The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-25
Completely Wrecks 1t and Ad.
joining Buildings.
400 GIRLS EMPLOYED.
Many Thought to Have Been
Killed and Injured.
Two Dead Bodies Recovered
One 100 Feet Away.
Twelve Injured Have Been TAX
en- to the Hospitals.

Philadelphia, April 25.-An explosion
occurred shortly before o'clock this
morning at F'leers chewing gum factory
at Fortieth and CalIow Hill street.
About 400 girls were employed. A num-
ber of persons are reported killed and
great many injured. The building
was completely wrecked and a number
of adjoining buildings were badly dam
aged All of the hospital ambulances
in the city are at work carrying away
the dead and injured, and details of po-
licemen and firemen from every precinct
have been sent to the scene.
Two bodies have been recovered. One
was taken from the ruins badly burned.
The other was blown through the roof
and was found nearly one hundred feet
away from the scene. For over a block
from the factory there is not a single
building which has escaped injury and
the interior of those close by are wreck
ed and in several instances may prove
a total loss. over twelve injured per-
sons have been removed to hospitals.
Reports vary as to the number of per-
sons in the building at the time of the
explosion but members of the firm say
they do not believe there were over ten.
LATER DETAILS
Philadelphia, April 25.-By an explo-
sion of benzine in Fleer's Chemical
works at Twenty-fourth end Callow
Hill streets today, two men were killed,
two others are unaccOunted for and one
woman was fatally injured. A score OF
persons were more or less seriously in
jured. The names of the dead and
missing men have not yet been learned.
Following is partial list of those in
jured:
Mrs. Lizzie Donohue, fatally
Mrs. Barr, blown from her doorstep
into the street, slight
Mrs. O'Donnell and infant, blown from
doorway into the street, slight.
Charles Marion, II years old, cut by
flying glass.
nj T
scalp lacerated and body burned
Frank Giverson. aged one year. badly
burned.
Mrs. Giverson seriously bruned.
Margaret Driscoll, cut by flying glass.
John Mckee, head and legs cut
John Hannerhan, bruised and cut.
Thomas DAILY, cut by flying glass
Andrew Monahan. cut by flying glass
Sallie e. Stackhouse, aged 81, inter-
nal injuries and shock.
George Connor of Camden, N J.,
hands and arms badly burned.
Edward Galanough, aged 13, internal
injuries.
Michael Hanahan, aged 80, burned
about the head
Fireman, injured by falling wreckage.
There were two explosions, the first
occurring at S:55 and the second a few
minutes later. The factory is a total
wreck and buildings for distance of
half a square on both sides of Callow
Hill street were partially demolished.
In some instances windows in struc-
lures two squares away were shattered.
So far can be learned, there were
but six men in the chemical works when
| the catastrophe occurred. One of these
was blown high in the air and his body
struck the ground at a distance of
| twenty-five yards from the mill. The
proprietor was burned almost to a coal
| Adjoining Fleers was grocery store
owned by Arthur Donahue. Two
| toarders are said to have been asleep
| in the upper part of the house and they
| have not been accounted for. Mrs.
| Donahue the grocer's mother, was so
| badly injured that her death is mo-
mentarily expected.
On the opposite side of the street was
| the dwelling of Mrs. Giverson. The
| burning benzine ignited the clothing of
| Mrs. Giverson and that of her child.
| With the infant in her arms she ran
| screaming into the street, enveloped in
| flames. Firemen and hospital surgeons
who had responded promptly to the
| alarm hastened to her assistance and
she was conveyed to a hospital in an
| ambulance. 1t is impossible at this time
| to estimate the loss. Fully a hundred
| houses are more or less damaged, those
| in close proximity to the chemical works
! being so badly wrecked as to probably
I afa hair tiOn