The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-08-15

The ROLLING Mill ACCIDENT IN CHI
CAGo, by which eight men were, it is feared,
fatally burned, few days ago, is thus de-
scribed by the Times of that city The ac-
cident took place in connection with the
unloading of blast-furnace which had
been filed but short time before, but
proved to be faulty, and it became neces-
sary to remove its contents. The fire was
allowed TO die out on Friday, and after a
stream of water had been allowed to flow
through it for two days it was considered
cool enough for the workmen to commence
removing the caked mass of coke, coal and
iron with which it was choked up. The fur
naces were of heavy, solidly-riveted iron
plates lined on the inside by a stout wall of
brick. In order to reach the contents it be-
came necessary to unrivet some of the iron
plates and in this way space about eight feet
long and two feet high was uncovered to the
brick work, about six feet above the floor.
Next the brick wall was tackled, and SIM
liar opening was pIied away to the charge,
which was found more or less run together.
When the opening was made, huge volumes
of gaseous smoke issued from the oritice,
and the men were compelled to desist from
work for a considerable time. As soon as
the smoke had cleared away somewhat,
they began operations by striking the mass
with the points of heavy crOwbars, and
piece by piece the great mass was quarried
out, but whenever any portion was broken
| loose, masses of smoke followed, every
now and then, interfering with operations OF
the men. Between 90 and 80 men were
engaged at this labor, prying away with
| their crowbars, and whenever any consid-
cradle amount of the conglomerute con-
tents tumbled out, the men jumped nimbly
aside, and while the work was none Of the
pleasantest or safest, no accidents occurred
until yesterday afternoon. The men, from
several days familiarity with the work, had
ceased to regard it in any very dangerous
light, and although heavy masses of smoke
still continued to issue from the sulphurous
mass, whenever any heavy masses were re-
moved, they paid little heed to it, and only
looked to getting out of the way of the tum-
bling ore. About o'clock on Tuesday af-
ternoon large party of men were picking
away ut the cumbrous mass, ard gradually
undermining huge clinker. Suddenly it
gave way, and with ii rushed out lot of
loose material that had been held IN place
by it. The men jumped nimbly aside, and
succeeded in GLIDING the avalanche, but
while they thus escaped one danger another
lay in wait for them, With the mass of
''conglomerate, came an immense volume
of gas, and the moment it struck the air
combustion followed, and with terrible
roar dense mass of flame shot out of the
opening, enveloping every man within u
dozen feet of it. A cry Of agony burst from
the workmen, and being enyeloped in
dense volume of smoke they scarcely knew
whittier to fly. Some threw themselves on
the ground; others ran at random and
struck neighboring wall, while few sue
ceeded in GLIDING the flaming eruption al
together by swift retreat, fortunately in
the right direction. Their clothing took
fire, and in some cases was almost entirely
burned off their bodies before they could be
rendered any assistance. The hot breath of
the furnace burned deep, and at least five
of the injured men are so terribly burned
that their recovery is considered extremely
doubtful.