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Macoun Hotel Explosion and Fire

Hotel before the Explosion
It was a 3 story wood frame structure, valued at $35,000.00
 

Macoun Hotel After Explosion and Fire,
picture taken by Brailsford, Estevan
Postcard courtesy Grant Walker, Studio City, CA

Explosion occurred at lunch time, 12:30, April 20, 1914.
Acetylene Gas Generator Explosion in the Basement,
It was located directly under the dining room.
It was installed by the People's Gas Supply Company Ltd., in Winnipeg
Alfonse De Lepeleer, a Belgian, was in charge of the plant.
He had just finished maintenance on the plant.
He had been in charge of it for years before,
as each one of these generators had to be serviced,
by a licensed operator.
The Explosion killed 13 people per articles today.
The fire destroyed five buildings including the hotel:
The Telephone Exchange for the Village, Harry Huntley's Home,
Barber Shop, and Meat Market.

First Hotel in Macoun was built by a Mr. Cushing,
He sold to a Len (Lynn?) Youngberg.
Mr. Len Youngberg of Gull Lake,
then sold it to Carl Hochhaus in March 1914.
According to the Macoun History book, link below,
Carl owned it for approx 6 weeks, at the time of the fire.
Another article says Lynn Youngberg built the Hotel in 1905.

A Mr. E. L. Leach owned a Hotel in Macoun in 1911
b- June 1860 Wisc., USA
strange part he isn't mentioned in the History book, nor his hotel?

Carl the owner, was away on a medical problem at the time
at Grassy Lake Alberta, staying with a married daughter, a Mrs. Rose Haley
Her husband managed the Union Hotel in Taber AB
All the deceased Hochhaus family members were taken to Lethbridge AB.
6 of his children survived,
2 daughters were in Washington state, and Rose in Grassy Lake at the time.

Inquest was held by Dr. Hugh Elliot Eaglesham, Coroner from Weyburn

Dead

1. Gertrude Hochhaus, nee Brant
wife of the owner

2. Emma A. Hochhaus
daughter of the owner, age 22

3. Harold Hochhaus
son of the owner

4. Daniel "Dan" Egan
Telephone Lineman from Moose Jaw,
a native of Charlottetown, PEI

5. Thomas L. Drake
Telephone Contractor from Moose Jaw,
his ashes were shipped to Pipestone MB

6. Clifford "Cliff" Vander
Hotel Clerk, formerly from Vancouver

7. Ferdinand Schmidt
Bartender, Macoun
His body was removed to Grassy Lake AB

8. Joseph "Joe" E. Grant
Carpenter, Macoun,
died on the way to Dr. French's Hospital, Estevan
buried in Estevan City Cemetery, shown died Apr 23, 1914
Member of the Modern Woodmen of America
His mother received a $2,000 benefit

9. James Dungar, (Dugan?) (Burger?)
 Buyer, International Elevator Co. of Minto
Remains were shipped east.

10. Harold George Clark
Age 22, Government Telephone Lineman, Estevan, recently married
buried in Estevan City Cemetery, death date shown as Apr 30, 1914

11. S. Roden
 Labourer on CPR

12. Miss Stella Peterson
Hotel Cook, Macoun,
died at Dr. French's Hospital at 7:30 pm, Estevan, per one article,
another article says she died in the General Hospital, Winnipeg?, at 1:20 June 17, 1914.
I believe the last article is true, as her funeral was held June 22, 1914,
at Bardal's Undertaking rooms, Winnipeg MB.
and she was buried in Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg MB.
Rev. R. Martinson officiated.
Funny thing she isn't listed in an online Cemetery index,
nor is she listed in the Manitoba Vital Records page.

I am missing one in this list, if total was 13 that died.

Note- some names don't have any genealogy info,
reason is I think some names are spelled wrong in the old papers,
so tough to trace somebody down with a wrong name.
If you have any corrections, please send them to me.

