Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1889-03-01
ANOTHER HORROR.
Factory Explosion in Which Twenty
Girls are Burned to Death.

A Factory Explosion in Which Twenty
Girls are Burned to Death.
WILKsBARRE, Pa, Feb. 25.-A terrible
disaster occurred at Plymouth, few miles
from here this afternoon by which the
souls Of ten girls and one man were hur-
ried into eternity. Back of Gaylord shaft
stood the factory of John Pow
ell used for the manufacture
of sQuibs used by the miners in loosening
coal in the mines. The factory employed
81 girls ranging from II to 20 years, and
several male workmen. While a majority
of the girls were at their homes eating din
ner the people were startled by the deafen-
ing thunders of terrific explosions. They
rushed, terror stricken, to their doors and
windows and in the distance saw clowds
Of smoke ascending from the south
factory. Soon large crowd gathered
around 1t and women began
screaming, wringing their hands ana
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 twenty per-
sons were in the building at the time of the
explosion, eating their lunch. The scene
was fraught with terror as the girls, some
OF them bleeding, others gasping for few
breaths Of air, rushed to the windows and
screamed frantically for help. About this
time dozen miners from an adjoining
as they saw the bleeding forms Of the
girls calling for help, and rushed towards
the building in body, but fate prevented
their protfered succOr. As soon as they
stepped near the door another ter
rlfic explosion took place and
the entire building collapsed, burying
in the ruins the forms that a few moments
braver of the men, when the smoke and
flying debris settled, rushed among the
ruins and one by one the bodies were
found and taken out, charred beyond rec
OgnitiOn, pleading and mangled. AS the
mothers saw and recognized some familiar
token or pieces of dress by which they
could tell their loved ones, the scene was
throes of sorrow and - destruction
The killed, SO far as known, are:
Kate Jones, aged 18; Maggie Lynch, aged
II; Hattie Jones, aged is; Gladdis Reese,
aged l5; Mary Walters, aged II; Maggie
Richards, aged II; Mary A. Lake. aged II;
dSueA IOWells dktu III. ESCcT fOWoll, 6ge0
22; Jessie Connell, aged is; George S.
Reese, engineer, aged 40. John Powell,
the proprietor, was badly injured.
AT the main entrance of the factory the
remains of five girls were found.
They evidently must have made an
effort to get out after the first
elplosion, but were caught in the
debris before they could reach the door.
Not one of the bodies was recognizable.
Some had their heads blown off, others
their arms, and majority were minus both
legs and arms. The arrival of the relation
OF the dead added confusion to the scene.
Their cries were heartrendering and pitia-
BILE. and what made it more pathetic was
the fact that mothers and sisters were una
ble to recognize their own dead. After
working. for hours the rescuers succeeded
IN getting out all the remains, which
consisted of the trunks, arms, legs
and skulls Every one in the building
at the time Of the explosion persisted with
the exception of Foreman Reese. He was
standing at the stove when the first expl0-
sion took place. He rushed for the door to
notify the girls when the second explosion
knocked him down into the basement. He
managed to crawl out of this place. The
cause OF the explosion is mystery. It is
stated that on several occasions the girls
in order to have little fun. would place
powder on the stove 'sjust to see it shoot