The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-01-21
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.
Harpers Iron and Steel Works,
Newport, KY, in Ruins.
Miraculous Escape Of the Employees from
Death-Several Seriously Injured.

CINcINNATI, o., January 15.-About five
O'Clock this afternoon the engineer In the
new mill at Harper's Iron and Steel Works,
in Newport, KY, startled the employees by
rushing through the mill and shouting to
them to 'fly for their lives, as something
was about to happen" Everything was
dropped, on the instant, and half the men
had not quilted the place when there was q
terrific explosion, which blew the building
to atoms and shook the houses in the neigh
borhood for squares around. The utmost
confusion prevailed, and 1t was some time
ee1d esIa' be the the peoeis ss'den
the neighborhood rushed to the
scene, and those who had had time to re-
cover from the shock immediately set to
caught by the debris Il being may very ye dark, ark
their work, of course, was slow. A num-
Der of the timbers caught fire, and q tele-
phone message was Immediately sent to tho
engine house summoning the department.
extinguished the flames. The boys then
started in to look for the injured Their
attention was directed to the west side Of the
mill by the moans of man. After o few min
utes' work they found lying on the ground
and held down BY large piece Of timber,
Mr.. James Swift and son. They were ex-
tricated. The latter being only slightly
bruised, was able to walk off. Mr.. Swift
when, upon an examination, it was found
that his right leg was broken between knee
and ankle and the left between the knee and
hip. He also sustained several severe cuts
about the head. Drs. F. A. Davis and ]. o.
Jenkins rendered surgical skill. Mr.. Swift
was the boss muck-mill roller. Mr.. Chris
Risch was also badly hurt about the neck
and head. He was also taken to his home on
Kearney were also severely injured, one Of
them having hts arm broken just above the
elbow. A number of others were slightly
injured by being struck with pieces Of fly
ing timbers: A man named Tim Shelly is
missing, and il is thought he might possibly
be under the debris. It being almost dark
but little could be Seen Of the disaster. The
new mill Is entirely gone, and part Of the
annealing-house is also gone. The old mill
the boiler and timbers. The cylinder-head
of the new engine was blown clear through
the old mill and alighted on the bank of the
Licking on the Covington side. A large
portion of the fly-wheel was thrown over
the bar-mill. Three large smoke-stacks
were also thrown down by flying
pieces of boiler and timbers. The en-
ginecr, who gave the warning, states
belts was thrown from the journal Of his
engine, and this threw the large band from
the fly-wheel, which weighs thirty tons.
AS matter of course the engine started
off at'lightning speed, and seeing that he
could.not stop it he gave the warning to
the employees, some $50 in number The
fiy-wheel by this time had attained
such terrific velocity that it broke
to pieces. A portion of It struck the large
boiler, causing it and an adjoining boiler
TO explode almost simultaneously. This
was followed by loud report and the es-
cape OF steam, and after the smoke had
cleared away there was nothing left but a
few posts standing up and large pile of
wi N nyyd NOS r,lA v,,fH 1,a
damage will amount to not less than s25 900,
and probably more.