Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-12-20
DETAILS Of EXPLOSION.
Details of the Explosion of Gas at
Pittsburg in Which Many
Persons Were Killed. = = ,..>S r
Tons of Molten Metal, Cinders and
Stag Thrown Over the Men
While at Work. i
Bodies of the Men Drop Eighty Five
Feet to Roof Of the Steel Mill
Far Below. =.

1ltLSDufS. DSE. GU.-by dH SAplo5lOu
Of gas in the Soho furnace of Jones
& Laugh1in, 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 s.
worl: at the top of the furnace over
12C 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-
ploGed and tons of molten metal, cind-
ers and Stag were thrown over the
men on top of the structure. When
the gas let go a 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 an unrecognizaible
mass of human flesh.
Thomas gcnes and Arthur Young,
managers of the plant, have given out
a statement that men were killed and
5 injured. They say that ordinarily
Cnly 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 IA. It was while they
we're trying to get the wagon released
that the fatal explosion took place. All
the men were Slavs and Poles.
Witnesses Describe the Accident
Eyewitness say it was the most
horrible sight they ever witnessed.
They say that when the explosion took
place there was a loud report and the
nurky sky was Illuminated with a
great sheet of fame, showing the men
on top of the furnace, running about
and gesticulating 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-
manned clnging to the railing until
their fingers were burned off, They
then fell to the roof of the MILL dead.
Seven of the victims were found dead
on the platform cupola4
Hundreds of pedestrians on Second
avenue had narrow escapes from in
stant death when the explosion oc-
CURED. Tons of ore, coke and hot
cinders, some pieces weighing almost
three 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
was put to work to clean it off the
tracks.
The people residing about the fur
mace and for blocks on either side were
badly scared They rushed from their
homes and a few minutes after the re-
port had sounded throughout Soho
thousands of people gathered abo,;t
the furnace. Women. whose husbands
were employed in the plant. mothers,
whose sons worked there, and sisters
whose brothers were in the plant,
formed part of the crowd. With tears
in their eyes they waited to learn who
were victims of the catastrophe. Some
were fated to hear sad news, for,
among the crowd were wives or rela-
tives of some of the dead
A later report says the explosion
was caused by a slip in the furnace
Five persons employed near the
furnace are unaccounted for and it is
not known whether they have perished
| or not