The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-09-25
a TERRIRLE ACCIDENT AT HONE
STEAD.
Edward Williams, Formerly Of Ebens-
burg, One of the Victims.


We take the following account of the ac-
cideut from the Pittsburg DispGtcl, of sun
day
\ horrible accident occurred in the con-
verting mill at the Homestead Steel Works
of Carnegie. Phipps * Co. yesterday after
noon at 1:2O o'clock. by which six men
were burned. One of them has died and
the others cannot live long. The follow
ing Is the list: James Mcguire. dead; Ed
ward Williams fatally burned: .Iacot
Linn. fatally burned: John McLucllie
slightly burned: Robert Devine, slightly
burned. and Thomas Coligan. slightly
burned.
y ladle containing five tons Of m 9lten
cindcr was upset by the parting of a link
in the chain from which il was suspended
Ii came without "A moments warning. pre-
cipitating its seething contents upon the
poor unfortunate workmen who were
standing below it. James Mcclure. the
foreman. received almost the entire con-
tents, he being closer TO the ladle than the
others. Every shred of his clothing was
burned in an instant, and. being knocked
down by the falling mass, he lay imbedded
in the cindcr for a moment or two, until
able and willing hands came 10 his rescue.
1t all occurred SO suddenly and the eX-
ploSion that followed created such a panic
that the men in their flight for safety for
got there was a possibility of some one of
their number being buried under the mol
ten mass. But instantly they recovered
from their fright, and though each man
had been scared with spark of the flying
cinder. they devoted themselves solely TO
those Of their fellows who were more SER
iouSly burned.
When Williams and Linn were approach
ed they refused the services proffered, in
Sisting that all attention should be first
given Mcclure. Everything that was pos
sible was done by the management TO al
leyiate the sutTerings of the unfortunates,
tney having summoned the entire medical
force of Homestead. DIR. GLADDEN.. the
comp0uy's physician. was upon the scene
almost Immediately after the accident, and
rendered heroic services.
Ii j. the custom i'm the converting mill of
the Homestead steel works to ''burn ont
the vessels every Saturday. To burn
ont" means 10 melt of the aceumulationS
of Stag that have formed on the inside of
the convertcrs, aud which are known as
''srulls." The common practice is 10 pour
81 z 'AtttttltA VI litblt'l nun Alib' AlA'
and add limestone. and then turn the blast
on. by which action the cinder on the in
side of the vessel is reduced to a Seething.
boiling mass of molten stuff and is dump
ed into ladle from the converter. 1t was
during such an operation that the accident
occurred.
Jacob Linn died on Sunday from the ef-
fcctS of his injuries His wife died two
weeks ago and five children are left with
out mother or father.
Edward Williams. who is we'll known in
EbenSburg where he was born and reared,
fingered in great suffering until Tuesday
morning when he expired, lie was about
thirty years of age and was a son Of
Thomas J. and Ann Williams. of EbcuS-
burg, and brother of Mrs. Jas. G IHasSon,
wife of the editor of this paper. He left
here about ten years ago and had been u
resident of Homestead nearly ever since.
He leaves a wife and one young son, his
father and mother. Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas
J. Williams. of Ebensburg; one sister. Mrs.
Jas G.. HasSon. of EbenSburg: and four
brothers. Robert Williams, residing in
Brighton. Colorado. and Howard, Albert
and Herman Williams, all of Homestead.
After a Solemn Requiem High Mass was
said for the repoSc Of his soul. his remains
were inferred in 81. Mary'S Catholic GEM
eteIy at Homestead on Thursday morning.