The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-27
EXPLOSION.
Loss of Life at
New Bedford.
Boilers at the ACuShnet
Mill Blown Up.
Two Employees Known to Have
Been Killed.
Two Others are Missing, But They
May Have Escaped.
Two Others are Missing, But They
May Have Escaped.
Boiler House, Cotton and Harness
Rooms Wrecked-Wo Fled.

New Bedford, Mass, Feb. 27.-A serious
boiler explosion which wrecked portion
of the Acushnet cotton mill plant, fol-
lowed by fire, startled the city just before
nine oclock this morning. Two persons
are known To have been killed and two
others are reported missing but it is
thought they may have escaped. Several
persons were severely injured. The dead
ere:
Manuel Mendersea, fireman employed
by the corporation.
Arthur Aspin, workman in the har-
ness room.
The cause of the explosion is not
known. John Long, the chief engineer at
the Acushnct mills was standing at the
door few minutes before nine this morn
ing. The firemen were at work in the rear
of the boiler battery. Suddenly the boiler
room and portion of the cloth room ad
joining were torn apart by terrific ex-
plosion and one or more of the ten boilers
were blown into the air. The sound of
the explosion caused panic among the
employees who rushed down the stairs
but fortunately no one was seriously in
jurcd. In the midst of the confusion
flames burst forth from the cotton room
and double alarm of fire was sounded,
calling not only the department but a
multitude of citizens To the scene. The
flames blazed up furiously for short
time but were soon under control. BY
| that time it had been learned that several
employees were missing and search among
| the ruins was begun as quickly as possi-
| bic.
| The headless body of Mendersea bl ack-
| ened by fire was taken from the debris of
| the wrecked boiler house. Not far away be-
| meath the wrcckagc in the harness shop
| the body of Aspin, burned almost beyond
| recognition, was taken out Two other
employees, George Hawcs and George
| Gatenbury, are still missing, but il is
| thought they have escaped. Search is be-
ing made, however, and will not be aban-
/, doned until the possibility that they may
have escaped is proved.
The Acushnct mills are situated at one
side of square, there being other mills
on the other three sides. The boiler house
in which the explosion occurred was AT
the back of the mill and was separated
from the harness and cotton rooms, by
only thin partitions.
The entire roof of the boiler house was
blown off and the sides and adjoining
portions of the harness and cotton rooms
fell with a crash. A part of one of the
boilers was blown completely through the
picker room at the other side of the mil
yard shattering hole in the wall, 3Oxil
feet. The room was filled with operative.
who Immediately stampeded. The opera
| tives in the weave shop which was under
the picker room, were also thrown into 1
panic and they too rushed out in con
fusion.
The casing of boiler, weighing hun
dreds of pounds, was blown completely
over the mill, which is 20 feet in height
and it fell nearly quarter of mile t'
the northward, striking the roof of TIN
south end police station.
1t passed through the building an'
landed in the basement, leaving n hol
20 or 30 feet in diameter. No ono was in
jurc,l as the station. Other fragmcnt'
were found at distance from the socn
OF the explosion, but they did no particu
lar dmaage
The conclusion shattered nearly ever,
window i'm the buildings near tn
Acushnet mills and the excitement II
. sulting from the explosion spread to th
!. Oh peratiyes in the other mills, but this wa
soon quietcd when 1t was known all dan
ger had passed. The cause Of the cxplosio
is mystery. Engineer Long says he ca
give no explanation. He could not &c
what Mendersea was doing behind Oh
boiler and states that he cannot eve
surmise how the explosion could have oC
Cured
!. Mr. Long considers his escape miracr
lous He was standing near the door {
the boiler room and was blown out into N
yard, but he escaped with slight bruises
Those who have, been reported injurc
: were hurt by missiles from the wrcckc
building.
The accident Is considered unfortuna
in view Of the fact that the mill w
II crowded with orders and was runnin
( night and day. The corporation i one
!, the wcalthicst of The kind In the state ]
Z, stock being quoted nc AS and Is vel
II Continued on Page ,.