Iowa Old Press
The Evening Gazette
Cedar Rapids, Linn co. Iowa
Friday, May 23, 1919
Douglas Co. Dead 11 - 35 Missing Believed in Ruins
Official List of Dead, Missing, and Injured in the
Douglas Disaster
"The following workmen were known to be in the plant at the
time of the fire," begins the statement preceeding the list
of names given out at the Douglas plant this afternoon. The word
"explosion" was in the statement as it was originally
drawn up, but it was changed to "fire" by the
superintendent. "A search of the ruins," the statement
continues, "visits to the local undertaking establishments,
homes and hospitals, has given the status of their condition as
indicated after their names.
At St. Luke's Hospital
Ward Matthews
H. Ormlster
J. Costellos
W.V. Bethel
Q. Payton
Frank Oberer, Jr.
Frank Stanik
Tony Stout
F. Pena
Claude McCalley
At Mercy Hospital
Frank Sodoma
Guy Allnut
Everett Prentice
Drak Miros
W. Jenik [or Jonik]
Nick Fallas
Joe Culdice
The Dead.
C. Trabal, partly identified
Jay Klemish
Harvey Eckert
P. Stenseld, partly identified
Samuel Getz
P. Pfeiffer
Missing Men, or May Be In Ruins
I. Schultz
Joe Vaverka
George Costellos
William Rush
Rube Birdshaw
Orville Watkins
H. Berry
Mike Ezeloula
Mike Trolas
George Papas
Mike Tsribrogos
G. Chris
Peter Erickson
P. Randall
D. Hartman
W.D. Lyberger
T. Osredekar
K. Krekas
J. Coyat
Charles John
J. Kosina, Jr.
Joe Kosina
Jim Niebold
E. Wise
Alfred Thomas
George Culdice
Claude Hahn
E.J. Baker
E. Smith
J. Taljat
John Martinek
C. Volpalka
T. Kuioatkovsky
F. Stastnick
Gus Kalarot.
A total of 35 missing. Thirty five missing, may or may not be in
ruins, six identified dead, five unidentified dead, ten at St.
Luke's hospital, eight at Mercy hospital.
Unaccounted For
E. Devork, works on [illegible] and clock card does not show that
he checked out. Forty-three men returned to their homes, only a
few of them slightly injured. The total number in the list given
out by the company is 109. The company has asked that those who
are reported as missing or unaccounted for, and are at their
homes to report their safety to the company.
Fire At Starch Plant Under Control
That the management of the Douglas Starch works is lacking in its
efforts to complete an intelligent check on the missing and the
dead is apparent from its stubborn intention to keep the public
in the dark as possible regarding the catastrophe. Naturally, the
officials could not be expected to make a detailed statement,
theoretically or otherwise, concerning the tragedy in its plant,
but every attempt to obtain some sort of information regarding
the identity of the men known to have been in the plant at the
time of the explosion, as compared to the list of unaccounted
for, was flatly opposed by the management and its
representatives.
The plant maintains a labor bureau. It is presumed that this
bureau is in possession of other information regarding employes
than their mere names. A check of employes in the factory at th
etime of catastrophe, coupled with investigation as to their
whereabouts today, should have disclosed a list of dead and
missing by an early hour this morning. Indications point to a
lack of such a check, for at noon officials and others engaged in
a haphazard effort to get dependable information still insisted
on the maintenance of their attitude of indifference to the
public demand for a comprehensive list.
Shortly before noon it was announced from the timekeeper's office
of the Douglas plant that ten are known to be dead, five are
identified and that there were thirty-five missing. When it was
suggested to ?.B. Griffith, one of the men in the timekeeper's
office, that the publication of the names of those whom the check
had shown to be missing would aid in finding those who had not
been injured, but had not yet reported themselves safe,
"we'll do our own thinking," was the reply. Mr.
