The Penn's Grove record., 1889-03-02

mOt0erS saw anu 5Uulo
familiar token or piece Of dress by
which they could tell their loved ones,
the scene was one that represented the
extreme throes of sorrow and destruc-
ton. The bodies, as fast as they were
taken out, we're removed to an under
taking establishment, where they were
placed in a row. Their features were
90 badly mutilated 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 l6 years.
Gladdis Reese, aged Is years.
Mary Walters, aget ~ years.
Maggie Richards, az II years.
Mary A. Lake, sged ! years.
Ruth Powell, aged 10 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 how they were exploded
is yet q mystery.
The scenes around the undertaker's
establishment where the bodies of the
victims were taken were he%artrending.
Eleven bodies lay there headless, arm
less and legless. From pieces OF
scorched clothing and small buttons
were the Victims identified. The body
Of a young girl, supposed to be from
Scranton, and who was seeking work,
had not been identified.
The only theory a. to the cause Of
the explosion comes from the injured
fireman, Reese. He was In the second
story and when the building was blown
apart he dropped to the cellar, from
where he escaped with nothing but his
underclothing and ran r the field.
He says there was q pot Of sulphur on
the stove, which was used to dip the
squibs into, the miners when using
them lighting the sulphur end. The pot
mutt have boiled over and ignited some
loose powder which fired the kegs. There
were two heavy explosions and q third
light one. The girls were probably al
stunned by the shock, for not q cry o.
shout was heard after the report. II
was dead silence, and the workers
toiled for all they were worth. Onl!
the relatives and a few Wilkesbarr,
reporters were inside. The bodies LAY
on the floor, covered with oar bur
laps, land were marked as 500 as iden
tiled.
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 crow(
fled in among the dead bodies only t,
see what resembled large charred bill
lets. of wood more than anything els,
Up to a week ago so girls had beer
employed, but an accident to q portion
Of the machinery made 1t necessary t
lay of all but a few of them.
The fate Of little Jane Ann Thoma
excites much sympathy. She hat
stopped work a few days, and had gon,
to the factory this moor at her moth
er's request, to ask what the prospect
were for work. While inside ST.,
probably chatted with the others, VIII,
were enjoying their noon hour, ant
was caught In the explosion.
Ruth and Esther Powell were niece
of the owner of the factory. They hal
| come from Wales some months ago t.
work for their uncle, leaving thei
parents in the old country. John r
| Powell, the proprietor OF the factory
| was In WIlkesbarre all of this morning
and after returning home for Dime
started up the hill to the factory. Whel
half way up he heard the report, AM
saw the building collapse. He know
| nothing about the cause. A ~storelousI
| only 80 feet from the ruins c~ontainet
rs kegs of powder. Hundreds Of peopl
stood near 1t during the fire, not know
ing Its contents, and strange to say 1
did not explode, as 1t became as hot a
| a stove.
Eye witne. ses, of whom there ar
but few, say there were five reports
two heavy and three light. The heav!
ones we're rOwder kegs and the ligh
ones were boxes Of squibs. At mid
night Foreman George T. Reese 1
aving IN delirium. The bodies will b
removed to the homes Of the victim
tomorrow. and the funerals will b
held Oh Wednesday afternoon.