The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-11-19
FATAL EXPLOSION.

Woman Killed and FfftseA Other Per.
sons More or Less Injursd In Philadel-
phiH.
Phil ADELPnIA, Nov. IAN explosion
In the cigar box mandatory Of Henry h.
Shep 4 Co, 1904 and 1905 Randolph street.
yesterday afternoon blew out the rear wall,
badly injured . number of young men,
women aud girls and imperiIed the lives of
over 100 moro. The mandatory Is q three.
story brick structure with a depth of $50
feet. At the back are located q number Of
sheds for storing the lumber used in the
manufacture of cigar boxes. The first
and second floors are used ~ o plan.
Ing mill and carpenter shop and on tho
third floor were employed about
twenty-five girls in FASTING paper Innings in
the boxes. just before the explosion the
engineer started up steam BY throwing .
large amount Of sawdust on the fire under
the boiler from the sawdust bin, which was
located short distance of and then started
to the Randolph street front Of the build
ing. He states that he had been there but
. few minutes when he was startled by
report or loud noise, which was followed
by the upper portion OF the rear wall fall.
Ing out and the screams Of the women In
the upper story. Bricks were flying In all
directions, and In less than minute after
ward tile whole rear portion Of the mill ap-
peared to DO in flames.
The greatest excitement existed among the
hands employed In the building, especially
the females. Some Of them ran for tho
stairway leading to the street while others
ran to the windows and few started to
climb out but were prevented from jump.
ing by their companions. During all this
time the flames were spreading from one
floor to another and crowds attracted by
the smoke and the screams of the women
blocked the street, but the excitement among
them was SO great that they appeared pow.
erless. Finally several men ran into the
building and succeeded In getting the girls
all out The excitement among the people
was increased when the girls and the young
women appeared in the street, some bleed
ing and others badly burned.
One girl, Carrie Bruner, aged Is, is miss
ing. while the injured are: Ella StOcker,
aged 81, badly hurt about the face and
hands; Carrie Muller, aged 10, burned about
the body; Emma Muller, 16 years, burned
about the face; Mary +. Knecht, Is years,
face and body burned; Amanda Cook, 10
years. burned about the face, neck and
hands: John Pollock, II years, injured
HoOut tIl0 HrSu W lHtIIuS UIIch0s JOScpu
Rehmer, II years, hands badly burned;
John KlOngelhaffer, q years, head cut and
hands injured; George Kimball. 10 years.
head and face cut; Daniel Freis, an old
man. head and face burned and arm cut.
The fire was gotten under control after il
had destroyed almost the entire building.
The livery stables of j. NJ. Tully and A.
c. Cresswell, adjoining the rear of the
cigar box factory were blown out BY the
force Of the explosion. In Tully's place
some fifty sleighs and carriages were
crushed to atoms and number of carriages
were also ruined in Cresswel's building.
About two hours after the fire had been ex.
the body of Carrie Bruner, aged
thirty, an employee, was found i'm the third
story of the factory buried under steam
pipes and heavy timbers. Her body and
clothing were but slightly burned and her
death was in all probability caused by thB
heavy timbers falling upon her when tho |
explosion occurred.
Fifteen persons were more or less seyi- |
ously injured, but it is thought that none |
Of the injuries will prove fatal, with the |
probable exception of Annie WOliner.