The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-08-20

The entire plant of the Louisville
Brick and Tile Company was wiped out
Of existence at about 8 80 o'clock Thurs
day morning the result Of terrific ex-
plosion of the boiler, which shattered =
portion of the building and knocked over
kiln, the further work of destruction be-
ing accomplished by fire that broke out
at once and could not be checked
The cause Of the explosion is unknown.
Lee Eschliman, the engineer, who is a
careful man and who has worked as an
engineer for about twenty years, can
give no cause.
The company EMPLOYS about thirty
men, and the works are located a short
distance from Louisville, along the
Fort Wayne railroad The men were at
work as usual, some of them being inside
the building and some being in the en-
gine room, which was in a shed in close
/ proximity to the works. There was no
warning and the men remember hearing
Kissing noise and then seeing the great
boiler shattered into thousand pieces,
which flew in all directions. The wreck
of the boiler and everything connected
with it, was complete.
Soon .fter the explosion an examina-
tion was made and it was found that
several persons had been badly injured,
one fatally.
I. /. johnson, Of Louisville, had been
standing near the engine when the ex-
plosion occurred. Pieces of the flying
metal struck him and he was picked up un
conscious. The others who were injured
were either in the engine room or near
the door on the outside.
1t was found that Mr.. johnson was so
badly hurt that Immediate attention
was demanded. Train Ion the Fort
Wayne, was tagged and the injured
man placed on board and Uaken to Louis
Vile, where Drs. Shilling and Roberts at
tended him. DR.. Shilling, Of Canton,
was sent for, to assist in administering
to the other men who were injured.
There were many narrow escapes.
Several workmen came within All inch Of
being struck. Louis Hany was passing
the engine room and great piece of
metal just grazed his head. To have been
struck by it would have meant instant
death.
The force of the explosion cannot be
described. 1t was as complete case Of
demolition as has ever been witnessed.
Everything near the boiler was dam
aged, and great kilns were struck in sew
eral places and destroyed Soon blaze
was seen and the fire from the kiln hal
communicated with the buildings. Men
attempted to save them, but could not,
and the entire plant was destroyed
The property loss is about $50, 900,
with no insurnce whatever. John X.
Keim, Of Louisville, is one Of the heavy
stockholders of the company, and Oliver
Brum baugh Is also largely interested.
The force of the explosion destroyed
telephone poles and fences of the Fort
Wayne Company, and the telegraph
wires were all down until linemen ar,
rived to repair them.
ALI Of the men who appear in the list
of injured given In the foregoing are be-
ing we'll cared for, Mr.. Eschliman IL
badly hurt and 1t will be some time be,
fore he RECEIVERS
Mr.. johnson suffered much pain from
his wounds, and was in great agony un
til physicians reached him. He bled in
ternally and early in the day physicians
decided that 1t would be almost miracle
II he would live.
Mr.. johnson suffered such a sever,
shock that the physicians could not brinl
him out of 1t, and he fingered until 1:1I
this afternoon, when he died. He wai
about 4s years of age, and leaves wifi
and family In po or circumstances.