The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1873-02-06
4 Terrible Explosion In tho American IrOI
Works at Pittsburgh.

-FOUR OOllefS, IN Inc AuoElcssu HOsl
works of Jones 4 I.aughlin, in the 24th
ward, exploded at ten o'clock Monday
morning. Three sections Of the build
ing were completely shattered, the roof
being carried entirely away and scatter
cd in all directions. There were about
three thousand labOrers employed in the
works ut the time of the explosion, and
for q time it seemed as though very
large number had been either killed or
wounded. The bodies Of the following
named person, killed, have been taken
from the debris SO far: Patrick Hanley,
Mike Reynolds, Chas. Fea, Thos. McCar-
thy, Barney Mc.Auley, Arson Bickers.
Some thirty persons were wounded, but
only few Of the number seriously.
SECOND RErOR..
The accident at American iron works
this morning surpassed in fatality any,
thing Of the kind that has ever occurred
in the city At ten o'clock battery OF
four boilers situated on the south side of
what is known rs Newkind Avenue
Iron works, exploded with terrific re-
port, and resulted in the death Of sever
81 men and great destru ton to proper
ty. The boilers which had been in the
place for about year, although they
had been some FIVE years in use, were
located about midway between the ends
of the new mill, and were placed be-
tween the spike and nail factories, about
800 feet from the river. They lay facing
the south, and this seemed to be the d.
rection in which the force Of the explo.
sion principally expended its effects, al.
though the batteries were completely
annihilated and the destruction was
complete, at the rear and on all sides As
we'll rs in front. The ends Of the spike
and nail battery were blown down to the
extent Of about twenty-five feet and the
wall and roof Of the new mill were
blown away. A portion of the boilers
and bricks and timbers from the ruined
buildings wcrc thrown in all directions
and to . great distance, some Of the frag-
mcnts being thrown q distance OF three
or four squares. The cause of the ex-
plosion is y mystery. The engineer had
examined the boiler guages emily five
minutes before the explosion and found
the stage Of water Satisfactory.
Following the explosion, the most in
tcnse excitement prevailed Great crowds
Immediately gathered at the scene Of the
destruction and set to work to remove
the debris and recover the bodies OF tho
killed. Seven dead bodies have been
cxtricatcd from tho ruins, all Of which
wcre more or less mutilated, some to
friehtfni extent, and also blsckencd to q
degrco as though burned. Two Of the
killed werc found quite distance from
the scene of the accident, near the ad-
Joining mill. They had been employed
there and were struck by the flying mis-
siIca. One man was bringing load Of
coal 10 the furnace Of the battery on an
elevated railroad, when the explosion
occurred. He was just over the battery
and was blown upwards considerable
distance. The lover jaw OF one
workman was found lying . considerable
distance from his body. Five bodies
were partially buried under tho ruins,
and were removed with very hard labor.
The killed were carried OF on strctchers
as fast at recovered, and the scene which
followed the recognition by friends Was
painfll in the extreme. The following
70 . complete list of the killed Charles
Officer, Pat Hanlcy, Barney AcCawley,
Thos. NcCarty, Mike Reynolds, Antho-
nv Brokers and John Thesan. The fol-
lowing 10 partial list Of the wounded !:
ADJ Yoaaa. saruek b. . piere Of boil
-. ~ lees "a n an ksoksa; Charles
aad Jam6s Ward were sts9sk ~ Piees
as -