New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-22
AN EXPLOSION KILLS SEVEN
DISASTER IN THE WINCHESTER ARMS
COMPANY'S SHOP AT NEw-HAvEN.

A LOADING MACHINE CAUSES THE ACCIDENT
FORTY FEET OF TIE BUILDING BLOWN OUT
VICTIMS FRIGHTFULLY MANGLED.
New-Haven, Conn, July 21.-The worst ex-
plosion since the establishment Of the Winches-
ter Repeating Arms Company in this city took
place at the armory Of this concern this morn
ing Six persons were instantly killed two were
fatally injured and at least a dozen more or less
seriously hurt.
THE DEAD
BoRMAN. Julius single. seventeen years. powder
FREEMAN. Josephine. orphan eighteen years. ma.
live in Brooklyn machine operator
ssr I es acse s sy ysa reside
CoNNEILEY. Theresa. single. age sixteen years:
chine operator.
HILL Walter. single age eighteen years powder boy
BARDoRF. Edward. who taken to the hospital IA
tally injured. died this afternoon He a machine
operator.
The explosion occurred in the department
known as the loading-room. Employed in this
were $50 hands. about hundred of
whom were girls and women. Nearly all Of the
female hands are employed on what are known
as the loading machines. These machines are so
constructed as to require three operators. The
receptacle holding the powder has a capacity Of
one pound Of the explosive, and as fast as the
powder is exhausted a powder boy replenishes
the supply.
1t was about $50 o'clock this morning when
the fearful explosion occurred. The full COM
plement Of hands were at work In the room. OF
q sudden and without warning deafening ex-
plosion took place. In an instant the air was
filed with shreks and agonizing cries Forty
feet Of the side Of the building was blown out
and hurled in pieces many feet. The air was
filed with flying debris. and fragments Of hu-
man bodies scattered in a sickening man.
ner.
NARROWING SCENES AT THE WORKS.
Every employe in the mammoth plant as we'll
as residents in that section were only too famil-
lar with this sort Of thing, and operations were
instantly suspended. Enormous crowds hocked
10 the scene. hurry call was sent for all avail
able physicians, the Fire Department, the police
the ambulance and the hospital corps The work
Of caring for the dead and injured was begun.
Narrowing scenes were enacted as ,the vast
throng congregated about the place and the de-
tails Of the awful disaster became known
The news that an explosion of unwonted pro-
portions had taken place at Winchester's caused
thousands to gather at the Of the disaster
In the crowd terror stricken persons were to be
seen flying about. calling frantically for Of
balances, the large detail of the police. the Fire
Department. and many of the city's physi-
clans as could be reached. added to the confu-
sion.
The police finally were compelled to adopt
stringent methods to hold the crowd in control
AS soon as the turmoil was quieted in measure
a systematic investigation begun. Not
until then was the extent of the fearful tragedy
apparent. The immediate scene Of the explosion
presented dreadful sight. Machinery. wood.
bricks and other debris were everywhere, and In
the midst Of 1t all were found pieces large and
small, recognizable and otherwise, Of quivering
human flesh 1t was a sight which caused the
strongest man to falter and draw back. AS
rapidly as possible the injured were cared for
In two instances the suffering Of the wounded
was frghtful. One of the victims who had not
been killed was partly disembowelled AS soon
as a victim seen to be alive, the mutilated
being was tenderly cared for made as comfort
able as possible, and dispatched with all speed
TO his home, II he could give his address or was
recognized by his friends, and to the hospital or
elsewhere If not.
At first the reports had II that four persons
had been killed. but as the investigation pro-
ceeded II was found that it worse than
that and the police the physicians, the fremen
and the medical examiner gathered the remains
OF six persons. Two of the bodies had been
decaptated Others had been partially torn
asunder and still others had lost arms, legs
and other portions Of their bodies. At length
the investigation reached point where Medical
Examiner White informed the newspaper men
who were on the scene that six had been in
stantly killed two fatally injured, and several
others more or less hurt, and he gave out the
list of dead given above.
officials
effort to assist in the work Of relief. They
caused TO be rounded up so far as was posi-
bic those of their employees who were in the
immediate vicinity of the explosion. Those who
had lost friends could rot be controlled. but
at noon II was believed that all Of the dead had
been found. The excitement was intense. Per-
haps the saddest enacted when John
Baumester learned that his wife was among
the dead He lived in Hamden and had been
only recently married At the time Of the ex-
posion he at work but a few feet distant
from his wife The bodies Of the dead were
temporarily removed to the morgue Of Lewis
& Maycock, where Medical Examiner White
Will complete his investigation.
THE DAMAGE TO PROPERTY SMALL.
The explosion did not cause fire, and the Fire
Department confined its efforts to aiding in the
work Of relief An examination Of the building
showed that the damage was not great. The
interior was somewhat badly wrecked. and as
stated above, forty feet of one side was carried
away.
The cause Of the explosion has not been de-
termined, and perhaps its cause may never be
known. None of those at work in the room at
the time say that ii was due to the fact that a
cartridge in process of loading had been improp-
erly placed In the machine 1t is not even deh-
nitely known in Just what machine the explosion
occurred. An explosion in any OF the main de-
partments at the Winchester works Is an un-
usual thing. Extraordinary precautions are
taken, and the company's officials are careful 10
an extreme almost In their efforts to preciude
the possibility OF a disaster. Usually explosions
occur in the little mound houses. where by one
man the powder is prepared for use. NO blame
will attach to the company.
The money loss caused by the explosion Is
estimated 10 be about $1,000 to the machinery
and 5000 to the building No effort was MADE
TO resume operations at the armory to-day. but