The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-07-29
WITHOUT WARNING.
Six Persons INSTANTLY Killoa by an
Explosion In Gun Factory
Appalling Scenes or Horror.

Blk Persons INSTANTLY Killoa by an
Explosion in a Gun Factory
Appalling Scenes or Horror.
An appalling accident occurred in
the she'll loading department OF the
Winchester Repeating Firearms com.
pany shops at New Haven, Conn.
Without an instanl's warning, six hu-
man beings lost their lives by IN ex-
p!Os1on and anOther victim died soon
alterWard at tho hospital. A score OF
others were moro or less wounded, but
no further fatalitles are anticipated.
More than $50 men and women are
employed in the loading department.
and that more fatalities did not result
from the concussion is miraculous.
The hundreds OF people who gath
cred about the gatos Immediately
alter the explosion Witnessed grue-
some sight. Six dead bodies, black
ened with powder and frightful,y
mangled, almost beyond recognition,
were lying on the floor. Near by two
injured mon were writhing in agony,
and all about were mon running, with
their faces and arms bleeding from
shot wounds, unmindful of their in
Juries but trying to assist others and
quell The confusion. Owing to the
number OF girls who were carried out
In q fatnting condition, it was be lleved
That many OF them were seriously
injured, and thore was u great feeling
OF relief when 1t was found that ia
most cases they were unharmed.
The dead are William T.. Baumer,
Mrs, Mary Baumester, Miss jennie
Brennan, Miss Ida Brown, William
Hill, Miss Tracy Conroy.
Fatally injured t: George BardoT and
Edward BardOlf.
The explosion occurred in the load
ing room. Employed in this room
were $50 hands, two-thirds of them
girls or women. Nearly all OF the fe-
male hands are employed on the load
ing machines, each Of which requires
three operators. Tho full complement
OF hands was at work in the room when
the explosion took place. Forty feet
OF the side OF the building was blown
out and hurled many feet and frag-
ments Of human bodies were scattered
in a sickening manner.
y hurry call WAS sent for all availa-
BILE physicians. The fire department,
tho police, the ambulance and hospital
corps were speedily summoned, and
tho work OF caring for the dead and
injured was begun. Harrowicg scenes
were Witnessed as the vast throng con
gregated about the place. As rapidly
as possible, the injured were cared for.
In tWo instances the suffering of the
wounded was 1rightful. One was
partially disemboweled. AS rapidly
as a victim YVES seen to bo alive the
sufferer was tenderly cared for, made
as comfortable as possible and con
veyed with all possible speed to his
home. Two OF the bodies had been
decapitated others had been partially
torn asunder, and still others had been
dismembered. The officials OF the COM
pany expended every effort to assist in
the work Of relief.
Perhaps the saddest scene was on
acted when John Baumester learned
that bis wife was among the dead. He
lived In Hampden and had been but
recently married. At the time of the
explosion he was at work u few feet
distant from his wife. Mrs. Mary
Baumestcr was but lG years old and
had boon in the factory bat three
weeks. She was married little over
month ago and she and her husband
Fritz used adjoining machines. The
girl was blown fully SO feet and SO
cru he'd out OF shape that it was al
most impossible to identify her. The
husband, cnrionsly enough, was ap-
parantly blown with the same force
and by the samo blast, and yet he is
one OF the least seriously injured. He
struck the ground but a few feet short
OF his wife.
The explosion did not cause any fire.
and the fire department confined it's
efforts to aiding In the work OF relief.
The cause Of the explosion has not
been determined, and perhaps It's cause
may never be known. Some OF those
AT work in the room DIT the time saw IL
was due to the fact that cartridge in
process Of loading had been improper
~ placed In the machine. OF the in
Jured, those who are able to talk, re-
member nothing except binding
lash. Some did not even hear the cx-
plosion.
The two Bardotr boys, working side
by side, were thrown at O tangent out
ono side of the building. They struck
the ground thirty feet away. They
were 80 crushed and mangled that they
will die.
Edward Blair, working ton feet
away at his machine, was sent up
ward through the roof. He fell on an
ash heap, with broken bones and a
featured skull and his legs twisted out
die.