The evening Republican., 1902-08-21
EXPLOSION
coSTsNuED FROM FIRST PAGE

the explosion was changed. Cap
tain Evans. who had been left Id
charge by Chief Of Police Black
and his men were relieved by Cap
tain Thomas Kane aud his force.
The police observed the same reg
ulations which had been establish
ed by Chief Black and Captin Evans
in the afternoon. The crowd wa.
kept outside the ropes with the ex
\ ception oi those who had business
on lie inside.
Superintendent Saunders remain
ed with the workers during the
evening. He was greatly affected
~ The accident, Many Of the mer
killed were men who had been toi
years in the employ of the company
Some OF them had been brough,
here by Mr.. Saunders when he
!, came to Wilmington years ago. fol
the purpose OF taking charge o.
the mills. which had just been er
ected by the Jessup and Moore
Paper Company. He therefore look
cd upon them 10 The light OF par
sonal friendship.
N Many OF the men who were on
the light turn 1.-THE mills reported
for duty yesterday afternoon; as
soon as they heard OF the explosion
so that they might assist in the
work Of getting out the Injured
and dead. They continued on dut.
during the night and the members
of the dav force also continued at
work searching for the missing.
1t is,estlmated that it wild take
nearly two days in which 10 clear
away all of the debris. The wor k
10 exceedingly difficult, The mass
being so closely wedsed together
a. 10 resemble brick wall.
p So great was the damage that
operations in a part OF the plant
will be suspended for some time.
1t will be necessary to rebuild the
damage d portion before the work
Can be resumed. and it IS proba bic
tiat this will be tlone as soon as
.he debris is cleared away.
Perhaps the most remarkable es-
cape from horrible death was that
of Harry Erie.
Erie is employed in the clipper
cellar which is below where the di-
gesters stood. In the cellar there is
the chipping machine which con
verts the wood into small bits.
Erie was sitting on the machine
when the explosion occurred. The
force hurled him across the room,
and struck the wall rendering him
partly unsconScious. How long he
laid there he does not know, but on
coming to he saw Il light above.
Though the acid which flooded the
cellar had gotten into his eyes,
partly binding him, and he was
almost sutfocatel by the fumes OF
the fluid, he managed to crawl to
the light which penetrated the room
from window. He succeeded i'll
crawling through the window, and
on reaching open air fell uncon
scious.
He was bruised about the body
and the acid had burned him about
the limbs, but these injuries he dis
regarded, and on regalulng con
seriousness assisted III the work OF
relief
Lewis Saunders, a wcll-known
young man Of this city, was another
who had close call. II. had gone
out to the wUrkSto see his father and
uncle, who are employed al the
works. lie had JUS! left the digest
ing room when tie explosion occurred
He was in the ard at the time and
saw the huge digcsters shoot up N
the air. He ran into the Office lust a
The roof fell IN.
One workman, whose name could
not be learned, was walking aIon,
the river front Lwhen the explosion
occurred, Ia order to escape he pluug
ed into the ChrstIana just az one
OF the digcsters with a loud hiss fell
Into the water. 1t fell Il Considerable
. distance away, however, and the
workman was not injured. IL. wan
around 10 the river until some men
went to his assistance and carrie j
him ashore.
{ Benjamin Turner engineer at the
mills. had a startling experience
when the explosion occurred. The en-.
CINE room ad Joins the dsestef and
was h rooms. and Turner was oiling
the machinery when he was suddenly
lifted from his feet aud carried
through the doorway before he could
real'ze what happened. Harry Rey-
nO!ds. an ulier In The engine room,
was lifted bodily from lns feet while
standing in the doorway ADD was car,
ried through the air distance of
several feet through railing ana
fell headlons On the ground.
The large chimney under which
ZaChariah Collins was buried, WAS
very tall, and is supposed to hav.
been struck by one Of the flying a.
gesters. Another chimney, ever
taller, was not far away, Int it
stands intact and sOnl, and was not
damaged i'll the least Ivy the shock
Frank DAVIS, who was working
out in the ,yar1, saw this digeotel
shoot up in the air. 1t reached such
a great height that it looked no larg
or than a SINAI! can. William Poo
pies and Percy iieulorer also we W
ell the flight Of the dlsesters.
'Hhp at An "a, L.,