The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-27
TWENTY-SlX PERSONS
BLOWN TO ETERNITY
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all dropped into a shapeless mass of
debris Windows in houses for a
block around were broken by the con-
cussion, and flying bricks filed the
neighboring yards.
A dense cloud of dust arose, and as
1t settled, and was succeeded by denser
clouds of smoke and steam, agonized
cries began to come from the heap of
tangled wood, metal and bricks. Those
who were only partly buried, frantical-
fly dug themselves out, and then as en-
ergetically turned to digging for their
comrades, who were buried deeper.
Flames broke out almost Immediately
and the horror of fire was added to the
suffering of those imprisoned.
A fire alarm was turned in and
quickly responded to. Calls We're sent
out for all the ambulances in the city
and they were hurried to the scene
Pending their arrival neighborine
houses were turned into temporary
hospitals, and those physicians who
were in the vicinity relieved the suf-
ferers as we'll as they were able. The
first ambulances on the scene were
totally inadequate to carry those who
had already been extricated and ex-
press wagons and similar vehicles were
pressed into service.
AS soon as the gravity of the acct
dent was realized calls for additional
firemen were sent in and the APP
paratus came flying to the scene from
all parts of the city. While part of
the firemen directed their efforts at
the fire, which was burning fiercely in
the centre of the wreck, the greater
number of them seized axes and crow
bars and began prying out the vic
Tins v1r11o po111H 10 pr whose faint
cries were audible.
The department of public works was
notified of the horror and immediatel!
sent all of it's available men an(
| horses to the scene.
In a comparatively short time all
the Iaborers who could work to adj
vantage were feverishly throwing ant
pulling the debris out into Brooklyn
Avenue, where it was loaded into
wagons and carried off.
The floors and roof had fallen at al
angle and formed a sort of huge cover
under which the fire burned fiercely
Not until the firemen had chopped
through this did their streams begiT
to have an appreciate effect on the
| flames. The sufferings of those who
were buried beneath were testified tC
later by their charred and blackeneC
| bodies.
Engineer Riley was among the first
to be dug out from the wreck. His
| escape was little short of miraculous
When the boiler exploded he was
hurled to the floor and one of the
smaller testing boilers was blown over
his PROSTATE form in such way thai
one end rested on some debris high
above him, thereby forming a shield
which kept the falling timbers, bricks
and machinery from crushing him
The escaping steam, however, burned
him frightfully. After his arrival at
/ Grace Hospital Riley's first words
were: How did it happen? The en-
CINE and boilers were all right
Gradually the rescuers worked thei
way downward through the pile. BY
this time there were no cries or groans
to aid them, for the flames had des-
troyed these unfortunates who were
not killed by the explosion or the fall
But the work of rescue continued with
undated haste. When a heavy beam
or piece Of shafting was encountered
a team of horses was driven in anC
the piece of wreckage hauled to the
street
Stretcher- bearers stood beside the
delivers, and bore away the burned anC
blaskened bodies. A vacant house ad
joining the factory was converted into
a temporary morgue: here the bodies
were placed in collins and taken tC
the nearest morgue. In several cases
the charred corpses were so hot wheT
recovered that they could scarcely be
handled by the undertakers and their
assistants.
The hospitals were besieged by rela-
tives and friends of the injured men.
At Emergency Hospital, which was on
ly a short distance from the scene and
where many of the injured were car
ried in wagons, the floors of the recep-
ton rooms and even the halls, were
used as a temporary resting place fol-
the victims. Physicians were hastily
summoned and the work of relief was
expedited. Similar scenes were enacted
at Grace and Harper hospitals.
The front building of the plant sus-
tanned comparatively little damage
considering the tremendous explosion
within 16 feet Of it. All the windows, OF
course, were broken and some Of the
machinery was slightly injured by the
jar. As much damage was done in this
building by the automatic fire eXtin-
guishers which were set off, as by the
explosion.
There were a dozen girls among the
employees on the four floors of this
building and there was something OF
panic among them but none of them
was injured
The property loss, according to Sec
rotary George w. Childs, is about
$3.50, 900. The firm carried $4,000 fire
and some boiler insurance, but how
much of the latter Secretary Childs
could not state.
Subscriptions for the relief of the
sufferers have. been started.
Nothing is known as yet about the
cause of the explosion. The boilers had
been recently inspected. and the en-
gineer was known as one of the most
careful and capable men Of his bust
ness in the city.
The firm has already taken tempo
rary quarters and will resume business