Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-03-07
Gbc poilp Syn.
TUESDAY, MARCH, 6. 1854.


THE HARrFoRD EXPLOSION Further par
ticulars. The explosion shattered the whole
of the buildings, and hurried some thirty or
more persons in the ruins. The bricks, NOR
tars, pieces of Machinery, beams of wood, and
human beings were blown up to twice the
height of the chimney, or 250 feet and fell III
a shower upon the roofs completely crushing
them, and forcing the standing walls outward
They also fell into the street upon the heads
of the peoples by which some persons sustain
ed serious injury.
AS soon as practicable, or safe, the work.
men, returned to the rescue Of their suffering
comrades, whose agonizing groans were pain
full, loud and frequent,
On re-entering the building, it was found
that the new boiler, which had been put in
about one month before, and been i'll actual
and constant use for three weeks, had explod-
ed and the fragments into which it was blown
resembled shrcds Of rotten cloth, rather than
well tried and annealed boiler iron.
The blacksmiths shop, one story building
next the boiler room, was completely demol-
shed, and out of twenty men employed in it
nine were killed instantly, and nearly all the
others severely injured. The front Of the
freight car shop was blown in, and side
blacksmiths shop completely demolished
Potter st., was blown down, and the windows
in the front blown ont. The walls We're left
in so tottering condition, that it was neces-
sary to prop them up. Other shops, including
the bolt shop and engine-room, were badly
damaged. The extent of the loss has been
roughly estimated $4,000. But the loss in
human life, the agony Of broken hearts of
widowed mothers, and fatherlcss children,
whose sole dependence was upon the dead
fathers and husbands, who can compute that
The worlSmen set to work, and toiled lusti-
ly to extricate their less fortunate fellows
their efforts We're seconded by the people from
the crowd Of persons whom the occurrence
had brought to the spot. The fremen were
called out, and headed by the Mayor did eff
Gent service. BY four o'clock the whole were
rescued; the dead were taken to the paint
shop; the wounded to the office. Nine Of the
workmen were killed instantly, and nine
others died shortly afterwards.
THE SEARCH FOR THE VICTIMS.
To paint the agony of relatives, wives, chill
dren, mothers and fathers, whose relatives
were sufferers, would be impossible. They
rushed wildly to and fro, while the workmen
were extricating the sufferers, calling upon
their relatives in the most piteous tones; and
when body was brought out, the eagerness
they manifested to know if it was that of
relative must be imagined, for no words can
describe. Suffice it to say that in many ms
tances they failed to recognize their own rela-
tiyes, so blackehed and distorted, and mutila-
ted were the bodies, by the dirt, bruises and
fearful scalds. Some were so badly scalded
that on touching them the skin peeled off in
the hand. Many Of the dead We're only re-
cognized by the clothing they Wore, and as
their relatives sought them out, and found
them IN the arms of death, the scenes which
ensued on recognition were painful in the ex-
trenc. The majority Of the workmen lived in
the immediate ncighborhood, consequently
the interest excited by the catastrophe brought
Ont large troops Of friends and acquaintance
to the spot, many of whom, specially the
ladies, exerted themselves to soothe the wild
grief Of the bereaved.
HEART END1NG INCIDENT.
| OF the affecting incidents attending the re-
moval of the sufferers we may instance the
case of Daniel S. Camp. Mr.. Camp was a
penter, who had charge Of planning machine.
He had occasion to go into the yard, and while
there the explosion took place. Had he been
at the machine he would have sustained but
slight injury; but as it was, he was 80 injured
that he died. When taken out of the ruins,
he was sensible of the brevity of his life and
said, ooh, take " me home to my dear wife
and little onos 20 Some of his fellow-w work
men took him home on litter. While on his
way there he was perfectly conscious and SEEM
ed to note each familiar spot, and with great
eagerness would say There, we are so much
nearer; " oh, make haste before die!" and
such like expressions They got him home
and his mother was sent for. The venerable
woman came in time to see him and gave him
her blessing. lie died in less than an hour,
surrounded by his weeping family. Scarcely
had his spirit departed ere the same mother
was sent for by the wife Of her SON, Samuel
II. Camp, whose dead husband had just been
brought home. The poor old mother stagger-
ed under this new blow, and it is feared her
reason is impaired. Such is a single instance
Of the sorrow that has been taken into the
homes of Hartford by this disaster. We might
relate many Others had we time and space.