The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-11-25
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.
Explosion Of Tank Of Oil at the Philadelphia
Lubric COmpanys Works
Three Men Killed, Several Others Terribly
Burned and Partial Destruction of
the Works-Meeting of the
National Grange.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 1s.-An explosion OF
a tank of oil at the Philadelphia Lubric
Company's Works, at the foot OF Moore
street this morning, resulted in the death of
a man, the probable death of boy, the
seriously Injuring of four others ard the
partial destruction of the establishment.
The victims are Alexander Banks, aged forty,
residing at 119 Miffiin street. burned TO a
crisp. He was superintendent of the work
men and had recently come from Pittsburg;
Charles Marshall, boy aged twelve, can not
be found; Joseph Robinson, of Delaware.
aged thirty-fve, entire body terribly burned,
can not possibly recover; Patrick Boyle,
aged twenty-six, head, trunk and ex-
tremities frightfully burned. viii die;
Charles Mclean, aged twenty-four years,
burned about head and extremities, will
probably die. Arthur Grueber, aged twenty
eight years, entire body terribly burned, viii
die. For some time past the works have
been running to their full capacity, and
early this morning a gang Of fifteen men
were set TO work to repair stone foundation
under alarge iron still, which contained
1,500 barrels of crude oil. The repairs had
been partially completed, and several of the
men were engaged in plastering up the inte-
rior walls. when the man hole OF the still was
blown of, setting the oil on fire, fitting over
the still and causing the burning oil 10 fall
on the men below. The explosion was fol-
lowed few seconds later by a second report
and dense volume OF smoke, and the ut
most CONSERVATION ensued among the work
men. Considerable time elapsed before any
of the fire apparatus reached the scene, by
which time the oil which still remained in
the tilted tank and the portion which had
Within a few minutes alter the
explosion the work of resculng
those who had been injured was commenced,
an elderly man, whose name was not learned,
was found lying across the fence which sur
rounds the works, about seventy-elght yards
from the exploded tank. He was uncon
scious and was terribly burned. Joseph
Robinson was discovered\ lying on the
ground close to pool of burning oil. His
clothing was saturated with the oil, por-
ton of which had been burned off. He was
terribly burned, and, when picked up and
carried TO the works, portion of the flesh
of the right leg came of, while surgeon
was engaged in cutting off his pantaloons.
Two more victims of the explosion this
morning, Joseph Robinson and Arthur Grue-
Der. died this afternoon.
Alexander Banks was working Immediately
under the tank when the explosion took place
While the rescGing party was searching for
victims, his DOQy was observed as the WkIfb
carried the smoke away, lying on the groun6
close to the foundation wall, and surrounded
with blazing oil. One of the men, named
Mike Cavanagh, volunteered TO rescue him,
and Notwithstanding the protests of his com
panions, crawled along on the ground
after one OF the fremen had
saturated his clothing with water,
When within reach of the unfortunate man,
he grasped his right root, and when he made
an effort to draw the body out, the mans
| foot parted from the body. Cavanagh
| dropped it. and hastily reached a place of
safety, leaving the body TO the flames. His
/ face and hands were badly burned. A few
minutes after Cavanagh reached the tank it
| fell, ana Banks body was hid from
view. Charles Milan and Arthur
| Gruber were also found lying
| close TO the burning still, the former being
unconscious, and both terribly burned. Sew
| eral other men who were working close to
the time of the explosion were also burned,
but their injuries were comparatively slight.
| The injured were taken 10 the Pennsylvania
| Hospital, where their wounds were dressed.
| The loss will reach about $50, 600; insurance,
| 81 900. The body OF the missing boy,
Charles Marshall, was finally recovered from
| the ruins