Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1901-12-21
EXPLOSION OFGAS
TEN MEN KILLED AND a NUM-
Der INJURED in a PITTS.
BURG DISASTER.
VICTIMS TERRIBLY BURNED

Tons Of Molten Metal, cInders and
Stag Thrown over the Men While at
Work One Hundred and Twenty Feet
From the Ground Bodies Of the
Dead Drop. to the Roof Of the Steel
Mill, Eighty-five Feet Below.
Pittsburg, Dec. 2OBy am explosion
Of gas in the Soho furnace of Jones
& Laughlin, near Brady street, this
city. at $40 a. M, 10 men were burned
to death and probably 20 others more
or less injured. The damage to the
plant will amount to $4,000.
The explosion occurred in one Of the
big blast furnaces. The men were at
work ait the top of the furnace over
120 feet from the ground. They were
employed as filters and were just get
ting ready to quit. work, being mem
bers of the night crew, when the gas,
which accumulated in the furnace, ex
ploded and toms Of molten metal, cind4
ers and Stag were thrown over the
men on top of the structure. When
the gas let go panic ensued on the
small platform on top. The men made
for the elevator, but it had gone down
and there was 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, IS feet below, every
bone broken and am unacceptable
mass of human flesh.
Thomas Scnes and Arthur Young,
managers of the plant have given OF :
a statement THAT men were killed and
5 injured. They say that ordinarily
only three men work on top of the
furnace, but about 6:15 a. m. one of
the heavy iron wagons used in taking
up the ore to the furnace got stuck
on the summit 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 IL It was while bhev
were trying to get the wagon released
that the fatal explosion took place. ALI
the men were Slavs and Poles.
Witnesses Describe the Accident.
Eye witnesses say it was the most
horrible sight they ever witnessed.
They say that when the explosion took
place there was loud report and the
murky sky was illuminated with a
great sheet of flame, showing the men
on top of the furnace, running about
and gesticuIating wildly. Five of the
men were blown off the top Of the
furnaces and these are the ones that
are still living The others hung on
The railing until their clothing was
burned off. Two of the victims, hang
ing on the outside, held on and re-
NAMED clinging to the railing until
their fingers were burned off. They
chen fell to the roof of the mill, dead.
Seven of the victims were found dead
IN the platform cupoIa
Hundreds of pedestrians on Second
avenue had marrow escapes from i'm
slant death when the explosion oc-
cured. Tons of ore, coke and hot
,inders, some pieces weighing almost
hree pounds, rained down on Second
avenue and many had to run into
Houses for protection
Over two tons of the debris fell on
Second avenue and a force of so men
vas put to work to clean it off the
racks.
: The people residing about the fur
lace and for blocks on either side were
,ally scared They rushed from their
ZONES and a few minutes after the re-
,ort had sounded throughout Soho
thousands OF people gathered about
he furnace. Women, whose husbands
we're employed in the plant, mothers,
vhose sons worked there, and sisters
whose brothers were in the plant,
ormed part of the crowd. With tears
n their eyes they waited to learn who
we're victims of the catastrophe Some
we're fated to hear sad news, for
mong the crowd were wives or rela
ives of some of the dead
A later report says the explosion
7as caused by a slip" in the furnace.
Five persons employed near the
lrnace are unaccounted for and it is
OF known whether they have persisted
n not