gasoline was produced after the fire was over, showing conclusively that it was not the cause of the explosion, as some had supposed. The theory advanced that the heater exploded when water was thrown on it, is incorrect, as the heater is intact.
The explosion occurred on the second floor. A peculiar feature is that none of the furniture in the room was damaged, and a bureau standing against the wall that was blown out, remained standing in its position. Another peculiar feature was that every piece of bed clothing was blown out of the bed and through the opened wall, while the bed wasn't moved an inch.
The building is badly wrecked. The upper story of the Jefferson Street side was completely blown out, as was also a wall in another room on the opposite side of the house. Here is where Mr. Rahn was caught by flying bricks. The firemen succeeded in putting gout the fire about two o'clock.
The odor of smoke was first detected by Mrs. Carver, wife of the proprietor, who went to the rear of the building and called her husband's attention to it, and telling him to go into the cellar and see what it was. This was about 10 p.m., and as the house was gradually filling with smoke, and fearing that all would be suffocated, she hurried back to the front part of the building, where her 2 sons, Newton and Thomas, were about retiring.
Mrs. Carver threw a shawl about her body and the children jumped into their clothes as quickly as possible.
Undertaker H. M. Houck took charge of the bodies of Irwin Houck and George Grim, and James Brumbach of Henry Shaner and his son.
William Shealer, foreman of the Keystone Fire Company, and Ephraim Gehris, an assistant, were in the cellar when the explosion occurred and they were thrown to the floor with great violence. A number of others were also in the cellar at the time, among them Dr. T. J. B. Rhoads. They had gone there for the purpose of ascertaining the seat of the fire. Neither of the men was injured.
When the firemen got to work the temperature was down to near zero. It was intensely cold, and the men had great difficulty in getting a stream started. After it was turned on the building, many of the firemen, who were scattered about the place, were drenched, and their clothing as well as their hair, became matted with ice.
Mr. Shaner was for a number of years sexton of Fairview Cemetery succeeding his father who died a number of years ago. He was a very efficient sexton and well liked by all who came in contact with him. He attended to his duties in a very satisfactory manner to the Board of Trustees and it will be a hard matter to secure another one to fill his place to the satisfaction of everybody as it will take years to educate one up to his proficiency in all matters relating to location of lots inquired after by their friends.
George S. Grim was a son-in-law of Henry F. Koch, news dealer of Boyertown. He leaves a wife and five children to mourn his loss. He was a cigar maker by trade and worked for T. J. Dunn & Co., He was an exemplary, steady and industrious man.
Lawrence Shaner and Irwin Houck were both model young men. The latter is a son of Philip G. Houck, tax collector, who was himself slightly hurt.
The body of Henry Shaner was badly crushed, particularly about he face. The face was so disfigured that it was some time before it was identified. Besides his widow, Amanda, he is survived by these children: Paul, Edgar and Charles.
Mr. Carver said to the Democrat, "It is my opinion the fire originated in the flue of the cellar heater of the dwelling house."
Great crowds visited the scene of the disaster next day. On account of the danger of more all falling the building was roped off in the afternoon, and the premises was closed to visitors.
The building was built since last April, and the dwelling part had only been occupied about three months.
Squire William H. Fox impaneled the following jury in the case: Wallace Y. Reigner, foreman; John G. Schealer, William S. Rhoads, Jarius B. Stauffer, Levi R. Lefever and Benjamin F. Nyce.
Three inquests were held, as George Grim had died an hour later than the others. The jury viewed the bodies just after the disaster and then adjoined[sic] until Tuesday evening. Three witnesses were heard: Augustus Conrad, Jacob Megarley and George Moore. The jury gave a verdict in which they declared that the victims had come to their deaths accidentally by reason of the falling of a wall at the fire at George Carver's bakery, on the night of February 3, at 11 o'clock.
The American Fire Insurance Company, of Philadelphia, which had $700 insurance on Mr. Carver's household goods, adjusted the loss by paying $675, Wednesday. The adjuster was W. P. Long, of Philadelphia. Mr. Long carefully examined the premises and claims that the explosion was due to overheated smoke. He stated that he came across several instances of 15 years experience as adjuster where the circumstances were identical.
The insurance on the building was $4,500, divided up as follows: Northern British and Mercantile Co., $1,250; Pennsylvania Fire Ins. Co., $1,250, Greenwich $500, and Boyertown Mutual $1,500. The contents were insured in the American Fire Insurance Co., for $1,200.
Mr. Kramer, of Northern British, and the representatives of the Boyertown Mutual met on Thursday, but the other two companies were not present, but all will meet next week to adjust it.
Mr. Carver will repair it as soon as the weather permits. In the meantime the bakery business will go on as heretofore.
Henry Shaner and his son will be buried this morning. Services at the house only at 9:30 o'clock. Rev. Weber will officiate. The bodies will be laid to rest in the family plot on Fairview Cemetery.
Irwin Houck's funeral takes place this morning. Services at the home on Third Street at 10 o'clock, to be continued in the Reformed Church, Rev. Freeman officiates. Interment in Fairview Cemetery.
George Grim will be buried next Tuesday morning. Services at the house only. Interment in Fairview Cemetery.
This unlooked for tragedy has cast a gloom over the entire community and every heart is bleeding with hose of the bereaved families, and it seems as though every house is a house of mourning. Not since the mine disaster early in the eighties when five men lost their lives, some after lingering through several days of intense suffering, has such a calamity overtaken this thriving borough. May such a visitation never again fall to our lot is the devout wish of every one.
The Democrat is indebted to the Philadelphia Inquirer for the illustration of this article.
Submitted by Betty.
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