The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-20
MANCLED AND BURNED
HORRIBLE RESULT OF AN EXPLO-
SION IN AN IRON FURNACE.
Ten Employees of Jones & Laugh
Iins, Pittsburg, Killed and
Four Seriously Injured.
ACCIDENT DUE TO A SLIP
TONS OF MOLTEN METAL THROWN
OVER THE UNFORTUNATES.
Fury of the Explosion So Great the
Scene ResembIed the Eruption
of Small Volcano.

PITTSBURG, Dec. 19.-Ten men were
burned to death and four injured by an ex-
plosion of gas at the Soho furnace of Jones
& Laughlin. limited in Second avenue near
Brady street, this morning. The explosion
caused by slip in the furnace the
gas and flames belching upward through
the belt. The men were on the furnace
platform eighty-five feet above the ground
The identified dead are Joseph Frankovitch.
Joseph Sisual, Michael Gasdovicz twenty
six years old, leaves a wife and child in
Hungary; Andrew Sues, twenty years of
age, has a widowed mother in Hungary:
Michael Mezo. aged thirty-five years. left
a widow in Hungary; John Kochanko and
George Szrenko. The injured are John
Yentz. John Sabo. George Welligo and John
Tiolosky.
There were nineteen men on the furnace
platform when the explosion occurred. Fiji
teen of them were caught in the flames
Two of them escaped with slight injuries.
The other four were the regular men en-
ployed as top filters and escaped without
injury.
The explosion was caused by the gas be-
coming incased in crust of clnder form
ing at the bottom of the furnace. A wheel
barrow containing ore had been sent ur
to the men. and when they went to dump
it into the bell of the furnace they pushed
it over too far and it rolled into the hopper.
The barrow weighed 900 pounds and was
too heavy for the four men TO raise The
fifteen laborers. all Hungarians, were then
sent up to assist them. Had 1t not been
for the barrow accident no one would have
been hurt, as the regular men know how 10
protect themselves at such times. as sim
liar explosions are of frequent occurrence.
Eyewitnesses say that il was the most
horrible sight they ever witnessed. They
say that when the explosion took place
there was one great, loud report. and the
uurky heavens were Illuminated with a
great sheet OF flame, showing the men on
top of the furnace running about ses-
ticulating wildly. The flames and hot metal
looked like a volcano in action. Five of
the men were blown off the top of the
furnace and, strange. as IL may seem
these men are the ones that are still living
The others hung on the railing. some on
the outside. others on the inside. until
their clothing was burned off Two of the
victims hanging on the outside held on and
remained tenaclOusly clinging 10 the railing
until their fingers were burned of They
then fell to the roof of the mill dead.
Several of the victims were found dead on
the platform OF the cupola. These were
completely denuded of their clothes by the
flames and their bodies were burned almost
TO crisp.
Hundreds of pedestrians on Second avenue
had narrow oscar pes from instant death
when the explosion occurred. Tons OF ore.
coke and hot cinders, some pieces weighing
almost three pounds. rained down on Sec
ond avenue, and many had to run into
houses and stores for protection. Car No
800 Of the Homestead division passing
just as the gas let go. The coke and other
material falling on the car. which had
twenty-five passengers aboard, caused
panic and many jumped OF and more would
have followed had not the GOODNESS OF the
conductor saved them None OF the pas
sengers was in the least injured, but all