George E. Brown
November 23, 1904
Arizona Republican Newspaper
George E. Brown died on Monday night at No. 338 North
Third Avenue of comsumption. He was 49 years old and
leaves a wife and six sons here and a daughter in Los
Angeles. He came here for his health from Washington
D.C. where he was a clerk in the pension bureau. The
funeral will be held this afternoon at 3 o'clock at
Merryman's parlors, the service being conducted by Rev.
Lapsley A. McAfee.
JACK BUCKLEY
Arizona Republican Newspaper
April 4, 1904
The central part of the corporation of Phoenix was shaken
by an explosion yesterday morning. It may not have been
felt or heard throughout the corporate limits but there
was more or less a jar in a radius of half a mile. It
happened in the Palace Saloon about 8 o'clock. An accumulation
of gas under the floor of the fore part of the saloon was
ignited by an inspector of the Phoenix Light and Fuel Company,
who was hunting for leaking gas and found it in large
quantity. The results are the wrecking of the saloon and
the Cigar Factory of Sam N. Selp adjoining , the fatal
injury of Jack Buckley, the serious injury of Manuel
Valdivia, an employee of the cigar factory, the injury
of James Collins of the Palace and the slight injury of
J.H. McElroy, the inspector of the Light and Fuel Company.
The doors of the saloon were open at the time of the
explosion and they were saved; those of the cigar store
were closed and they were ruined by the uprising floor.
The only thing that saved Valdivia in the cigar store was
a collection of empty cigar boxes which fell upon him.
The street in front of the saloon was full of broken glass,
and the shock was felt throughout the neighborhood. The
chairs in Kane's Barbershop were filled at the time of the
explosion. The proprietor of the shop broke for the rear
followed by his employees in rapid flight. The occupants
of the barber chairs had been palsied by shock and
remained in the chairs until the barbers returned.
Jack Buckley who was just leaving the saloon and stopped
for an instant to see the inspection was thrown up again
the ceiling and killed instantly. He was found to have a
broken right leg, a compound fracture of the knee, a
fracture of the other leg, and a skull fracture. James
Collins was standing outside the inner doors of the
saloon and was thrown across the sidewalk falling against
the barber pole and suffered a broken leg. Manuel Valdivia
was buried under the wreck of the cigar store. He was
pulled screaming out of the debris of the cigar store
and had one leg broken and the other ankle thrown out
of place. He was also bleeding from the mouth.
April 5, 1904
Jack Buckley died at the Sisters Hospital last night of
injuries sustained in the explosion of the Palace Saloon.
No arrangements have been made for the funeral. His
sisters who live at Bisbee will arrive in town this
morning. His brother, Mike Buckley is supposed to be
in New York but he has not been communicated with.
It is likely that the funeral will be conducted by the
Fire Department and the Spanish American War Veterans
of both of which organizations he was an active member.
Funeral of J.J. Buckley
April 7, 1904
The funeral of J.J. Buckley held yesterday afternoon at
4 o'clock at the Catholic Church was a most impressive
one. At the conclusion of the Catholic service the
cortege moved toward the Phoenix City Cemetery, led by
the Pioneer band and the Phoenix Fire Department which
turned out in uniform. Next came the military escort,
Lawton post, Spanish American War Veterans. The dead
man was a member of the veteran's association for his
service in the Philippines and had been a member of
Company B.
Mrs. Ross Smith, sister of Mr. Buckley arrived the day
before and was present at the funeral. Just before he
died Mr. Buckley requested that pictures of his two
children be buried with him, a request which was carried out.
NICK BURGSTRAD
March 29, 1904
Nick Burgstrad, a despondent miner, committed suicide at
Hot Springs Junction yesterday by shooting. A telegram
was sent to the sheriff's office here giving notice of
the suicide and the case was referred to Justice Burnett.
But Wickenburg is nearer and a message was sent to Justice
J.E. Boyd there, who went to the Junction and held an inquest.
Burgstrad shot himself in his tent behind one of the
saloons at the Junction. The weapon used was a 44 caliber
bulldog revolver. Burgstrad took all precautions against
making a mistake in his aim, for when he was found he was
holding a looking glass in his hand. The bullet entered
the forehead and ranged backward and downward lodging in
the spinal column. Burgstrad had been despondent for a
long time. He was entirely without money and he was in
ill health. He was 57 years old and was a native of
Norway. He had lived in Arizona for many years and was
well known throughout this part of the territory. The
body was buried at the Junction last night.