Griffith then called Manager A.W. Lenders and asked about news he
could give out. "See Mr. Lenders," the reporters were
told. "Can't you give us the names of those
identified?" "See Mr. Lenders, and stay out of this
office!" Again Mr. Griffith was asked for the names of the
identified dead. "See Mr. Lenders. That's plain
English." Mr. Lenders only repeated what he had said earlier
in the morning. At that time he was asked if the company did not
have some theory as to the cause of the explosion.
"We are not theorizing. We are in the midst of it," he
replied, "We're checking up on the cards now, and just as
soon as we know definitely what we are talking about we'll make
an announcement." "The insurance adjustors will be here
probably next week. Until they come and we know positively what
we are doing we cannot tell what the total loss will be."
Shortly after noon today eleven bodies were in the undertaking
establishments of the city. Eight of them had been identified
either positively or partly. The list of identified was changed
during the morning. Pete Stingley, instead of being dead is very
much alove. He walked into Wymer's, saw "his" body and
said he did not recognize it. Following is the list of the
identified:
Jay Klemish, at Turner's.
Jake ____, at Turner's
Ed Trentissen, Beatty's
Mike Trialonis, Beatty's, 104 Tenth avenue
Charles Triebel, at Wymor's, partly identified, 1527 North Sixth
street west
Shorty Fifer, Wymer's
Harvey Eckert, 1415 South Second street west, at Wymer's
Samuel Getz, 828 South Tenth street, at Edw. Lessinger's.
There are two unidentified bodies at Wymer's and one at Beatty's.
Fireman Collapsed.
Harry Hall, a member of the central station fire company, was
taken to the Mercy hospital at 2 a.m. today. He had collapsed
from shock and smoke. This makes two firemen who are in the
hospital. The other is C.C. Craft, who was struck by a brick
hurled by one of the minor explosions that occurred during the
fire. Among the known missing gathered from various sources and
believed to be buried beneath the debris are:
William Lybarger, 1428 E. avenue
Eugene Jerome Baker, 820 South Second street west
C.J. Hahn, South of Sixth street west
Charles John, 41 Fourteenth avenue
Josef Kosina, Sr., 43 years of age, 231 Nineteenth avenue west
Joseph Vaverka, Jr., 17 years of age, 230 Nineteenth avenue west.
A brother and brother-in-law of Thomas Ramsell, shoemaker, 223
South First street, are also reported among the missing. Galen
Fry was first reported missing but that is now known to be a
mistake.
Coroner David W. King has announced that he will call a jury this
afternoon to make an exhaustive investigation into the cause of
the explosion. The inquiry will probably begin tomorrow. Manager
Lenders has announced that as soon as the ruins have cooled, the
entire remaining force of the plant will be put to work clearing
up the debris.
Samuel Getz leaves a wife and six children. Claude J. Hahn, who
is one of the missing, has one son in the army of occupation and
four sons at home. Harvey Eckert is survived by a wife and two
small children, it is understood. The body of Mike Trialonis was
identifed by a brother, Jack Trialonis, 104 Tenth avenue and a
cousin, Angelus Trialonis, Fourteenth avenue and Third street.
Mrs. John Easker, 1118 South First street west, was one of the
many cut about the face by flying glass.
William Lybarger, one of the missing men is married and has two
sons, C. Lybarger, 1526 Ellis boulevard, and Neil Lybarger, of
Clinton, and a daughter, Mrs. W.H. Duval, 1539 C avenue.
John Kolovakis was working in the boiler room when the explosion
came. He was knocked down and stunned for an instant but he was
able to get out of the ruins. Mike Christophornkis was in the
basement but was uninjured.
There are about eighty men in the R.O.T.C. force from Coe that is
doing guard duty around the plant. A strict guard line is
maintained. Passes are necessary both to go in and go out of the
roped area.
