The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-22
VICTIMS OF EXPLOSION
WOMEN KILLED AND MANGLED IN
WINCHESTER ARMS WORKS.
Big Cartridge Burst in the Automatic
Loader, blowing Out Part of
the Building.

NEW HAVEN, Conn.,, July 21-An ap-
palling accident occurred this morn
ing in the shell loading department of the
Winchester Repeating Firearms Company
shops. Without an instants warning six
human beings lost their lives by an ex-
plosion and another victim died soon after
ward at the hospital A score of others
were more or less seriously injured, but no
further fatalities are anticipated.
More than $50 men and women are en-
ployed in the loading department and that
more fatalities did not result from the ex-
plosion is a wonder. The hundreds of peo-
pie who gathered about the gates imme-
diately after the explosion witnessed
gruesome sight. Six dead bodies, blackened
with powder and mangled almost beyond
recognition, were lying on the floor. Near
by two injured men were writhing in agony,
and all about were men running with their
faces and arms bleeding from shot wounds
unmindful of their INJURIES but trying to
assist the injured and quell the confusion.
Owing to the number of girls who were
carried out In fainting condition, 4 was be-
lieved that many of them were seriously
injured and there was a great feeling of re-
lief when it was found that in most cases
they were unharmed. The dead are:
WILLIAM BAUMEISTER
MRS. MARY BAUMEISTER.
MISS BRENNAN.
MISS IDA BROWN.
WILLIAM HILL.
MISS TRACY CONROY.
EDWARD BARDORF.
George Bardorf is fatally hurt The ex-
plosion occurred in the loading room. The
number employed in this room was 15O
two-thirds of them girls or women. Nearly
all the female hands are employed on the
m Ia full OF
hands was at work in the room when the
explosion took place. Forty feet of the side
building was blown out and fragments Of
human bodies were scattered about. Two
of the bodies had been decapitated. Others
had been partially torn asunder and still
others had been dismembered. Perhaps the
saddest scene was enacted when John
Baumeister but recently married. learned
that his wife was among the dead. AT the
time of the explosion he was at work but
a few feet from her.
The cause of the explosion has not been
determined. 1t may have been due to a
cartridge improperly placed in the loading
machine. Edward Bardorf died after being
taken to the hospital. Ida Brown, one of
those killed outright, came from Detroit,
Mich:, in which city her parents reside.
Three others are known to be fatally in
jured.
Il. U. bennett, president OF the company,
said: I'VE have been running automatic
loading machines for something more than
twenty years and this is the first time that
any one has been injured in their use. Since
the adoption of these machines we have had
NO accident in the use Of black gun pow
DER
Mr. Bennett expressed the belief that
through the carelessness of the operator or
the powder boy the machine that exploded
had been over charged.
scaIdcd in the Engine Room.
NEW YORK, July 21.--While the towing
steamer Saturn, bound from Boston to
Newport News Va, was off Barnegat early
to-day, one of the water gage glasses broke
and in consequence the boiler and engine
rooms were filed with escaping steam.
Chief Engineer James A. Gilkey, his as
sistant, A. NJ. Rowen, and Fireman John
Bennett, who were below at the time of
the break, were terribly scalded. The men
had narrow escape from DEATH, as the
engine and boiler rooms were suddenly
turned into veritable cauldrons. As soon as
steam was shut off from the injured boiler
Glkey and his companions were wrapped
in blankets soaked with linseed oil. The
SaturnS s course was changed for this port
and at 4:l0 p. m. she reached Sandy Hook,
from which point the first news of the ac-
cident was received. Later on the wounded
men were transferred to the Marine Hos
pital on Staten island, where tonight it
is said, they are doing as well as expected.
Chief Engineer Gilkey is badly burned on
the hands, arms and face. Rowens body
and limbs are severely scalded and Bennett
is horribly burned about the neck. The
Saturn which is in command of Captain
J. NJ. Lewis, carries a crew of thirty-fiVe
men and at the time of the mishap had
three tons of coal on board and was tow
ing the barge Merriam.
Chief Engineer Gilkey was burned in the
effort to shut off the valve at the lower end
of the broken gauge Bennett, although
anVplODpd shouted
"rn stand by you" and did so until the
glass work of the gauge flew into pieces
Then the three men below had lively
reached the main deck the hawser towing
the barge was cut and the Saturn was
headed for New York.