The evening Republican., 1902-09-23
Resolved. That on Wednesday,

Resolved. That on wednesday,
August 20, at two O'Clock p. m. the
seventeen workmen came to their
death by the explosion Of digester
NJ the wood pulp works Of the Jessup
nod Moore Paper Company, tile
cause OF The explosion being unknown
TO sae jury.
TLc above was the verdict render.
sedby the Coroner's jury yesterday
afternoon as to the deaths Of William
4. Burke, Barthly Sweeney, Joseph
Il. Henry, William Ruf, William L.
Scott, e. II. Mousley, George W.
Wright, John Mccormick, George
Dn,han, Joel Hutton. James Nangle
Joseph Laubacker, james E. Jester.
Zlchariah Collins. J. b. Stokes.
Granville W. Walters and II. II.
Harris, and the verdict returned was !:
Tee jury composed the following
pcrsons. John D. Woodward, foreman
Charles G. Guyer, secretary: Dr.
James l.. France, Representative
James Kitchen. former Sheriff Paul
ellis, former Councilman Henry W.
Zebley, David Ii. MegilI, John W.
Stester and William G.. Robinson.
The Jurors met at the otfice of
T. Chandler and were driven 70 the
Mills and made an inspection. They
then went to the Delaware Hospital
where they took the testimony Of
John Collins.
lie sat in a chair while his test-
mony was taken by tie jurors, a
etenogr phc report beng made by
Mr.. Guyer. Colins SAID he was an
employ in the wash rouin, aud that
he vent to work as usual that morn
log. He said every thing seemed all
r.s sht during the day. He also stated
In reply to questions, that he had
looked at the steam gauge on diyes.
tier NJ. 7, which exploded, and it
registered abou, sixty pounds Of steam
pressure.
!, From the hospital the jurors were
driven to the City Hall, where the
inquest was conducted in the court
room. Among those present were
David Lindsay, vice. president and
general manager Of the Jessup and
NoDre Company. and James w. Pu H.
der. one Of the company's ATTORNEYS.
Willard Salisbury. also OF counsel,
arrived al the conclusion uf the in
quest. There wore few persons Drei-
ent outside the witnesses. Most Of
the examination Of witnesses was
conducted by Secretary Guyer, Fore
man Wood ward aud Coroner's Assis.
tan, Chandler, while tive other Jurors
asked questions Of the witness at
times.
Joseph G. Saunders, superlnten.
Den, ot the Delaware Mills was tho
first wiJuess called at tile City Hall.
He was asked " Foreman Wood
ward 10 stale the matters pertain.
Ing 10 and leading up 10 the explo-
sim. lle said he had nothing to do
with the diseSlers. lie noticed the
steam guage OH that morning, but
there xas nopressure on IT. lie SAID IL
louk frum three 10 tire. anl one.half
hours 10 get up the required pressure
Un the digesters. The fire had been
under that particular digester three
hours on the day OF the explosion
The digestsrs are built to stand a
pressure OF l60 pounds. The first he
knew Of the explosion was when he
heard the rumbriDs. Mr.. Saunders
said he had not been In the dlgester
room since . O'clock in the mOruiog.
Thirty seven digesters ara "bIcwn
out"i In day. They are "blo wn
every other ,cne alternately. Three Of
the diges,ers "bIOwn QUIZ on that
day were half au hour behind time,
but the Que that exploded " as blown
on time.
Mr.. Saunders explained that the
delay was caused by repairs having
TO be made 10 dIgester No 8. that
which exploded The rubber pack
ips between two fanses blew out
and had to be replaced, but Mr..
Saunders said this did not affect the
digester which exploded. The diges
'ters were examined every three
months by the frm, aud digestcr No
Z, which exploded, was examined
last on June %. by m,llwrIght,
machinist aud helper. The digester
was to have been blown at 2.0j
O'Clock, but it exploded at ? O'Clock.
sMr. Saunders said'he never knew
a digester 10 "choke up" The ex.
ploded digester was eleven years
old.
Thomas F. Reese, one Of the work.
men who had his skull fractured
by flying brick, was the next wit.
mesa summoned. He said he could
rot remember anything Of the ex.
plosion, as he was hit in the head
with a brick, and knew nothing fur
ther. He said he had no knowledge
Of anything being wrcng, excepting
tina, one OF lhs boilers "oIew out, "
de''ying the blowing OF three OF
IN. .i:eSlers. II, said he had not
10 ne ire room OIL the day Of
B.ipL