Yesterday the largest exclusive starch factory in the world was
humming with activity. Today the two huge stacks and the wet
starch building at the west end of the plant are all that is left
of the great plant. White smoke rose from the smoldering ruins
that wer eonce the dry starch building. It was there that the big
explosion happened. In the large building just south, flames are
sill to be seen. But the fire has been under control for many
hours and the firemen are standing by still playing streams of
water keeping the fire from increasing and gradually putting it
out.
All of the bodies removed from the ruins were blackened and
charred. In practically every case a hand had been thrown up and
literally baked in that position. It was as if the men had thrown
up a hand in less than the winking of an eyelash to ward off a
vague something.
Forty-Eight Iowa Troops Decorated - Nine Rainbow
Yankees
Washington, D.C., May 23 - An incomplete list of Iowa soldiers
who have been decorated with the distinguished service cross for
gallantry in action was issued today by the war department. Of a
total of forty-eight soldiers, officers and men, who have won the
coveted honor, nine were members of the famous 168th infantry,
the old Third Iowa infantry, which returned to Iowa last week.
Those of the 168th infantry awarded the badge of meritorious
conduct included:
Guy S. Brewer
Merl E. Clark
Glenn C. Haynes
Arthur F. Brandt
Oscar B. Nelson
Bernard Nelson
Matthew Spautz
Liberty Pease
Clarence E. Davis
Other Iowans similarly decorated, with the organizations to which
they were attached, included the following:
Ernest Bickford, Sixteenth infantry
George C. Clarke, Eleventh infantry
Earl A. Hoffman, 341st machine gun battalion
John T. Baker, Seventh engineers
Edwin D. Bramble, 102d infantry
Richard M. Kirk, 361st infantry
Raymond B. Smith, Eleventh machine gun battalion
Arthur J. Goetsch, Fourth engineers
Hemier Peterson, Ninth infantry
Carl M. Lange, Second machine gun battalion
Harold A. Hudson, 106th signal battalion
Chester R. Howard, 104th infantry
Earl W. Porter, air service
Paul J. Gaston, 121st machine gun battalion
James A. Vincent, 363rd infantry
Hanford MacNider, Ninth infantry
Walter D. Ballard, sixteenth infantry
George A. Bushing, 118th infantry
Otis Turner, 117th infantry
Rufus B. Jackson, 370th infantry
Emery J. Pike, Eighty-second division
Leland Brown, Sixty-first infantry
Hugh P. Kidder, Sixtieth marines
Otto F. Wischmeier, 117th infantry
Elmer J. Kilcher, 130th infantry
Clarence C. Schide, 114th infantry
Henry Henderson, Thirty-fifth infantry
Fred L. Sexton, Sixth marines
Carl Lee, 117th infantry
Kenneth Gardiner, Tenth field artillery
Sylvester Phillips, Tenth field artillery
Edgar J. Rule, Tenth field artillery
Emmet C. Michaels, Ninth infantry
Robert Colflesh, Seventh infantry
Nicholas Weber, 325th infantry
Paul Cross, 325th infantry
Ira Swanger, 130th infantry
William H. Kofmehl, Fifteenth machine gun battalion
[transcribed by S.F., February & June 2009]
-----
The Evening Gazette
Cedar Rapids, Linn co. Iowa
Saturday, May 24, 1919
Disaster Dead Will Be Buried Early in Week
Funeral services for nine of the men who were killed in the
explosion and fire had been arranged for early today. They are
for J.W. Culdice, Samuel Getz, Jay Klemish, Philip Pfeifer, Mike
Trialonis, Everett Prentice, Peter Erickson, Harvey E. Eckert and
Harry A. Ormiston, the latter not completed however.
Services for Mr. Culdice will be held Wednesday at the Beatty
chapel and the body will be taken to Walker, Ia., for burial.
Relatives are expected from Spokane, Wash., in time for the
funeral. The family has requested that the casket be left closed.
Mr. Culdice was married and was 61 years old.
