The New York herald., 1879-07-12
EXPLOSIONS.
FIRE IN POWDER MILL-sEyERAL MEN
FATALLY INJURED.


[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
wILKEsBARRE. Pa. July IL. 1879.
This evening shortly after FIVE o'clock HERALD
reporter saw u large cloud of inky blackness rise
from the apex of the spur of the Blue Ridge Noun
tsns. distance Of about four miles due east from
this city. Surmising the cause Of the pillar Of
smoke to be accident at the Oliver Powder Works.
he made a hasty journey up the mountain side to
the mills On the road he met conveyances hurryng
to the city for physicians. priests and apothecary
supplies At the of the explosion for such it
proved. q most deplorable condition OF affairs.
CONSERVATION and expressions OF mental and phys
ica pain to be heard and seen upon all sides.
An explosion OF powder had taken place at about ten
minutes past ave in the press house. in which
there were at the time eight men. Two Of them es-
capped. but stretched upon beds of pain and suffer-
ing unto death. lay the victims OF what it is
feared will prove to be the result of gross careless
ness of one of the employees, who is himself .
victim and whom the physicians declare cannot
survive.
rHE
The names of the burned are:-
WILLIAM wHITEBREAD. fatally.
JOHN McKEAI. fatally.
JAMES BURNES fatally
FREDERICK STEELE. crippled for life.
WILLIAM KIDNEY. burned ON the back and right
arm.
Withdrawals whole body Is burned through, the
skin presenting horrid spectacle Of crispcd and
bleeding flesh. and his eyes are burned from
their sockets, yet he able to con-
verse with the Rsv. DR.. Hardy. and in
knowledging tho waywardness of his life
pray Tor heavenly forgiveness. The Rev. Father Nc
Nay had also been administering spiritual consoa-
tion to the victims OF tho disaster who belonged to
the Roman Catholic faith. Drs. Murphy and Guthrie
ton Of physical sufrerings. McKeal and Steele are
equally as badly burned whitebrcad. with the
cephon that they distinguish objects. The ply
sicans have given up all hope of saving the hrst
three named.
CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.
The of the accident is not given with an en-
phass of accuracy General Oliver is not willing to
commit himself to an opinion absolutely at this
short notice, but says he believes 1t occurred from
friction caused. perhaps from Q nail piece Of iron
steel getting in the machinery. An employe Of
the company told the HERALD reporter that during
the afternoon the machinery stopped two or three
times stock still; that It created considerable sur
prise and many conjectures to the Finally
he said. McKeal. believing that the cups in the
wheel and the eccentric were not clean, took
q piece OF steel and attempted to clean fireworks
while running and that this piece OF steel getting
into the machinery created burst of sparks and
produced the explosion. The damage to the mills
will not exceed $1,000.
Earlier in the day. at about ten A. M. another ex-
plosion took place In the works. the mill run
by Thomas Brooks. known No. 2. taking fire and
burning the operator quite severely. but fatally
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE BODIE ACCIDENT
EIGHT PERSONS KILLED AND OVER FORTY IN
JURED. tvt
Gal N 10
As far as can be learned this morning the follow
ing persons were killed by the powder magazine ex-
plosion at Bodie yesterday Frank Fyde Thomas
Flaherty. William O'Brien. Hugh Mcmillan. Charles
Malley aud John Mccarthy. The wounded
are A. d. Pierce slightly; Thomas Murphy,
arm fractured; Mr.. and Mrs. Chaf. slightly;
Jack Dempsey. badly; H. Hernsast. slightly; -
Pyle. badly; hurt in Standard boarding house.
Mrs. Snead. slightly; Dan Mcdonald. lumber
man. Alex Mc-Gregor. Hugh Mcmillan. Jr..
j. G. shreves, and Mrs. Shay. severely;
- Sullivan. the engineer at the Standard
incline had both eyes blown out and his skull frac-
tured. He cannot live. william Hedge had leg
broken. Chinaman was buried under the ruins.
His body has not yet been found Thomas Gill was
hurt in the face Richard Palmer hurt in the
arm and body. Hugh Mcmillan had leg broken
and injured internally. James HICKEY. the
foreman hurt in the foot and otherwise severely
injured. Mrs. Mckinney and her child were buried
in the ruins Of her house and were extricated with
difhculty. John Mcmillan was buried in his cabin
and taken out slightly injured.
The whole town is hospital. Rumors fy around
thickly. and every moment news comes Of more
deaths and injuries.
As far as heard from there are eight persons known
to be dead and forty wounded. with the pros
pect that many of them will die from their injuries
1t is impossible to get particulars. everybody is
excited Women and children crying and search
ing for the remains OF loved ones. It is
probable that many were blown into the
Everything is being done that kind hearts and will
inQ hands do. The Miners Union building has
been turned into hospital. and Masons and Odd
Fellows active iu their efforts tn alleviate the
suferings of all. The shock scarcely felt under
ground. At the three hundred level the men felt
slight jar but paid small attention to it, Fortunately
the drifts had Just been connected that injury
was done to any ono below the ground The shock
felt the surface at distance of twenty miles,
learned by telegraph from Bridgeport.
DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.
The magazine which exploded ut the Bodie mine
contained about five tons Of giant powder. The
cause of the explosion Is unknown. The hoisting
works Of the old shaft OF the Standard were demol
ished and set on fire. the flames extending
70 the shaft. but were soon extingu guished.
The new shaft and hoisting works and
mill are uninjured and running ~ usual. There is
plenty of on hand to keep the mill gong until
the works Of the old shaft repaired. The houses
OF the new shaft are somewhat damaged, but not SO
much as to interfere with business The building
OF the Summit Afino is completely demoi and
that OF McCiinton. Bode and Dudley slightly dam
aged. Many boarding houses restaurants and other
buildings more less shattered.
A HEARTRExDISG scESK.
The scene at Miners Union Hall. which IL used as
n temporary hospital, is CT the most heart rendng
character. The building is crowded with killed
and wounded and with hundreds of people
anxiously seeking friends and relatives. The mine
managers, surgeons and volunteer un-
remtting in their efforts to allie iate the suferings
of the victims.
A Coroners' jury has been empannelled. and an
inquest will be held soon ~ possible.
TWO MEN KILLED By A BOILER EXPLOSION.
BALTIxonE. Nd. July IL. 1872
destructive boiler explosion occurred this morn
ing, about seven o'clock in tho planning mill and box
factory of Adams 4 setzcr No. Low street. in tho
immediate vicinity OF the old Front Street Theatre
and adjoining tho furnitura factory of G. p Stayans