Injured

Note- Some of the injured were taken by train to Estevan Hospitals

David M. Bulloch (Bullock?)
Traveller, McAllister & Waite, Winnipeg, age 33
 right leg broken,
He was in Creighton's Hospital in Estevan

Miss Margaret Wilson
Teacher, Macoun, Lacerated Scalp
Teacher at Macoun School #901 (1912-1914)
She was from Fergus Falls, Woodstock, ON
taken to Creighton's Hospital in Estevan

Ward L. Peter(s)
age 30, Hotel Clerk, Macoun,
Fractured Ankle, Head Cut
He was in Creighton's Hospital in Estevan

Ludwig Eik
 Hitchcock, Broken Leg, painter, age 27, Norwegian
He was taken to Creighton's Hospital
Kristen Ludwig Eik
b- Apr 15, 1884
d- Mar 18, 1961

Thomas Robertson
 Telephone Employee, Broken Leg, age 65, Scotsman,
taken to Creighton's Hospital in Estevan

Earl McDermid
School Principal, Macoun School #901, (1912-1914)
taken to Creighton's Hospital
He was boarding at the Hotel

Injured and billeted at houses in Macoun

Those not seriously injured were kept at Macoun

Gertrude Hochhaus, daughter of owner
Carl Hochhaus Jr, son of owner
Bernard Hochhaus, son of owner
W. A. Davis, Standard Trust Co., Winnipeg
Mrs. Cupit, Hotel Chambermaid
Hugh Beaton, Hotel Clerk

Carl Hochhaus owned the Grassy Lake Hotel in 1911
Grassy Lake is a hamlet in the municipality of Taber, AB
Carl shown immigrating from Germany in 1880 to USA
In 1900, Carl, or as he was known, Charles Hochhaus,
was Postmaster at Chambers, Thurston Co., WA, USA.
Carl and his family immigrated in 1910 from USA to Canada
Nov 1914, Carl emigrated back to the USA, thru Eastport Idaho port,
shown as a labourer, age 62.

alt surname spelling in various history books, census, etc= Hockhaus

Hochhaus Genealogy

Karl "Carl" "Charles" Hochhaus
b- Dec 28, 1853 in Beuren Germany
Death cert says 1851, but immigration record he filled out says 1853
d- May 4, 1931, Olympia, Thurston Co., WA, USA
buried May 6, 1931, in Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Tumwater, Thurston Co., WA, USA
Death cert shown as Charles Hochhaus

wife- Gertrude Hochhaus, nee Bach / Brant
b- Apr 1862 in Germany
d- Apr 20, 1914 in Macoun SK
She immigrated to US from Germany in 1881
Her body was originally shipped to Lethbridge for burial.
She was buried in Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Tumwater, Thurston Co., WA, USA

daughter- Barbara Hochhaus
b- Mar 1887 in Minnesota, USA
d-

daughter- Louisa Hochhaus
b- Mar 1889 in Minnesota, USA
d-

daughter- Emma A. Hochhaus
b- Jan 1891 in Minnesota, USA
d- Apr 20, 1914 in Macoun SK
she was shipped to Lethbridge for burial

daughter- Rose (Anna Rose) (Rosa) L.  Hochhaus
b- Sept 1892 in WA, USA
d-
I believe she married George W. Haley, which was the daughter
mentioned above, George the manager of the Union Hotel in Taber.