The funeral of Jay Klemish will be held Sunday at 10 a.m. from
the Barta chapel. Speker J.J. Hajek will officiate and burial
will be inthe Bohemian National cemetery. He was 33 years old and
unmarried. He had a mother and a number of brothers and sisters
in Bohemia.
The body of Everett Prentice, negro, 18 years old, will be taken
to Fort Madison tonight for services and burial. His parents live
there. He has one brother and one sister.
Services for Mike Trialonis will be held at the Syrian church,
but the date has not been yet set. Burial will be in the Greek
lot in Oak Hill. He had a wife and family in Greece.
The funeral arrangements for Harry B. Ormiston have not been
completed yet. Mr. Ormiston was born July 29, 1882 at Brooklyn,
Ia. On August 19, 1908, he was married to Miss Martha Taylor, who
with three children survive him, in addition to an aged father,
Dr. C.F. Ormiston, a brother Frank who is still at St. Luke's
hospital and a sister Jennie.
Services for Harvey Eckert will be held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at
the First Congregational churc. Mr. Eckert was born November 2,
1890 at Dows, Ia., and came to Cedar Rapids in 1902. In July,
1913, he was married to Ula Bunger, and to this union two
children were born, Dorothy, age 4 and Bobbie, a year old. He had
been employed at the Douglas plant for the past three years. He
was a member of the Congregational church. He lived at 1415 South
Second street west, and was the osn of Mr. and Mrs. M.E. Eckert,
1813 B avenue. There are five sisters, Mrs. George Robertson and
Miss Bessie of this city; Mrs. T.L. Main of Walker; Mrs. C.A.
Barber of Waterloo, and Mrs. George Hackbarth of Dows; and three
brothers, Lloyd A., Oliver Lee and Archie R., all of this city.
The funeral of Samuel Getz will be held from the St. patrick's
church Monday at 9 a.m. The Rev. Father Steele will officiate and
burial will be in Mt. Cavalry cemetery. Mr. Getz came to Cedar
Rapids twelve years ago and has been foreman for the Douglas
company for several years, and was well liked there. He was born
in Ohio, June 16, 1875. In April, 1898, he was married, and to
this union five children were born, Marie, Wilma, Gladys, Wilburt
and Jack. His mother is still living and there are several
brothers and sisters.
The funeral services of Philip P. Pfeifer will be held at the
residence, 308 Sixth avenue west, Sunday at 4:30 p.m. The Rev.
F.S. Bromer will officiate and burial will be in Linwood
cemetery. Philip Pfeiffer was fifty years of age and is survived
by his wife and a ten year old daughter.
The funeral of Peter M. Erickson will be held Monday afternoon at
2:30 from Wymer's chapel. The officiating minister will be the
Rev. F.S. Bromer and burial will be in Linwood cemetery. He is
survived by his wife and four children, Irene, Theodore, Peter
and Elmer, and a sister, Julia Telander, of St. Paul, Minn.
More of the Workers
E. Wise was listed as one of the missing. He was taken to a
hospital badly burned about the face and head, buthe has since
returned to his home, 716 Eighteenth avenue west. E. Dvorak and
Frank MacMillan who worked on the day shift and whose cards did
not show that they had checked out Thursday evening, are safe it
has been ascertained. Following is a list of men returned to
their homes:
