Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1901-11-28
THE BOILER EXPLODED
II Wrecks a Three. Story Building
Causing Many Deaths.
TWENTY SEVEN DEAD
There Are Twenty-Five Persons In the
Hospitals, some Seriously Hurt
and Eighteen Men and boys
siill Unaccounted For.

Detroit. Nov. 27.-Twenty.scyen men
are dead. five OF them unindcntihed
and 80 terribly burned and blackened
that Identification Is almost impossible
and 25 other men are lying In the var.
lous hospitals Of the city suffering
from terrible cuts and burns and Other
injuries. all the results Of the explo-
sion Of one OF the boilers In the
Penpcrthy Injector company large
plant In this city.
In addition to these dozen or more
employees who suffered comparatiyel,
slight injuries aside from the shock
were taken directly 20 their homes.
Eighteen men and boys have not as
yet been located either al their homes
Or at the hospitals The five unidenti-
Hed bodies account for FIVE unidenti-
and the officers Of the company say
they feel positive that the major por
tion Of the remaining thirteen are at
their homes.
4 great force ~ men Is searching the
ruins and the work will not be stop
ped until every foot OF debris has
been examined. The Penpethy Iniec.
tor company's plant occupied half a
square az the corner Of Abbot street
and Brooklyn avenue II was compos-
ID Of two brick buildings separated by
sixteen foot alley The rear build
.ng In which the boiler was located and
which was completely destroye- was
three stories in height. 5i feet IN depth
and 100 feet In width. The boiler
room was on the first floor.
The first floor was utilized as the
engine and boiler room and a room
FOR testing the output Of the plant.
The finishing and grass manufactur-
ing department was located In the sec
ond floor and the third floor was de-
voted 20 the foundry.
AZ work iu the various departments
Of ttis building when the explosion
occurred
There were four boilers in the plant
two horizontal ones which furnished
steam for the engines and two vertical
boilers which were used solely 90 test
iuiect0u. 10 vas the horizontal boiler
that was lu use on Tuesday. which
lot go and caused the awful loss of
life
The awful crash came without the
slightest warning Those in the front
OF the building said % seemed Ike the
conclusion OF an immense cannon.
The floors and roof OF the rear build
ing bulged upward, and then crashed
down with their heavy loads OF ma
chincry and foundry apparatus. Walls
roofs and an dropped into a shapeless
mass OF debris Windows In houses
for q block were broken by the concus-
sion and flying bricks filled the neigh
boring yards. A dense cloud OF dust
arose and as 10 settled. and was sue
ceeded by denser clouds OF smoke and
steam. agonIzed cries began 20 come
I
and bricks. Those who were only
partly buried frantlcally dug them
selves out and then as energetlcally
turned TO digging for their comrades
who were buried deeper. Fames
broke out almost Immediately and the
horror OF FIRE was added 20 the suffer
ings % the imprisoned ones.
Neighboring houses were turned
into temporary hospitals and those
physicians who were In the vicinity
easod the suffering ones as much as
they were able. The first ambulanccs
ON the scene were totally inadequate
10 carry those who had already been
extricated. and express wagons and
similar vehicles were PRESSED into SER
vice.
While part ~ the Gremcn directed /
their efforts 90 the f-e the greater
number .Eri axes and crowbars and |
began pryirg out the victims who
could ua seen or whose faint cries
were audible.
In a comparatively short time all |
the lalorers who could work 20 adj
vantar, were feyerishlv throwing and |
pulling the debris ou, into Brooklyn
avenue.
Nothing Is known as yet about the
cause OF the explosion. The boilers
had been recently inspected and the
engineer was known as one OF the
most careful and capable men iu the
city.