The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-26
TEN WOMEN KILLED
Terrible Powder Explosion
at Plymouth, Pa.
4 souIs rAcroRs sIowS rr.
Giris Buried in the wreels R~fsre
Their FAshsrs' Eyes-saa scenes
~ the Rains.

WfLGESRARKE, Pa, Feb. ss.-A te-.
rible disaster occurred at Plymouth. a
few miles from here. this afternoon.
by which about 10 girls and ens man
were hurled into eternity. Back Of
the Gaylord shaft stocd the hlesarv Of
John Powell, used for the ,nanufac-
tare Of squibs used hy the sa;ners in
lsosing coal in the mines. The fac
tory employed 81 girls. ranging from
L to 10 years, and several male work
men. While majority OF the girls
were 1t their homes eating dinner. the
peclsse were startled BY the deafeniur
thulsder Of . terrific sxriosiois.
Iney rushed terroy-stricken 70 the
doors and windows. and in the ,iis-
tance saw clouds OF smoke asesud-
ing from the sauib factory. Soon a
large crowd had gathered around. and
women began wringing their hands
and men turned away from the sight
presented when the body OF Young
girl was seen lying in one Of the rooms
and the fact became known that at
least 70 persons were IN the building
at che time of the explosion essing the
MONDAY lunch.
The scene was fraught with terror. as
the girls. some os them bIecSing and
others gaSping for a few hrtaths of
fresh air, rushed tu the windows and
screamed franticaliy for help. About
this time = dozen miners from the aA-
joining cosiiery came on thu scene,
and as soon as they saw the laeeding
forms OF the girls calling for hid they
rushed toward the building in a body.
bat fate prevented their nroffered
sssccor.
As soon as they stopped near the
door another terrific explosion took
place and the entire building collapsed.
b9rying IN the rnins the FORMS that a
moment before stood crying for as
sisfance. Brave men. when th,s smoke
and tying debris had settled. rushed
among the ruins aud soon the bodies
were found and taken out, ,.harred
beyond recognition, bleeding and
mangled.
As the mothers saw and recognized
some familiar token or piece OF dress
by which they could tell their loved
ones. the scene was one thar repre-
sented extreme throes of sorr3w and
distraction. The bodies. as fast as
they were taken out. were rem,ved 10
an undertaking establishment, where
they were placed in a room. Their
faces were SO badly mutilatesi that they
were scarcely recognizable.
The Killed. so tar as known, are
Kate Jones. aged Is: Maggie lynch.
II; Hattie Jones. le,; Gladdie R,se. Is:
Mary Waters, IL; Maggie Richards,
IL: Mary A. Lake, IL: Ruth Powell.
10; Esther Powell, .; Jann Ann
Thomas. Is. Charlotte Huuslphreys.
IL: John Powell. the proprietor, was
badly injured.
Business in the town OF Plymouth
Is at standstiil, and death-lilse pall
hangs over the community.
AT the main entrance the rsmains
OF five girls were found. They must
have evidently made an effort to get
out after the first explosion, bat were
caught in the debris before they could
reach the door Not one was recoe-
nizable. Some had their heads blown
OF. others their arms, and a rn..iority
were minus both legs and arms.
The arrival of relatives OF ths dead
added confusion 10 the scene. Their
cries were heartrending. What made
II more pathetic was the fact. that
mothers and sisters were unable 10
recognize their dead. After working
an hour the rescuers succeeded in get-
ting out all the remains, which con
sisted OF trunks, arms, legs and skulls.
Every one in the building at the time
OF the explosion persisted. with the ex-
ception of Foreman Reese. He was
at stove when the first ex-
plosion took place. He rushed for the
door TO notify the girls, when the Sec
ond explosion knocked him down In
the basement. He managed 10 crawl
out of this place.
The cause OF the explosion Is mys-
terry Reese says squibs piled i'm q box
must have exploded from spontaneous
He says he never allowed
any large quantity Of powder in the
building. When powder was wanted
. was taken from q magazine 100 yards
away. Experts, however, claim there
must have been powder in the smiid-
ng, or the force OF the explosion Would
not have been so great. There were
three stoves in the building.
Ii is stated that on several oce asions
The girls, in order to have q little fun,
would place powder on the stove iust
10 see il shoot of.
Another theory of the explosion is
hat q pot OF sulphur On the stove,
which was used to dip squibs iAto,
must have boiled over and ignited
some loose powder. which fred the
Kegs.
The scene around the undertaker's
where the bodies OF the
victims were taken was heartremiing.
Eleven bodies lay there, headiess.
and ife!ess. From pieces OF
,corched clothing and small buttons
he victims were identified.
An INSANE MOTHERS CRIME.
Killed Her Children and Herself