A. American, Greek, uninjured
Henry Rensby, uninjured
J. Hartmen, uninjured
M. Phetion, uninjured
G.L. Fry, uninjured
William Bowersox, uninjured
J.C. Cuttier, uninjured
E. Hanos, uninjured
James Maltos, uninjured
Virgil Barry, uninjured
J.B. Malbdue, uninjured
W.A. Chappelle, uninjured
R.E. Wright, uninjured
J. Serros, uninjured
G. Mann, hand injured
Mike Kresias, uninjured
H. Demory, slightly injured
Geo. P. Forney, slightly injured
J.L. Hunter, Slightly injured
Adolph Rogers, uninjured
L.L. Coon, uninjured
W. Gwens, injured hand
C.A. Claypool, uninjured
?. W. Kron, uninjured
Joe Krahilk, uninjured
H.F. Ilton, uninjured
I. Stingley, uninjured
J. Williams, uninjured
E.W. Murdock, uninjured
J. Holub, injured about head.
H.E. Lester, uninjured
W. Hoover, uninjured
E. Wise, burned about face and head
Other Disasters in Iowa History
June 29, 1919* - Thirty-nine killed, many injured, at Sioux City,
in collapse of Ruff building
June 27, 1882 - Thirty-two killed, scores injured at Lost Creek
mine explosion in Mahaska county.
August 25, 1916 - Four killed and from thirty to forty injured in
explosion of Standard Oil company tanks at Charles City.
March, 1911 - Fifty killed in wreck at Marshalltown.
December 24, 1916 - Five killed by explosion of carbine lighting
plant at farm home in Sharon township, Audubon county.
May 27, 1916 - Two boys killed in fire at Penn college,
Oskaloosa.
November 22, 1917 - City marshal and fireman killed in fire at
Frick's drug store, Osceola.
September 15, 1917 - Four killed in gasoline-air explosion at
Cylinder, Iowa
In the Dupont powder mills explosion at Keokuk about fifteen
years ago, four were killed.
Other fatal disasters were:
Dust explosion in starch house of Corn Products company plant at
Davenport, fifteen years ago.
Dust explosion in Quaker Oats factory at Cedar Rapids, March 7,
1905, two killed.
Collapse of Lyman building, Cedar Rapids disaster in which eight
men lost their lives, Nov 14, 1913.
Clifton hotel fire - local fire in which six or eight people were
burned to death.
The most serious railroad disasters during recent years were
those at Madrid, Iowa; Green Mountain, Iowa; and Creston, Iowa
[*transcriber note: date transcribed as in the newspaper, but this date must be wrong since it is after the date of the paper; transcribed by S.F., February 2009]
------
The Evening Gazette
Cedar Rapids, Linn co. Iowa
Monday, May 26, 1919
Revised List of Dead in Douglas Disaster
The latest revised list of dead and missing follows:
The Known Dead:
Dewey Alnut
Alfred Thomas
David Hartman
Rube Bledsoe
Mike Trelaz
Emil or Elmer Schmitt, partly identified portion of body by
clothing attached
Everett Prentice
Harry Ormiston
Samuel Getz
P.P. Pfeiffer
J. Klemish
Harvey Eckert
Peter Erickson
Joe Culdice
Charles Triebel, partly identifed, at Wymer's
One unidentifed body at Wymer's. Two unidenfied bodies at
Beatty's. Besides the above there are two small boxes of charred
bones. Assuming these to represent two bodies, the total number
of dead recovered, identified and unidentified, is twenty. There
are twenty-nine names in the missing list. This number has been
decreased since Saturday, owing to duplication at that time.
Deducting the five unidentified remains from the twenty-nine
missing, it is believed that there are twenty-four bodies in the
ruins of the plant.
Missing List
The latest revised list of missing follows:
Gus Kalarot
P. Stenseld
F. Stantnick
T. Kuioatkovsky
C. Vopalka
John Martiner
E.G. Baker
Claude Hahn
George Culdice
James Newbold
Josef Kosina, Sr.
Josef Kosina, Jr.
Charles John
J. Coyat
K. Krekas
T. Osredekar
W.D. Lybarger
G. Chris
Mike Ezeloula
H. Berry
Orville Watson
William Rush
George Costellos
Percy Ramsell, charred remains identified by keys
Joe Vaverka
Mike Schultz
J. Taljat
Bodies Found
What is believed to be he remnants of six bodies were found in
the ruins late Saturday and yesterday. One body taken out was
that of Albert Thomas. His body was found just outside the dry
room and had been blown through a brick wall. Identification was
made by a receipt found in his pockets. The body was not badly
mutilated except the features, which were unrecognizable. The
body was protected from the flames by heavy planking that had
fallen on it. In Thomas' pockets was found $202.13, of which $202
in paper currency was not even scorched.
