Elmer Newkirk dies from injuries from DeSoto gas explosion

THE EXPLOSION

CAUSES DEATH

ELMER NEWKIRK’S

FUNER­AL THIS AFTERNOON

BURT LEE VERY LOW

Chances of His Recovery Are Still

Thought to Be Fair However —

Newkirk Died Yesterday.

Burt Lee, the young man who wan in­jured severely in the disastrous pumping station explosion in DeSoto yes­terday morning, is till alive today but is suffering greatly. It can not yet be told whether he will recover, but every­thing possible is being done for him and chances are believed to be in his favor.

Albert Newkirk, Lee's assistant, died late yesterday afternoon, his suffering until the time of death being terrible. He was burned much worse than Lee. It was believed from the first that Newkirk had practically no chance of recovery. His funeral was held this afternoon in DeSoto und was attended by practically the entire population of the village and surrounding territory. A wife survives.

Lee who in now hanging between life and death formerly lived in Muncie and is very well known here.

The ruins of the immense pumping station were still smoldering this morning. The bent and twisted machinery stands amid the smoking de­bris a torn fragment of what but a few hours ago was a great industry. No estimate other than that given yester­day has yet been placed upon the losses. To an outsider the machinery looks to be utterly ruined but it is possible some of it may be able to be used again.

The factories in this city that were supplied with fuel through the pumping station have made arrangements tem­porarily for fuel and while the accident has caused them much inconvenience and some losses, the losses will not be great.