Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-21
FIRE AND DEATH.
A Terrible Explosion in Pittsburgh
Yesterday,
THROWN TWO HUNDRED FEET.
Four Men Killed and Others Badly
Mounded-Another Disaster Add
ed to the Long List Of
Awful Accidents.

PIrrsBrRGH, Pa, September 2O.-Another
disaster has been added to the list OF acci.
dents that has from time to time spread
CONSERVATION and grief amoung our iron
and steel workers and their families. The
dangers attending the operation Of our iron
mills have not Of late been greater than
those which attend the life Of the average
mechanic, but on several memorable oc-
casions fatalities have occurred which have
been attended with peculiarly distressing
features. Such an accident happened here
to day, resulting in the
Instant Death 0IThFee Men
and the serious and probably fatal injury
of twelve others
Between one and two o'clock this altar
noon a shock was felt throughout the city
which shook the buildings to their founda-
tiOns, smashed windows AMI terribly
frightened the residents Of the South Side,
who rushed into the street in terror. I'm
mediately after the shock an alarm OF fire
was struck, and upon investigation it was
found that the large boiler in the Hanging
department Of the Sligo works had explod-
ed with fearful violence, scattering flying
fragments in every direction and setting
fire to the Lake Erie railroad shops and a
number Of dwelling houses in the vicinity.
News of the Disaster
spread like Wild6re and soon thousands of
people were on their way to the scene of
disaster. Tpon arrival there a fearful
sight met their gaze. The boiler depart
u'ent, brick structure, was a complete
wreck, as were also q number Of passenger
and freight cars and the Master Mechanics
shops OF the Lake Erie Railroad, while a
row of dwellings on the opposite side of
the street were in flames. Men, women
and children were running about wringing
their hands and calling for friends whom
they supposed were killed or wounded. In
the ruins OF the Hanging department scat
tered around were the dead aud dying,
some with arms and legs of, some disfg-
ured slmo-t beyond recognition and others
sutier!uS from painful burns aud scalds.
BY This TIme
The police had arrived in force and the
from the ruins begun. Ii was found at the
time Of the explosion twenty men were at
work. or these nine are all right, three
were killed, and eight badly injured, four
fatally. The children of Charles Douglass,
who lived across the way, were scalded.
The following is the list Of those who were
killed: John W. Allen, head blown off;
Charles Adams, head blown off; John Nc
Gavigan, scalded and sides crushed in. In
jured-Louis House, leg and arm broken,
and otherwise injured.
Probably Fatally Hurt.
VIM. Stewart both legs broken, injuries
believed to be fatal. VIM. Rodeman, con-
pound fracture OF the right leg and other
probably fatal. Thomas Smith,
hand blown off aud other injuries, proba.
bly, fatal. Christ Miller, badly scalded
Edward Mslley, head hurt by falling
J. chris. Patrick Lee, leg broken and arm
blown CH, serious. Patrick Welsh, shoul-
Der blade fractured. John Douglass, boy,
;calded, serious. Jessie Douglass, little
girl, scalded, serious. Willie Douglass, in
urea ABOUT tue uSdI' lpAOJ DOO5' 'o9S,
;calded by steam, very serious.
The neighbors did all they could to re-
ieye the sufferers. The boiler was upright,
,ix feet in diameter, and was split into
,our fragments, the largest being
Blown Two.Hundred Feet
landing in the middle of the Mononsahela
river. It is net known what caused the
explosion. 1t vas Just after the dinner
hour and steam had been turned on only
.sw minutes when it exploded.
The coroner has empanelled a jury aud
.Lolouch examination will be made.
The sligo works were formerly owned
,v Lvop 81 orb ( Co, but are row the
property OF Phillips, Mimic & Go. Their
oss is estim ated at $4,000. Loss to the
.ske Erie railroad and dwelling about
IS. 600.
Louis House, one of the victims, has
since died, and Vim. Stewart and Christ
Miller are not expected to live through the
night.
Jessie Douglass died at lO:30 to night
making the fifth death.