All that was found of the body of Emil Schmidt of Marengo was a
leg and part of the hip to which it was attached. Part of the
shirt and undershirt on which were the laundry markings
"E.S." served as a means of identification.
Dewey Alnut, negro, employed by the company, died at a local
hospital at 1:30 a.m. today.
Identification of the charred remains is uncertain. One of the
small boxes of bones which was said to be those of Percy Ramsell
by his brother, William Ramsell, and father, John Ramsell, is now
believed to be all that is left of Rube Bledshaw, according to
Coroner King's report made just today. A bunch of keys found with
the bones and the debris in that spot was all that could be used
for identification.
The body of Dave Hartman was found near a pump in the basement,
near the center of the dry starch building, by friends and
relatives. Previous to finding the body, the searchers had found
a wrench, which was known to have been in the locker of Hartman
just at the time the day shift went off. Arthur Hartman and W.
Barr were two members of the party that found the body of David
Hartman near a pump in the cellar of the dry starch building.
Arthur Hartman is a brother of David Hartman and W. Barr a
brother-in-law. With them were Harry Thompson, who had the same
job on the day side that Hartman filled on the night shift, and
Ed Benish, another friend.
E.?. Baker was the only watchman in the plant killed by the
blast. Just a few minutes before the explosion came, he made a
report to the Western Union from a box near the dryers. It is
believed that he was at another box in the dry starch building
when the catastrophe occurred.
Funerals of Five Douglas Victims Held Here Today
Bodies of Thomas, Hartman, Ormiston, Alnutt and Erickson Buried.
Funeral arrangements for six more of the men who lost their lives
in the Douglas starch works disaster were completed today.
The body of Albert Thomas which was taken from the ruins
yesterday were to be buried late today. The funeral services were
held at 10:30 a.m. today at the Turner chapel. The Rev. A.M.
Jayne officiated. Mr. Thomas was 45 years old and lived at 109
Tenth avenue west. He is survived by his wife and five children.
The funeral of David C. Hartman will be held Tuesday at 4 p.m.
from the Turner chapel. The Rev. L. K. Ward will officiate and
burial will be in Linwood. Mr. Hartman was 31 years old and lived
at 827 South Eighth street. He is survived by his mother, Mrs.
Laura Hartman, his wife and by two children, Charles, 4 years old
and Albert, 13 years old.
Services for Harry A. Ormiston wre to be held at the Turner
chapel at 3 p.m. today. The Rev. F.B. Murch and the Rev. F.S.
Bromer, officiating. The body is to be taken to Brooklyn, Iowa,
the former home of Mr. Ormiston, for burial.
The funeral of Dewey Alnutt, negro, who died at the Mercy
hospital at 3 a.m. today will be held from the negro Baptist
church at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The Rev. Mr. Woodward will officiate
and burial will be in Oak Hill cemetery. Alnutt was 20 years old
and was born in Missouri. Surviving him are his father, three
brothers, Henry, Louis and Samuel, and two sisters, Gertrude and
Mrs. Fred Burgin of this city.
The funeral of Peter Erickson was to be held at 2:30 p.m. today
from the Wymer chapel. The Rev. F.S. Bromer officiated and burial
was to be in Linwood cemetery. He is survived by his wife and
four children, Irene, Theodore, Peter and Elmer. A sister Julia
Telander, lives in St. Paul.
Services for J.W. Culdice will not be held until Wednesday, the
body being held to await the arrival of relatives from a
distance. The services will be held at the Beatty chapel and the
body taken to Walker for burial.
