The Portland daily press., 1897-03-01

Explosion Causes Panic.
New Bedford, Mass, February GA
serious boiler explosion which wrecked a
portion of the Acushnet cotton mill
plant, followed by fire, startled the oily
just before O'Clock this morning.
Two persons are known to have been
killed, and one other is reported missing,
but it is thought he may have escaped
Several persons were severely injured.
The dead are Manuel Mendoza, fire.
man, employed by the corporation and Ar
/ thur Aspen, workman in the harness
room.
| John Long, the chief engineer at the
Aoushnet mills, was standing by the
door of the boiler house a few minutes
before this morning. The fireman Men
doza was at work in the rear of the boil
or battery. Suddenly the boiler room and
portion of the harness shop and cloth
room adjoining we're torn apart by q
terrific explosion, and one or more Of the
ten boilers of the plant were blown into
the air.
The sound Of the explosion caused a
panic among the employees, who rushed
for the stairways, but fortunately no one
was seriously injuied. In the midst Of
the confusion flames burst forth from
the cotton room and a double alarm Of
fire was sounded calling not only the
department., but multitudes Of citizens to
the scene.
The flames blazed furiously for short
time, but were soon under control. By
that time it had been learned that sew
eral employees were missing, and search
among the ruins was begun as quickly
as possible.
The headless body of. Menpoza, black
ened by fire, was taken from the debris
of the wrecked boiler house. Not far
away, beneath the wreckage in the har-
ness shop, the body of Aspen, burned al
most boyon recognition. was taken out.
Another employe, George Gatenby, Is
still missing, but from somewhat con.
fused evidence at hand it is thought he
may have escaped.
The Acushnet 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 tine mills, and was
sepnrted 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
yard, SCATTERING hole In the wall 30 by
40 feet. The room was filled with opera
tives, who Immediately stampeded. The
weave shop, which was under the pick
er-room was also thrown into panic,
and the employees there, too. rushed cut in
confusion.
A piece of the boiler weighing half
ton released itself from the power house
and with a velocity as swift as q can
non ball went flying through the air
above the homes of numbers of the mill
employees, and found landing place
several hundred feet away, in the ward
room of the south end police station,
crushing through the roof and depositing
itself in the midst of four of Michael
Hickey's painters who. were just prepar-
ing themselves for their days labor.
hole over ten feet square was made in
the roof; strong timbers and arches were
reduced to kindling wood and bricks
were scattered in every direction until
the southern part of the station present.
ed most diIapidated appear ance. A fall
ing timber struck one of the painters,
Joe Sylvia. knocking him down and
pinning him to thu floor. Upon his re-
lease Sylvia was found to DO injured
about the back and shoulders and he
was removed to his home and physician
summOnd.
Manuel Medade, one of the flremen,
in the employ of the mill, WAS scalded
on the arms, while his face was slightly
cut. The excitement in Fall River over
the disaster was intense. and a number
of mill men from that city visited the
wreck.
Stats Inpector Dyar of Fall River, ar
rived at the mill this noon and took the
affidavit of Superintendent Sullivan oon-
corning the disaster.
The cause of the explosion Is mystery.
Engineer Long says he can give no ex-
PLANTATION. He could not tell what Men
doza was doing behind the boiler, and
states that he cannot even surmise how
it could have occurred.
Mr.. Long considers his escape miracu-
lous. He was standing near the door OF
the boiler toom and was blown out into
the yard, but he escaped with slight
bruises. Those who have been reported
injured were hurt by missiles from the
wrecked building. The accident is con-
sidered particularly unfortunate, in view
of the fact that the mills have been
crowded with orders and were running
night and day.
At II. 10 o'clock the chief engineer of
the department ordered his men to play
streams of water on the ruins OF the
boiler house, in the sslbility that more
bodies might bs under the debris. It Is
not believed, however that any more