The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-30
Disaster Supposed to Have Been Due
to the CareIessness of a Man
Who Lost His Life.
EXPLOSION WAS TERRIFIC
HUGE BOILERS WE'RE HURLED HUN
DREDS OF FEET.
Debris Caught Fire and Those Who
Were Pinned I'm the wreckage
Were Burned to Death.

J. CHICAGO. Nov. 29.-With a deafeniug re-
port a boiler in Swift & Co.'S plant ex-
ploded shortly after 10 o'clock this morning.
Thirteen lives were sacrificed and scores
/. Of employees, visitors and others were in
jured. Huge boilers were sent through the
roof of the structure and hurled hun
dreds Of feet. Nobody within the boiler
room survived to tell the story of the acci-
dent and it may never be known what
caused the explosion. A careful investiga-
tion to-day. however. convinced the experts
that the explosion was the result of care
Il lessness on the part of an employe, whose
own life also was sacrificed.
Five minutes after the explosion nothing
of the building but pile of twisted iron,
bricks and mortar remained. Sheets of
flame sprang from the ruins and the spec
tators realized that it would be impossible
10 save the lives of those who were caught
in the wreck. The explosion was of such
force that adjoining buildings were wrecked
torn and twisted like toys. Men, women
and boys at work in adjoining departments
were hurled through windows to the ground
below. Many of them escaped with but
slight bruises, but most of the victims
were hurt to such an extent that it was
necessary to remove them to hospitals.
Others were taken TO their homes. The
list of dead and injured compiled by the po-
lice and officers OF the company follows:
The Dead
+. II. ARNOLD, colored. taken to Mercy
Hospital. where he died.
JAMES OWENS. coiored.
A. RACHUG, sewer digger.
4 SIMEON TATE, colored fireman.
\ w. O. O'CONNOR, sewer digger.
z. WRIGHT. colored fireman.
w. PARKS. foreman.
. THOMAS HOLMES engineer.
CHARLES WEBB. colored fireman.
JOHN HENRY, colored fireman.
ALBERT NJ. BUSHNELL, purchasing
agent
- CUBAT. millwright, died at Mercy
Hospital.
= SCHULTZ. millwright.
The Injured
n. DEVORE. scalp wound.
+. FRANCIS, confusion Of right arm.
4 f. MINNICK, fourteen-year-old messen-
ger boy, scalded; may die.
NJ T. ASH, fractured leg and scalp
wound
4 ]. FRANKS, bruised and burned.
4 r VENABLE, burned and bruised.
Il ]. CHANDLER, scalp wound and burned.
w. T. WELLS. fractured leg.
n. F. OLIVER, burned about the face
< and body.
]. D. COOPER, burned about the arms.
face and body.
f. OLSEN, messenger burned about the
legs and chest.
]. ANGUS. bruised and burned.
4 j. ID. OGDEN, burned about the body.
MOSES BERRYMAN. badly burned.
4 J. MARBLE. badly burned.
LOUIS ZIERK. struck by flying bricks.
Il HERMAN PRELASTE, eye knocked out.
4 JOHN WALSH. struck by flying bricks.
4 JAMES Nj. WALSH, hit by debris.
4 EDWARD JONES. injured by flying
bricks.
II RICHARD HALLOWAY. struck by fly
ing bricks.
PETER STEINBACK, Clinton, Ia.
struck by falling bricks.
GEORGE RYAN. scalded by escaping
steam.
MISS ELIZABETH CULLEN. knocked
down and crushed in the rush from the
building.
MATTHEW LYNCH, cut on the head.
4 A GERMAN. leg broken in jumping from
II the second story.
T. NIENDORF, hands and head burned.
j. WREN, carpenter, fractured skull.
4 IL was rumored that from fifty to 100
Il persons had been caught in the wrecked
building. This report caused great excite
II ment and repeated calls were sent for po-
4 lice and ambulances. a dozen patrol wag-
4 ous and as many ambulances were sent
4 from all parts of the city. Extra calls for
II fire engines followed, and soon the flames
4 were being fought from every side. While
the fire was still burning. police, firemen
and employees of the packing firms began
digging in the ruins. Soon the mangled
remains of a man were discovered. AT the
same time other rescuers were digging with
Il desperation TO rescue several victims who
were still alive Bodies. torn, bruised or
mangled. were taken from the ruins and
\ sent to the morgues. A boy. scalded from
4 head TO foot and bleeding from cuts and
bruises, staggered toward the office of
i General Superintendent C. o. Young. The
boy was Mr.. Young's personal messenger.
The lad. however had been so badly dis
| figured that Mr.. Young did not recognize
him.
Many theories were advanced as to the
responsibility for the disaster. One inspec-
tor declared that the explosion had been
caused by cold water injected into the
boiler but majority OF the investigators
held the opinion that the catastrophe had
been caused by low water. Nothing definite
Was learned, however, and as all the men
| In the boiler room were killed. il Is not
likely the cause OF the accident Will ever
be known.
Ii is not thought the loss TO Swift & Co.
Will amount TO more than $4,000. The Of
fcers OF the company declare that this
viii cover the damage. as nearly as they
are able to estimate at the present time.
The building In which the boilers were
located was the only structure to be en-