[transcribed by S.F., February 2009]
------
The Evening Gazette
Cedar Rapids, Linn co. Iowa
May 27, 1919
Stensled Funeral
The funeral of Peter Stensled, 1126 1/2 South Third street, west,
one of the vicims of the Douglas Starch works fire, wil be held
from the Turner chapel at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. the Rev. F.S.
Bromer will officiate and burial will be in Linwood cemetery. In
addition to his mother who is in Norway, he is survived by his
wife, a sister, Mrs. C.F. Spreckles, Dallas, S.D., and three
brothers, John S., in Norway; Knudt, Petersburg, Alaska, and
Olaf, Dallas, S.D.
Body Found
The body of W.D. Lyberger was taken from the ruins at the Douglas
starch works at 12:30 p.m. today and is now at the Wymer
undertaking parlors. The body was identified by the teeth. It was
found at the place where Lyberger was working at the time of the
explosion. No other bodies or traces were found this forenoon.
This makes the total list of known deat at 21 and the missing as
23. Mr. Lyberger's home was at 1438 E avenue. He was married and
in addition to his wife, is survived by two sons, C. Lyberger,
1526 Ellis boulevard, and Neil Lyberger of Clinton, and a
daughter, Mrs. W.H. Duval, 1539 C avenue. There is one brother
and one sister living in Minnesota.
Misunderstanding
A misunderstanding arose yesterday in regard to the
identification of a box of bones as those of Percy Ramsell or
Rube Bledshaw. It was the contents of two seperate boxes that
were identified. All that was left of Ramsell's body was
identified by his brother William Ramsell and his father, John
Ramsell, by a bunch of keys. The tag on the key ring was still
decipherable despite the great heat it had gone through. It read
Madrid, Iowa, 1917. Percy Ramsell was in Madrid, Iowa, in 1917.
There were also two English keys on the ring, keys not made in
the United States. Ramsell was an Englishman. The remains were
also found in that part of the dry starch building where Ramsell
was known to have worked.
The bones of Rube Bledshaw were identified by his watch. It was
an Elgin, No. 10430621. The remains have been shipped to Kansas
City for burial.
The hopes that had arisen after the finding of the remains of
five men Sunday morning did not materialize yesterday.
The list of missing is now reduced to 23, one man, T. Oarudaker
being removed from it. According to reports received, Osredekar
is working on a farm nar Cedar Rapids now and escaped without
injury the night of the fire.
Father Searches Night and Day for Body of Son
Albert Barry of Gibbs, Mo., is in Cedar Rapids and is one of the
constant watchers at the ruins of the starch works in the hope
that his son, H.C. Barry *, will soon be found in the ruins. He
was working the night of the fire and is among the list of
missing. H.C. Barry had been employed in the dry starch room on
the day shift but on Thursday was asked to work overtime on
accunt of a shortage of help. He was 31 years old, was married
and had one daughter ten years old. He came here with his father
from Missouri six months ago and for a time was employed as a
night watchman.
[*transcribers note: Howard C. Berry, 1888-1919, is buried in the County Corners cemetery, Clayton co. Iowa. His gravestone is inscribed "Douglass Starch Works Explosion"; transcribed by S.F., February 2009]
------
The Evening Gazette
Cedar Rapids, Linn co. Iowa
May 28, 1919
Lybarger Funeral at 4 O'Clock
The funeral services for W.D. Lybarger who was killed at the
Douglas starch works and whose body was fond and identified
yesterday by his sons, will be held at 4 p.m. today at Trinity
Methodist church as told in last night's Gazette. Burial will be
in Linwood cemetery. The Rev. C.K. Hudson will officiate.
William D. Lybarger was born in Postville, Ia., May 12, 1854.
