Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-12-26

soneb LhuEnnn, at b. ~ O'CLOCK th is
morning, 10 men were burned to death
and probably 20 others injured. The
damage to the plant will amount to
$40, 900.
+ The bodies of the victims were sll re.
moved to the morgue, and were terribly
manRled and burned. Those identified
thus far are MS follows: Joseph FRANKIE.
witch, Joseph Sisul. Michael Gasdovioz,
70 years OF age, leaves wife and chill
in Hungary; Andrew Sues, 90 years of
sge. has widowed mother In Hungary I;
Michael Mezo. aged IS years, married
and leaves q wife 10 Hungary.
The explosion occurred In one Of the
big blast furnaces. The men were at
work at the top of the furnace, over 100
feet from the ground. They we're en-.
ployed as fillers. and were lust getting
ready 10 quit work, being members of
the night crew, when the gas which
had accumulated in the furnace ex-
ploded. and tons Of molten metal,
binders and Stag were thrown over the
unfortunate men on the top OF the
structure.
When the gas les go panic ensued
on the small platform about the top.
'Ali the men made a rush for the
elevator, but it had gone down, and
there wss no escape. To jump meant
death, and to remain on the platform
was just as certain doom. The tons Of
molten metal and flames fell upon
them, and burned 10 men to death.
Their bodies dropped to the roof Of the
mill, 30 feet below every bone broken
and an unacceptable mass of human
flesh.
Hurry calls were sent to the police
and morgue. Patrols from all sections
arrived before O'Clock, andIthe n,orRus
wagon was with them. The bodies of
some Of the dead and many OF the in
lured we're strewn about the yard
beneath the furnace, some Of the dead
having fallen from the slippery roof 10
the ground. The cries of The injured
broke the stiffness which had spread
over the place when the fury Of the ex
plosion and fire had abated.
To remove the dead from the roof of
the mill, it was found necessary to get
hook and ladder No. Is, and the tiremen
carried the burned and misshspen
masses of humanity to the moraue
wagon and placed them 10 It. -Four
bodies were removed at a time, the
wagon making three trips.
When the dead had been removed.
the injured were looked after. In ali
parts of the yard beneath the furnace
the injured were found. The injured
wsrs taken to the Mercy and other hos
pitfalls. The officials at the Mercy Hos
pitsl said that thres victims were re-
ceived there, and it was reported that
many we're taken to the South Side
Hospital, although at the latter place
u was denied that any victims Of the
accident had been received there.
STATEMENT OF THE MANAGERS.
At O'Clock Thomas Jones and
Arthur Young, managers of the plant.
gave out the statement that nine men
we're killed and five injured They said
that ordinarily only three men work on
top OF the furnace, but this morning,
ABOUT Q. 10 O'Clock, one of the heavy
iron wagons used in taking ore to the
top Of the furnace got stuck on the
top OF the structure, and the three men
sent for assistance. a few men went
up, but they could not move the wagon,
and more went up until the number
reached IA. IL was while they were
trying 70 get the wagon released that
the explosion occurred.
All the men at work on top Of the
furnace were Slass and Poles. Nine of
them were killed outright, and three m
the i've taken to Mercy Hospital are so
badly hurt that it is feared thew will
die. No cases were taken to the South
Side Hospital, as at first reported,
Eye witnesses say that IL was thu
most horrible sight they ever Witnessed.
They say that when the explosion
occurred there was one loud report, and
the murky heavens were illuminated
with q great sheet Of fame showing
the men on top of the furnace, running
about and gesticulsting wildly! The
fiames and hot metal looked like a
volcano In action. Five OF the men
were blown of the top Of the furnace,
and, strange Is it may seem, these men
are the ones who are still living. The
others hung on the railing, some on
the outside and others on the insids.
until their clothing was burned off
Two Of the victims hanging on the out
eide held on until their fippers were
burned of. They then fell to the roof
OF the mill, dead. Seven Of the victims
.wero found dead on the platform of the
oupola. These we're completely dsuudeoi
sf clothes by the flames, and their
nodies were burned almost to Crisp.
The company says that the night turn
was Just getting ready to quit work,
and that some Of the day crew were at
work on the place. They say that they
are unable to give out any names, as
the men are only known by check num-
bere, and until the payroll ia gone over
their names cannot be learned by them,
at least. In order to expedite the
Identification OF the victims, the
management OF the plant sent for
George Pitoii, asaloonkeeper and inter.