Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-23
MOLTEN LEAD
ROASTS 8 MEN
IN PITTs5URo FURNACE WORK.
MEN ON TOP OF TOWER MEET
FRIeHTFUL FATE BY
EXPLOSION.

PITTsBURG, Dec. bly, an explosion
OF gas In the Soho furnace Of Jones &
Laughlin, near Bradys street, this city, at
o'clock this morning nine men were
burned TO death and probably eight others
more or less injured. The damage to the
plant will amount to $4,000
The bodies OF the victims were all re-
moved to the morgue and were terribly
mangled and burned. Those identihed thus
far are as follows:
JOSEPH FRANKOVITCH.
JOSEPH SISUL.
MICHAEL GASDOVICH, 26 years old;
leaves wife and child in Hungary.
ANDREW sues. 20 years Of age; leaves
a widowed mother in Hungary.
MICHAEL MEZO, aged IS years; mar
ried. and leaves a wife In Hungary.
JOHN. KOCHANKO.
GEORGE SZRENKO.
The names Of the injured at the Mercy
hospital are:
John Yentz.
John Sabo.
George Weliizo.
The explosion occurred in one OF the big
blast furnaces.
The men were at work at the top Of
the furnace over 40 from the ground. They
were employed as filters and were just get
ting ready to quit work. being members OF
the night shift, when the gas which ac-
cumulated In the furnace exploded and
tons OF molten metal, cinders and Stag
were thrown over the unfortunate men
on the top Of the structure.
When the gas let go panic ensued on
the small platform about the top. The
men made a rush for the elevator. but
cape. To jump meant death and to re-
main on the platform was just as certain
doom
Tons Of Molten Metal.
The tons Of molten metal fell upon them
and burned ten men to death. Their bodies
dropped to the roof Of the mill eighty-ive
feet below. every bone broken and an I'M
recognized mass of human flesh.
Hurry call were sent to the police and
morgue.
Patrols from all sections arrived before
Z O'Clock and the morgue wagon was with
them. The bodies of some Of the dead
| and many Of the wounded were strewn
about the yard beneath the furnace, some
OF the dead having fallen from the slip
perry roof to the ground.
The cries OF the injured broke the still
ness which had spread over the place
when the fury OF the explosion and fire
had abated.
How Tragedy Occurred.
At 9 o'clock Frank Jones and Arthur
! Young. managers OF the plant, gave the
statement that nine men were killed and
Eve injured. They say that ordinarily
only three men work on the top of the
furnace. but this morning about els
o'clock one OF the heavy wagons used in
taking up the ore to the top of the fur
mace got stuck on the top Of the struc-
ture and the three men sent for assist
ance. A few men went up, but they could
not move the wagon and more went up.
1t was while they were trying to get the
wagon released that the fatal explosion
took place All the men at work on the
top Of the furnace were Slavs and Poles.
Nine OF them were killed outright and
the three taken to the Mercy hospital are
so badly hurt 1t is feared they will die. No
cases were taken to the south side hos
pital, as at first reported.
Eye witnesses say it was the most hor-
rible sight they ever witnessed. They
say that when the explosion took place
there was one great, loud report and the
murky heavens were Illuminated with a
great sheet OF flame. showing the men
on top Of the furnace running about. II
looked like a volcano in action.
Five men were blown of the top of the
furnace and, strange as it may seem,
these men are the ones that are still iv-
ing.
Burned In Mid-AIr.
The others hung on the railing, some on
the outside, the others on the inside, I'M
I'll their clothing was burned of.
Two OF the victims hanging on the out
side held on and remained tenaciously
clnging to the railing until their fingers
were burned of. Then they fell to the
roof of the mill, dead.
Seven OF the victims were found dead on
the platform of the cupalo. These were
completely denuded Of clothes by the
flames and their bodies were burned al
most to a crisp.
Hundreds OF pedestrians on Second ave-
nue. had narrow escapes from instant
death when the explosion occurred. Tons
OF ore, coke and hot cinders and some
pieces weighing almost three pounds rain
ed down on Second avenue and many had
to run into houses and stores for protec-