While he was yet a child his parents moved to St. Charles, Minn.
and later to Watertown, S.D. He was married to Drusilla Davidson
in Watertown. He later returned to Iowa and lived in WAterloo for
a time before coming to Cedar Rapids. His home in Cedar Rapids
had been 1438 E. avenue. He is survived by his wife and three
children, Neal of Clinton, Ia., Clyde, 1641 North Sixth street
west, and Mrs. W.H. Duval, 1539 C. avenue. There is also one
brother and one sister living in St. Charles, Minn. Mr. Lybarger
was member of the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen. He was a man
of sterling character and high ability and had many friends in
Cedar Rapids.
Funeral of Charles John
Funeral services for Charles JOhn whose body was found in the
ruins at the starch works yesterday afternoon, were held at the
Edward Lesinger chapel at 8:30 a.m. today, followed by services
at the St. Wenceslaus church at 9 a.m. The Rev. Florian Svrdlik
officiated and burial was in Linwood cemetery.
Mr. John was 28 years old and was married. He lived at 41
Fourteenth avenue west. In addition to his wife, he is survived
by six brothers, Frank, 51 Fourteenth avenue west; Martin,
Pocohontas, Ia.; James, Little Falls, Minn; Adolph, Grand Island,
Neb.; Ed, in the army in France, and Tom John; and three sisters,
Mrs. J. Johnak, Omaha, Neb.; Mrs. J. Palikan, Palmer, Neb., and
Mrs. Mike Powers who also lives in Nebraska.
One Funeral for Unidentified Dead
Unidentified bodies of victims in the Douglas plant disaster
probably will be buried at a common service to be held in Linwood
cemetery, according to plans made today by a committee consisting
of Walter Cherry, president of the Chamber of Commerce; Dr. John
Hamilton, Douglas company surgeon, and a representative of the
Cedar Rapids undertakers. So far five bodies or parts of bodies
impossible of indentification have been recovered. Doubtless
these bodies will have to be buried soon, but so far as is
possible bodies recovered will be held until one large burial
service can be held. The Douglas company will purchase a large
lot in Linwood cemetery, defray all funeral expenses and erect a
monument agreed on by the committee handling this phase of the
catastrophe. The company is defraying funeral expenses in the
cases of the identified dead, also.
[transcribed by S.F., February 2009]
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The Evening Gazette
Cedar Rapids, Linn co. Iowa
May 29, 1919
Newbold's Body Found in Ruins
The body taken out of the ruins of the bulk packing building at
the Douglas starch works about 1 a.m. today has been identified
as that of James Newbold, 1318 South Third street west, who was
in the list of missing and who was known to have been working in
the packing room at the time of the explosion. The body was
identified by relatives. The body still held together and was
more recognizable than some of the others taken out. It was some
time after a part of the body was first seen by workmen under the
wreckage of the west end of the packing room before all the
wreckage over and around it could be removed sufficiently to take
the body to the temporary morgue at the factory. The workmen put
every effort into getting it out as soon as possible after it was
first espied. Newbold was a brother-in-law of Percy Ramsell who
was one of the victims of the disaster. A Mr. Fellas, who was one
of Newbold's comrades told William Ramsell another brother-in-law
of Newbold, yesterday, that he had been talking with him just
before the explosion happened. Fellas was blown to safety and
newbold buried alive. It is thought that he had not started to
work when the blow came as the motor which he was attending is
said to have not been started.
One of the little piles of bones found yesterday is believed to
be of the body of Joseph Vaverka, one of the employees of the
"table house" who was on the missing list since the
fire. A watch and a buckle found near the bones have been
identified by relatives and they have accepted the body as that
of Vaverka.
Vaverka Funeral
Funeral services for Joseph Vaverka, Jr., whose body was found
and identified at the Douglas starch works yesterday, will be
held at the Jan Hus Memorial church at 2 p.m. Friday. The Rev. V.
Hlavaty will officiate, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Pokorny of Ely.
Burial will be in Bohemian National cemetery. Mr. Vaverka was 18
years old. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Vaverka, live at 1307
J street west.
[transcribed by S.F., February 2009]