Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-16
DEATH In AN EXPLOSION.
THE CENTRAL COMPRESS AT
EUFAULA IN RUINS.

Three Corpses Found Already, and Sew
ersl Persons Missing-Many People
Badly IDjured-3OO Bales of Cotton
and Cars DestrOyed-The Total Loss
$4,000.
EUFAULA, ALA, Sept. 15.-The magnifi-
cent new compress of the Central Rail-
road and Banking Company was laid in
ruins to-day, and many lives were lost and
much property destroyed. About 2:15
/ O'Clock this afternoon a loud explosion,
which shook the town, was heard, and
was followed by the sound of falling
brick, rattling like hail on the roofs of
buildings. Immediately after the shock
a dense cloud of smoke arose, which
| pointed out the direction of the explosion,
and the streets adjoining were quickly
filed by excited spectators. The cotton
in the compress took fire and the COM
press was ablaze before the aston
! lshed people could realize what had
happened. The compress boiler had ex-
ploded, and rumOr ran through the
crowd that fifty lives had been lost. There
is yet no way Of getting at the exact
| number of killed and burned to death,
as number of cOuntrymen and curiosity
seekers We're constantly around watch
Ah5 bAlG WbIhluS VI the COMPRESS line
recovered dead and wounded are:
THE DEAD.
John Wimbush, the cOIored foreman.
His body was blown into the middle of
the street and thrown mangled and liVid
before the excited crowd rushing to the
fire.
George Williams. cOlored, who arrived
from Columbus only an hour before the
disaster, was working on the roof of
the boiler when the explosion took place.
His body was torn limb from limb.
Brooks, cOlOred youth, was found un-
der the ruins half an hour after the acci-
dent.
THE WOUNDED.
Among the wounded are Silas Winship,
a young son of John Winship, who was
rescued half an hour after the explosion,
being dug out of the debris with his feet
mashed to a jelly, and his side horribly
bruised.
Baylor Clark, colored, was wounded in
the side.
Thomas McKleroy, colored, was horribly
wounded III the stomach and side. He will
die.
Jacob Bishop had his leg broken.
L. f. Allday, the white superintendent
OF the machinery, was dangerously pros
trated by the shock
John Flake is unconscious and the ex-
tent Of his injuries is not known.
William Holleman, white, his head and
face are horribly mutilated.
Michael Pickett, Superintendent of the
compress, is missing.
These are all the casualties as far as
known at this hour.
Six negroes are reported as unaccOunted
for.
The cries of the relatives of the dead
and wounded were pitiful to hear as the
appalling sight of each new victim pre-
sented itself. There were 800 bales of
cotton in the warehouse, all of which
were destroyed. Their loss is covered by
insurance.
Nine cars loaded with cotton and stand
ing on the track west of the compress
were also consumed.
The total loss on the compress, cars and
cotton is estimated at $4,000.
THE WHOLE CITY SHAKEN,
Every building in the city was shaken
to its foundation, and the widest excite
ment prevailed. A piece of boiler, weigh
ing tons, was thrown go yards. Two
negro men were thrown 70 yards from
the building, and We're terribly man.
gled. They were dead when picked up.
Two other negroes were taken from the
debris. one is already dead, and the other
will die. Vickett was burned to death,
and his body has not been recovered. The
compress was new, and was erected in
August at a cost of $50, 900.