son- Karl Frederick Hochhaus
alt- Carl Matthew Hochhaus
alt- Charles F. Hochhaus
b- Sept 7, 1894 in Gig Harbour, Pierce Co., WA, USA
d- May 1977, Port Orchard, Kitsap Co, WA, USA
8 year old Carl was saved during the fire by his Collie dog, named Bismarck

daughter- Gertrude L. Hochhaus
b- July 1897 in WA, USA
d-

son- Victor L. Hochhaus
b- Aug 22, 1903 in Lacey, Thurston Co., WA, USA
d- July 23, 1966, Olympia, Thurston Co., WA, USA

son- Bernard T. Hochhaus
b- June 27, 1905, in WA, USA
d- Jan 18, 1976, Tacoma WA, USA, Age 70
buried in Gethsemane Cemetery, Federal Way, King Co., WA, USA

son- Harold Hochhaus
Can't find a trace of him

Carl's father- Charles Hochhaus, born in Germany

Carl Hochhaus (Sr) remarried a Rosalie Freeman
Sept 23, 1918 in Lewis WA, USA
but his death cert says he was widowed, spouse name Gertrude.
1920 US census shows wife as Roselle, born in Austria, age 54
shown with 2 step daughters and a step son, last name, Freeman,
all in Winlock, Lewis, WA, USA
son Bernard living with him as well.

Alphonse De Lepeleer
b- Aug 20, 1878 East Flanders, Belgium
d- Mar 28, 1917, France
served in WWI, Private, #925859
wife- Blondina De Lepeleer next of kin
enlisted May 30, 1916, in Weyburn, SK where he lived at that time
5th Batt, Killed in action, during attack near Arleux-En-Gohelle
Vimy Memorial
He only lived 3 short years after this disaster,
and I am sure he thought about it every day.

People's Gas Supply Co. Ltd.
Company was based in Ottawa.
Herman Henry Pitts, founded the business, and many more.
b- July 16, 1858 Oromocto, NB
d-  Mar 9, 1923 in Ottawa ON

President and Owner  in 1965,
 son- Clarence MacLeod Pitts
b-
d- Apr 10, 1965 in Ottawa
Clarence left an estate valued at $2,250,000

Both were high ranked members of the Masonic Order.
This company operated until at least 1965.

Harry Huntley
b- Nov 5, 1888, in Coolham, Sussex, England
d- June 5, 1969 in Victoria BC
He Immigrated in 1906 to Canada
Enlisted in WWI, Oct 14, 1915 in Regina, occupation a painter
Private, Reg #104977, Mounted Rifles, Oct 1916
wounded in WWI Oct 1916
son of William Huntley and Frances Nix
wife- Nora Memelia Olsen
b- May 21, 1891, age 24 in 1916 in Berlevog, Finnmark, Norway
d- Oct 28, 1967, in Missoula, Missoula, Montana, USA
She Immigrated in 1910 to Canada

daughter- Frances Beatrice Huntley
b- 1913 in SK
d- 2000
daughter- Hazel May Huntley
b- 1914 in SK
d- 2004
son- Boyd William Huntley
b- 3 mo old at 1916 census date, in Macoun, SK
d- 1995, Sandpoint, Bonner, Idaho, USA

Dr. Hugh Elliot Eaglesham
b-  June 3, 1873 in Clifford ON
d- Oct 12, 1938
buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, Weyburn SK
son of Hugh Eaglesham and Margaret Marshall
Built the First Hospital in Weyburn, on 6th st, in 1905
married Sept 23, 1896
wife-  Mary Eaglesham, nee Fletcher
b- Sept 1872 in Clifford ON
d- June 7, 1969
buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, Weyburn SK

daughter- Elma Eaglesham
b- Mar 1898 in ON
daughter- Jean Eaglesham
b- Mar 1901 in ON
son- Hugh Eaglesham
b- Oct 16, 1904 in Weyburn SK
son- Douglas Cameron "Doug" Eaglesham (twin)
b- Oct 14, 1907 in Weyburn SK
daughter- Margaret "Doris" Eaglesham (twin)
b- Oct  14, 1907 in Weyburn SK
son- Dr. Charles "Fergus" Eaglesham
b- Jan 1910 in SK
d- Dec 31, 1996
buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, Weyburn SK
He took over his father's practice when his father became ill.

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Ext Links
These are NOT my pages
Links may or may not work in the future

History Book
Macoun history book

Macoun Cemetery
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cansacem/macoun.html