J.L. BURROWS
Arizona Republican Newspaper
March 29, 1904
John L. Burrows died yesterday morning at 8 o'clock. There
had not been a time within the last five days when death was
not imminent and there was no time when it could be said that
he would live until morning. Indeed last Thursday evening it
was reported on the street that he was dead and the report
was not denied until late that night. He was last on the
street on Wednesday.
Mr. Burrows had suffered for a long time of an affection of
the kidneys and it was for relief from that ailment that he
came to Arizona. He first resided at Williams but he came
to Phoenix several years ago. He believed until last fall
that he had been freed from his disease when it reoccurred.
There was disclosed a tumor which in itself would necessarily
been fatal.
He was known as "Jack" Burrows from one end of the territory
to the other. He was born in Philadelphia fifty eight years
ago. When quite young he went to Louisville Kentucky and
became one of the most noted salesmen of the south, his
territory extending over the middle states and the west.
His health failed and he went to St. Louis where he engaged
in business as a broker. His still declining health
compelled him to abandon that and he came to Arizona.
About four years ago he established a brokerage business
here. On coming to Phoenix he became connected with J.W.
Owen post and held that of senior vice commander of the
department of Arizona. He served in the Third and Fifth
regiments of the Pennsylvania Cavalry in the War of the
Rebellion.
His funeral will take place at 4 o'clock this afternoon
from the Christian Science Church and the interment will
be in the G.A. R. Cemetery. He leaves besides his wife,
two children in Philadelphia, a daughter and a son by a
former wife. He also leaves a brother, William Burrows,
a ship broker in Wall Street, New York.
OTTO BUTZER
November 27, 1904
Otto Butzer of Tempe came to a sudden and accidental death
in this city yesterday about 12:15 by carelessly stepping
from a street car, falling and breaking his neck.
Mr. Butzer was at the office of the Arizona Abstract Company
less than an hour before and had made an appointment to return
in the afternoon. In the meantime he intended to go to
McCarthy Blacksmith Shop and look at a buggy, the purchase
of which he had in mind. He boarded an open west bound car,
which was under the charge of D.H. Schultz as conductor and
N. Ruck as motorman. The conductor was on the rear platform
and the motorman was at his post. Just after passing Fifth
Avenue Mr. Butzer rang the bell for the accommodation of a
lady passenger who desired to leave the car at the next
street. As he resumed his seat his hat blew off and he
turned round as if to rise when the conductor seeing him,
rang three bells, the signal for stopping immediately. Mr.
Butzer, however, did not understand the signal or else
like the average man, assumed that he could jump without
hurting himself and thus save time. He therefore rose
without waiting for the car to stop and stepped off. As
he did so he was turned around so he fell on his back,
breaking the spinal cord between the third and fourth
vertebrae.
Dr. Bell chanced to be passing when the incident occurred
and at once came to the man's assistance, but he could find
no sign of life nor by any means resuscitate him, death
having come instantly.
Coroner Burnett was notified and empanelled a jury which
viewed the body after which is was taken to Easterling and
Whitney where the funeral will be held today at 2 o'clock
under the auspices of the Odd Fellows Lodge.
The inquest revealed the above facts, all on board the car
testifying that Mr. Butzer stepped from the car backwards
or in such a manner that he fell backward, and the verdict
exonerated the company and its employees.
Mr. Butzer was 52 years old and had lived in the vicinity of
Tempe for twenty years or more, being one of the earliest
settlers on farming lands thereabout. He was a native of
Germany and leaves no family or relatives in this country.
Thought not a successful man in point of accumulating
wealth, he was a jovial, good natured person and was
universally liked. For a great many years he was
secretary of the Odd Fellows Lodge in Tempe.
Probably the best friend Mr. Butzer ever had was F.G.
Frankenburg of Tempe. Both were pioneers in that section,
both were farmers, an occupation generally supposed to be
less hazardous than any other, and both were leading
members in the Odd Fellows Lodge of Tempe. Only a few
years ago Mr. Frankenburg was kicked and dragged to death
by a horse and now Mr. Butzer dies even more suddenly and
at a moment when a tragedy would least be expected.
