The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-01-22
MILL OFFICIALS WERE
Watching A CASTING.
Faces of the Injured Terribly
Burned, and Other Injuries
Sustained BY Those In
the Vicinity of the
Explosion.

CURED about 3:l5 o'clock. The names
of the men who We're badly burned are
ss follows:
WILLIAM FOWLER, of 500 East
Seventh street;
RODERICK Q. DAVIES, of the Hur
ford flats, in West Seventh street;
w. NJ. BLOCKER, of $50 North Me-
Kinley avenue.
The injuries OF none of lne men viii
prove fatal, although their escape from
death was miraculous.
The Canton Roll & Machine company
shops are located in Fairfield street.
The foundry attached is one in which
Bome of the largest castings in the city
are made. 1t is said TO be provided
with every available appliance for the
safety of the employees.
A mill housing was being cast when
the accident occurred. 1t requires the
pouring of about 80 tons of hot metal.
The receptacles for the metal was prob
ably a few inches below the level of the
floor of the fonndry. A large cope"
or covering, Of extremely heavy weight
was thrown over the receptacle. This
in part protected the men who
POURED THE HOT METAL
into the receptacle or mold, and also
served as a covering to prevent foreign
substances from falling into the mold.
About o'clock Thursday afternoon
President Beard, of the company;
General Manager Blocker, Superintcn
dent of Shops, r. o. Davies, and Foun-
dry Foreman William Fowler, were
standing few feet away from one side
of the cope" where the metal was be-
ing poured. About 10 tons had already
been pored from the large ladle. An
other ladleful was being poured, when
without warning, there came forth
belching of gas and hot metal from the
receptacle, Immediately in the direction
where the foregoing named men we've
standing. 1t blew squarely into their
midst. AS the sound of the belching
was first heard, they quickly turned ana
scattere, running in various directions
to escape.
Other men employed in the foundry
who witnessed the belChing at once took
to their heels. They made their escape
from the place, and remained respect
able distance away until it was all
over. Then they re-entered the foundry
and discovered traces of the terrible
belching all over the place.
Fowler and Davies were not success
full in evading the stream of gas and
metal and they
SUSTAINED TERRIBLE BURNS.
Physicians were summoned and am
balances called and the men were re-
moved as quickly as possible to their
homes where more surgical aid could
be afforded them than in the shop
building.
1t was at first believed that Fowler
would die from the results of his burns.
Davies was also in an equally serious
condition. But both men We're resting
quite easy Friday morning, and no fa-
tai results are expected.
A News Democrat reporter called
upon Fowler and Davies, Friday morn
ing. Fowler was lying in bed. His
face was terribly blistered and badly
swollen. His lips We're twice their
normal size. His right hand was
wrapped in bandages, but when the
bandages We're removed, it disclosed
the terrible condition Of that member.
The fingers We're hard and almost black,
and blisters which caused the most in
tense pain were observed. Fowler's
legs were also burned with the metal
his shoes being
REDUCED ALMOST TO CINDER.
HIS clothing was practically burned
OF his body.
His jaws were somewhat stiff from the
large swollen cheeks and it was with
some difficulty that he was able to talk
His aged father and his wife sat by
his bedside. A continual application Of
IMMINENT for the pain was necessary.
Mr.. Fowler stated that he was stand
Ing near the cope" when it seemed to
raise and the metal blew out upon HIM
self and the other men.
He said 1t was apparent that the
heavy cope was lifted from it's resting
place by an accumulation of gas under
meath, and that this caused the acct
dent. He received the full charge while
attempting to escape. He did not com
plain excessively of the intense pain
which he certainly must have borne.
but bravely retained his composure.
Mr.. Davies was reclining upon a sofa
In his rooms when the reporter entered.
While he seemed to suffer considerable
pain. he sai% that his sufferings were
not so great as during Thursday night
and that the pain from his burns had
abated Both hands and wrists were
bandaged, and several large blisters
were apparent through the covering.
His face was swollen, and one ear was
badly burned. His back also was
scorched with the heat from the molten
METAL that struck him.
EXPLOSION DESCRIBED.
'When first saw the belching from
the casting, started to run. throwing
ny hands to The sI6e of my head TO
prevent the hot metal from striking
l>orc. That IL what caused the burn