Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-12-07
EXPLOSION.

In Buffalo, n. Y, Dec. 8th, few min
utes past seven o'clock in the morn
ing an alarm Of fire rang through the
planning mill and yards of Lee, Hol-
land & Co., on Court street, and work
men FASTENED to help in putting out
the fire. It was found to be located
in the shaving room, situated above
the boiler room, and into which shaw
ings are brought by suction through
pipes. This room is walled up solidly
with brick, and is completely fireproof.
A fire starting in it cannot, under or
binary circumstances, communicate
with other portions of the building.
1t burns itself out in that Walled-up
room But there is another danger
common to such rooms, and to ele-
vators, Touring mills and other pla-
ces where dust accumulates.
Dust is as explosive as powder, and
it's destroying force is almost as pow
erful 1t was the dust in the shaving
room that exploded this morning and
caused the disaster. Between the
boiler room and another portion of
the building is a narrow alley about
20 feet in width. A door to the boiler
room opened from it. Through slide
from the shaving room above the fire
was working down into the boiler
room, and it was for the purpose of
drowning out this little blaze that the
workman rushed forward, hose in
hand They were standing in the mar
row passage when the explosion oc-
Cured. Directly in front of them was
the brick wall Of the boiler room and
shaving room, rising about 80 feet.
The top portion of this wall was
blown out, fell upon light roof over
the PASSAGE way, carried it down and
buried the workmen beneath. 1t was
| impossible at once to tell how many
were buried, but it was believed at
the moment that several were killed,
and rumor to that effect quickly
spread.
To add to the horror there was a
rush of scalding steam pouring out
upon the debris. A large pipe cross
ing the passageway from the boiler
room, bearing steam to other portions
of the building, was broken short of
bv the falling wall and allowed the
steam to escape. Some of the vic
TINS were almost parboiled. The
steam was shut off as soon as possible
and willing hands were quickly al
work in mad haste to rescue the i'm
prisoned workmen. 1t was found thai
five were caught in all. One was com
pletely out of sight, while others were
buried up to the breast.
1t took about 20 minutes to get then
out. Nick Brader was the first mai
, rescued. He was not deeply imbedded
as he was near the edge of the falling
material and was only slightly hurt
Two boys named Martin Volk am
,, John Steve were caught. They wer
buried almost up to their chins. The.
were upon their feet, partially doubl
ed up, and Steve was almost on top o
Volk, pressing upon his legs. Thes
bows were not scalded. 1t is said tina
a door or piece of board saved Their
' to some extent from the falling brick
/ They were tightly wedged in, how
: ever, and Volk seemed to be sufferin
: greatly. He was grooming terrlbly
The fourth reached was Peter Wuti
He did not appear to be very badl
bruised, but he was terribly scalde
y by escaping steam.
). The fifth and last man taken OF
S was quite dead. His name was Lou
d Loesch, unmarried, aged 80. He Wa
completely covered up. He had bee
). holding the line of hose when the wa
e fell, and he stood where the debris we
S the thickest. His injuries did not az
pear sufficient to cause death, nor Wa
: he scalded. 1t was evident, therefor
1t that he died from suffocation. One {
his ribs was broken and his body gay
). evidence of a severe squeeze. He ha
: several small cuts and ugly looklr
Commissions about the forehead, b'
his skull was not broken. The dea
man and three of the injured wei
taken away by the ambulances