The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-06-09
FIREWORKS EXPLODE
A Chicago Factory Has Little Cole
bratiOn Of lis Own.
1T CAUSED A WILD PANIC
People Struck by Flying Rockets
and Candles - Building AbIaze
From Cellar to Roof-AImost
Entirely Destroyed.

chicago, June s.-A match dropped
carelessly by one OF the workmen I'm the
fireworks factory Of NJ. shure. at West
Van buren and Halsted streets. caused
terrific explosion a few minutes after
o'clock tonight Il was shortly after
closing time of the factory and many
workmen had gone home. otherwise the
loss OF life must have been very heavy,
AS Il was a number OF employees were
badly hurt, and flying rockets and cam
dies struck several people who were
passing In street cars and on the side
walks. Following is a list of the In
Jurcd.
The list Of injured. Mrs. Maggie
Kenny, struck by runaway horse and
bruised and cut. Miss Minnie Theuy,
bruised and cut. NJ. Shure proprietor
fireworks factory. badly cut by glass:
ohin Temper. cut on head by falling
beam; Fred \. stiles, motorman on
passing cable car. severely bruised and
cut Andrew Lawson. conductor on
the same train. bruised by being thrown
from car; Philip sheppard, struck in
back by skyrocket. unconscious and
badly hurt, Samuel Brasnik, tailor.
Jumped from "A balcony OF clothing
store. leg broken. William Blaha, leg
Injured by runaway horse: Max Braz-
linck. spine injured by fall: Beck Ma
ret. struck by falling beam: Patrick
Hussey. struck by a falling beam and
severely Injured unknown boy. run
over by Chief Sweeneys buggy. Oscar
Behlke, struck by falling walls. not in
jured seriously; G.. Gordon, hurled
through a plate glass window into a
saloon. badly cut. Eleven others were
slightly injured.
Mrs. Maggie Kinney. one Of the In
Iured, died at the county hospital from
injuries to her spine
The force OF the explosion was ~
great that nearly all the windows in the
block We're demolished and the Shure
building. which is a four-story struc-
ture was badly damaged. Immediate
ly following the explosion the building
was ablaze from cellar to roof and the
fire department had a desperate strug-
gle before II succeeded in extinguishing
the ames. The building was almost
entirely destroyed by fire. however. and
such portions of the large stock OF fire.
works as had not been scattered
throughout the neighborhood by the ex-
plosion were destroyed, causing heavy
loss Ia Shure.
The explosion caused Wild panic In
that portion OF the town for a time and
the widest stories were current regard
ing the number killed and wounded. IL
happened AT a time when the street was
crowded with people on their way to
their homes. and the street cars. which
PASS the front of the building every
minute. were densely crowded with pas
sengers. The Tying missiles from the
factory struck number of people on
the ears and one man who was gazing
into store window fully 400 feet dis
tana had his attention suddenly at
traCtcd To other matters by a rocket
which hit him spuarely in the back.
He fell Ia the sidewalk unconscious.
and was carried To the hospital before
he was able to give his name.
The majority Of those injured, how
ever. received but trining hurts mad
will be around within day or two.
The loss To buildings and contents Ia
estimated AT $50, 900.