The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-24
pITTSRURN. Mnrch %

PITTSBURG. March %
6GWO explosions occurred this
morning at the Acme Powder
works. ut Blacks Run, fourteen
u miles from this city on the Ale
ghsny Valley railroad. resulting in the
death of five persons. the injury Of
another and the destruction of five
buildings and 10000 pounds Of dvna-
mto. Tho monetary loss is about Sl2,-
900 The dead are Charles Robbins,
aged %, Of ALE ,heny CITY; Nellie
Remal"y, aged -: Sadie Romaley.
aged 80; William Arthur. aged 2S;
Belle Arthur. aged ~, wife Of William
Arthur The three women were sis
ters The person injured was James
Mooney, superintendent of the works.
His right thigh was struck with u fly.
INK splinter.
The location of the works was about
mile from Hutton, in rsvine. The
first explosion occurred in the packing
house ut i15 this morning, shortly
after work had bsen commenced. The
only eye witnesses of it are Superin-
teudent Mooney and Simon Bradley,
one Of the workmne They were az
the glyCerine h0uss almost twenty two
feet above the packing house, arrang-
ing to make nitro glycerine. which was
their first duty in the morning Brad
ley bad his eyes in the direction of the
packing house when he saw flash of
fire come out of the door. la terri
fed shout to Mooney, he said What's
that p
Mooney shouted in return Its fire
run for your life. "
ARACE FOR LIFE.
The fled up the run as fast as their
legs would carry them, but in few
seconds the awful explosion deafened
them ana hurled them to the ground
Mooney was struck in the right thigh
by splinter. Bradley was uuinjured.
but his hat was blown off and his spac
tncle5 torn from his face
The packing ho use WAS located about
100 yards from the Allegheny Valley
railroad tracks and WAS two-story
wooden structure % by IS feet. At
the time Of the explosion Mr.. Arthur.
his wife Sadie Rlmaley, and Rob
bins, We're in the building and ware
blown to fragments. Nellie was In
the boarding house which was located
about 100 feet below the packing
house This building was two-story
frame structure about 30 by
forty feet 1t was eveled to the ground
and Nellie wa5 crushed by the falling
iimbers. She was rescued and brought
to this city, the intention being to take
her to the West Penn hospital. but she
expired just IA they were taking her
off the train. She did not regain con-
sciou1ness after the explosion.
The second explosion occurred at the
mixing house at 2j u. m This was
caused by spark from the ruins of the
boarding house. The smoke had basn
sem in time to warn all in the vicinity
TO get out Of the way before the second
explosion took place, 30 no damage was
done to life then. In the second explo.
sion 1000 pounds of dynamite in pro-
cess Of incorporation let 90. blowing
the mixing house with all its machin.
cry to atoms.
TERRIBLE DESOLATION.
After the second explosion terrible
picture of damage ani desolation met
the eye The boarding house was RACED
40 completely that in no place did the
ruine lie above tho ground more than
Foot Ono hundred feet further on
whore tho packing houso had been
there WAS great hole in the ground
probably ten foet deep
The bodies of the unfortunate vic
inns were blown to atoms The largest
parts found were portions of two trunks
supposed to b9 Of tho women on nc.
count of proximity of pieces of scalp
with long hear on them. A foot was
found, Small pieces of clothing were
found here and there, but none was
found on the flesh picked mp The
portions OF bodies found were black
ened and burned somewhat. The most
Of the remains we're scattered about
within aradiu7 Of 100 yards, hut pieces
Of bloody flesh and debris were found
mile and Il half away
Mr., 3, b. McAbe, preaileut of the
Acme Powder complny, says the cause
OF the explosion was fire He thinks
one of the dead had matches and that
one in some manner became ignitel.
During cold weater the buildings we're
wnrmed with steam brought from the
engine house $50 feet away. Within
five years dynamite factories owned by
the Acme company and located in the
neighborhood have blown up FIVE times
and nine persons were killed.