The national leader., 1889-03-02
TEN GIRLS KILLED.
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION In A sQUIB
FACTORY NEAR PLYMOUTH.
TWO MEN INJURED. ONE FATALLY.

TWO MEN INJURED, ONE FATALLY.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa. Feb. 25..-A
terrible disaster occurred at Plymouth.
a few miles from here, this afternoon,
by which 10 girls, employees were killed.
Back of the Gaylord shaft stood the
factory OF John Powell. used for the
manufacture of squibs, used by the
miners in looseDing coal in the mines.
The factory employed 81 girls, ranging
from 10 to 20 years, and several male
workmen. While the majority of the
girls were at their homes eating dinner
the people were startled by the deafen-
ing thunders Of terrific explosion.
They rushed terror stricken to their
doors and windows and in the distance
saw clouds of smoke ascending from the
sQuib factory. Soon large crowd had
gathered around it, and women began
wrlnging their hands and men turned
away from the sight presented when
the charred body Of young girl was
seen lying in one Of the rooms, and the
fact became known that at least II
persons were in the building at the
time of the explosion, eating their
MONDAY lunch. The sceue was fraught
with terror, as the girls, some of them
bleeding, others gasping for a few
breaths Of fresh air, rus ed to the
windows and screamed frantically for
help. About this tim. dozen miners
from the adjoining colliery came
upon the scene. and as soon rs
they saw the bleeding forms of the
girls, calling for AID. rushed towards
the building In a body, but fate preven-
ted t. cir proffered succor. AS soon as
they stepped near the door an ther
terrific explosion took place and the
e,tire building collapsed, burying in
the ruins the forms that ii moment
before stood crying for assistance.
The braver Of the men when the
smoke and flying debris had settled,
rushed among tbe RUNS, and one
by one the bodies were found and
taken out charred beyond recogs
milton, bleeding and mutilated. AS
mothers saw and recognized some
familiar token or piece of dress 10y
which they could tell their loved ones,
the scene was one that represented the
extreme thrOes Of sorrow and destruc-
tion. The bodies, as fast as they were
taken out, were removed to an under
taking establishment, where they were
placed in row. Their features were
90 badly mutllated that they were
scarcely recognizable.
The killed, so far as known, are:
Kate Jones, aged Is years
Maggie Lynch, aged 81 years
Hettie Jones, aged 16 years
Gladdis Reese. aged 10 years.
Mary Walters, aged IL years.
Maggie Richards, aged IL years.
Mary A. Lake, aged II years.
Ruth Powell, aged 19 years.
Esther Powell, aged % years.
Jane Ann Thomas. aged 16 years.
The foreman. George T. Reese, was
dangerously If not fatally injured.
John Powell; the proprietor, Was
badly injured.
Several kegs of powder caused the
explosion, but now they were expoded
is yet mystery.
The scenes around the unTettaker's
establishment where the bodies of the
victims were taken were i.eartrending
Eleven bodies lay there beadless, arm
less and legIess. From pieces Of
scorched clothing aud small buttons
were the victims Identified. The body
Of young girl, supposed to be from
Scranton, and who was seeking work.
had not been Identified.
The only theory as 10 the cause of
the explosion comes from the injured
fireman, keese. He was III the second
story and when the building Was blown
apart he dropped to the cellar, from
where he escaped with nothing but his
underclothlng and ran across the field.
Ee says there was pot of sulphur on
the stove, which was used to dip the
squiOs into, the miners when using
them lighting the sulphur end. The pot
must have boiled over and igniCed some
loose powder which fired the kegs. There
were two heavy explosions and third
light one. The girls were probably all
stunned by the shock, for not cry or
shout WAS heard after the report. 1t
was dead silence, and the workers
toiled Tor AL they were worth. Only
the relatives and a few W1lkesbarre
reporters were inside. The bodies lay
on the floor. covered with coarse bur-
laps, sand were marked as soon as iden-
uded.
The crowd outside numbered hun
dreds, and was augmented as each am
bulance brought an additional body.
Finally, when all had been identified,
the doors were opened and the crowd
fled in among the dead bodies only to
see what resembled large charred bill
lets. Of wood more than anything else
Up to week ago so girls had been
employed, but an accident to portion
of the machinery made it necessary to
lay off all but few of them.
The fate Of little Jane Ann Thomas
excites much sympathy. She had
stopped work few days, and had gone
to the factory this noon at her moth
er's request. to ask what the prospects
were for work. Willie inside she
probably chatted with the others, who
were enjoying their noon hour, and
was caught in the explosion.
Ruth and Esther Powell were nieces
of the owner of the factory They haG
come from Wales some months ago to
work for their uncle, leaving their
parents in the old country. John r. |
PoUnll tho DrOnriatOr of tho fnntnru