The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-30
BOILER DEALS DEATH
THIRTEEN KILLED BY EXPLOSION
IN CHICAGO.
SCORES OF OTHERS INJURED.
BUILDING REDUCED TO BUT A
sHAPELEss RUIN.

Accident Occurred In the Plant OF
swift & Co.-HuRe Boilers Sent
Through the Roof and Hurled
Hundreds of Feet-List of Those
KiIIed-Accident Believed to Have
EmpIoyc-Swift & Co.'s Loss About
$50, 900.
Chicago. Nov. 29.--With a deafening
report, a boiler in Swift & Co.'s plant
exploded shortly after 10 o'clock this
morning. Thirteen lives were sacri-
feed and scores of employees, visitors
and Others were injured.
Huge boilers were sent through the
roof of the structure and hurled hum
dreds of feet. Nobody within the boil
err room survived to tell the story Of
the accident, and 1t may never be
known what caused the explosion. A
careful investigation to-day, however,
convinced the experts that the explo-
sion was the result of carelessness on
the part of an employee. whose own life
was also sacrificed.
Five minutes after the explosion,
nothing Of the building but a pile of
twisted iron, bricks and mortar re-
NAMED.
Sheets Of flames sprang from the
ruins, and the spectators realized that
1t would be impossible to 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,
win TO- the
ground below. Many of them escaped
with but slight bruises, but most Of
the victims were hurt to such an ex-
tent that it was necessary to remove
them to hospitals. others were taken
to their homes.
Victims of the Accident.
The list of dead, compiled by the po-
lice and officers of the company. fol-
lows:
H. Arnold, colored, taken to Mercy
Hospital, where he died.
James Owens. colored.
A. Rachug, sewer digger.
Simon Tate, colored, fireman.
w. o. O'Connor, sewer digger.
e. Wright, colored, fireman.
w. Parks, foreman.
Thomas Holmes, engineer.
Charles Webb, colored, fireman.
John Henry, colored, fireman.
Albert M. Bushnell. purchasing
agent.
-cubat, nnillwright. died at Mercy
Hospital
- Schutze, miliwright.
1t was rumored that from nifty to
100 persons had been caught in the
wrecked building. This report caused
great excitement, and repeated calls
were sent for police and ambulances
A dozen patrol wagons and as many
ambulances were sent from all parts
Of the city.
Firemen Had Busy Time.
Extra calls for the fire engines fol-
lowed and soon the flames were being
fought from every side. While the
fire was still burning police, firemen.
and employees of the packing firms be-
gan digging in the ruins. Soon the
mangled remains of man were dis
covered. At the same time other res
cuers were digging with desperation to
rescue several victims who were still
alive.
Bodies, torn, bruised and mangled,
were taken from the ruins and sent
to the morgues. A boy, scalded from
head to foot, and bleeding from cuts
and bruises, staggered toward the Of
flee of the general superintendent, c.
o. Young The boy was Mr.. Young's
personal messenger. The lad, however
had been so badly disfigured that Mr..
Young did not recognize him.
Many theories were advanced as to
the responsibility for the disaster. The
inspector decided that the explosion
had been caused by cold water in
jected into the boiler, but a ma jority
of Investigators held the opinion that
the catastrophe had been caused by
low water. Nothing was learned, how
o..I - h. 10. Ill.
room were killed, 1t is not likely the
cause Of the accident will ever be
known.
1t is not thought that the loss to
Swift & Co. will amount to more than
$50, 900.