The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-03-13
ELEVEN GIRLS KILLED.
Terrific Explosion in q aPennsylvanf
Miners Sauib Factory.

Terrific Explosion in aPennsylvania
Miners S4uib Factory.
:. "A frightful explosion occurred at about |
1850 in the afternoon in the squib factory OF |
John r. Powell at Plymouth, Penn. Eleveni
girls, yaryingin age from thirteen to twenty
two, were killed.
The factory employed eighty-three girls,
but, work being somewhat slack, all were
idle except about fifteen. or these eleven
were in the factory eating their dinner
was standing at the stove when all att
ond onds was 81 almost ad blinded with smoke and
fire. He made a. rush for the
door leading TO- the room where
the girls worked, but before be
could reach it q second explosion
moro terrific than the first shattered the
trap door into the cellar beneath. A third
explosion followed within few seconds
of the other two, and when the
smoke cleared ~ away nothing re-
mained but heap Of blazing ruins, under
which were buried every soul in the building
/ at the time with the exception OF Foreman
Reese, who crawled from under the timbers
and was taken home fatally burned.
The building was q two-story frame
structure, and, owing to the combusHble
nature Of the contents, burned so fercely
that escape was impossible
The building was used for the manufactures
Of miners sluibs, which are small paper or
straw tubes about six inches long, flled
with powder, and used by the miners
is extremely dangerous, and necessi-
tates the utmost vigi ance to guard against
explosion Ordinarily but q small sup
ply Of powder Is kept in the factory proper,
the greater portion of tie supply being kept
In q magazine some distance away. The.
terrific force Of the explosion, however,
seems to indicate that an unusually largo
amount Of powder must have been stored IN
the building
: The explosion was caused by a pan OF
powder becoming ignited from an over
heated stove, ard which, the instant it flashed
up, enveloped the whole interior Of the room,
In which the operatives were at work,
and in a twinkling the whole
unfortunate women bel g hurled into theair
in a mass of flame that sfnged and chnrred
their bodies most terribly, aud then dropped
them lifeless about the burning build ng.
Every one in the building at the time Of
! the explosion perished with the exception OF
Foreman Reese. .:-...
: When at length the bodies Of the dead weres
taken out they presented a frightful spec.
blackened bodies could be recognized, with
the exception Of that OF Esther Powell, whose
friends identified q pocketbook. found in her
dress. a.
+. AS one after another of the bodies was
disengaged from the smoking ruins and:
carried out the scene was heartrending
in the extreme. Despairing mothers threw
themselves upon the blackened bodies=
of what they supposed were their
daughters, and with tears of anguish
streaming down their cheeks tremblingly
sought here and there about the body for
some mark that might lead to identihcation.
Strong man turned away to hide their tears,
while little sisters and hrothers rent the
air with cries for their lost ones. - - -
When all the bodies had been recovered
they were taken to Williams's undertaking.
| establishment, where they were laid in a row
side by side The whole afternoon crowds or
| anguish stricken relatives bent over the dis-r
! figured remains in search Of their loved
| - -