The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-01-13
FIVE PERSONS KILLED.
Terrible Explosion in Bethlehem.


A terrible boiler explosion occurred at the
works of the Bethlehem Iron Company at
o'clock Tuesday afternoon, resulting in
four deaths. Five people were injured and
great damage was done to property. Inn
mediately above the engine house, at No.
blast furnace, were ten large boilers, two Of
which exploded, from some cause as yet un-
known. One of the boilers was carried
through the ventilator Of the machine shop,
and, falling on top of the old mill, broke
through the roof in two places and landed
on the ground below. The other boiler was
shattered into pieces and fragments Of it were
forced through the sides OF the pattern shop
and thence to the river. At the time of the
explosion George Grade and Jesse Bright,
engineers, were engaged in making some
repairs to the machinery connected with
the boilers and were found dead at their
posts. Samuel McCandless' dead body was
alse taken from the debris. A woman, wife
OF Bernard Graft, who had just taken din.
ner to her husband in the works, was also
killed and her body recovered. 1t was al.
most unrecognizable. John Scanlan, who
was badly scalded, died at his home the
same night A man named Clewell was
seriously injured and taken to his home in
West Bethlehem. A large number OF men
in the works were slightly injured and left
for their homes.
The explosion was terrific in its force and
caused the greatest CONSERVATION among the
employees of the works, particularly in the
blast furnaces and shops. The scene after
the explosion beggarel description. The
workmen rushed about in the widest con
fusion and men, women and children from
all parts OF the Bethlehems. hurried to the
scene, anxious to learn Of their friends. The
boiler that fell through the roof of the old
mill was thrown distance of three hun
dred feet or more, and the only surprise is
that il did not kill some of the men IN the
old mill in its descent. The pieces fell right
in the midst of one hundred workmeu.
The cause of the explosion is not appar-
ent and the officials say that they are en-
tirely at loss to know why the two boilers
should explode right in the midst of the
eight others of exactly The same age, size
and capacity. All the boilers were slrongly
constructed and had been given general
cleaning last week. Several departments OF
the works were shut down after the ex,lo-
sion. Some valuable machinery was dam
aged by the shock aud flying debris, The
excitement was intense, and workme are
engaged in cleaning away the debris in ex.
Pectation of finding the bodies ofothers who
may have been killed or maiued by the ex.
pIoslon. This is the first explosion Of boil.
ers that has occurred at these works for a
dozen or more years. The boilers were about
fifty feet in length and thiity Fix inches in
diameter. They had been in use about %
years, The loss is estimated at from IS 900
to O,O1O.
The bodies taken from tho ruins were re.
moved to undertakers and inqurfrs were
held Wednesday. Samuel McCandless
leaves a wife and five ehildron. A rumor
was prevalent at nine o'clock Tuesday night
that child of Mrs. Graft accompanied her
to the mill and was siled with her mother
The progress Of removing the debris went
on very slowly, owing to the narrow quart
ters IN which the men are compelled to
work. As the workmen are constantly 90.
ing to and from the works il is feared that
more bodies will be found as the work Of
eNeavatins in the ruins goes on. Fortunate
" the rest Of the boilers are located in the