Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-05-13
DYER TWENTY KILLED
Ind 200 Injured by Naptha
/ Explosion at Shera-
II den Pa.
kuE PROPERTY LOSS AMOUNTED
TO MORE THAN A HALF
MILLION DOLLARS.
Intlamable Liquid Ignited From Switch
Lioht, Flames Shooting Fifty
Feet High.


n pittsburg, May 13.-The Sheraden
wards of the Panhandle railroad were
the scene yesterday evening of an ex-
Dlosion in which score of lives were
lost. and about 200 persons so badl.;-
burned that, according to the Judgment
Of physicians IS per cent of them will
4 die from the effects Of their INJURIES
Following is a list of the dead, so
far as obtainable
Albert Mexican, brakeman, Shera-
den
John Swan, brakeman, Sheraden.
Unknown boy, about II years old,
died on way to Allegheny general hos
pital.
H. F. Smithley, Uhrichsvile, O.. died
at Mercy hospital.
Finnerty, aged 40 years. Sister
Vile w. Va. died at Mercy hospital
Chas. Hertig Chestnut mines, died
at Mercy hospital
G. e. Hunter, 2S. leaves widow and
five children. of Shearaden died at
Mercy hospital.
Dallas Bort. 90 years Old, of Shera-
cen, died at Mercy hospital
Unknown white man. about 40 years
old.
- Douds. died at Mercy hospital
While train of naphtha cars was
being switched the rear car telescoped
car forward. The leaking naptha ig-
nited from switch light, causing an
explosion which threw flames fifty
feet high. Much of the escaping
naphtha ran through corks run to
EsplenbOrOugh, a distance of one and
one-half miles. and caused another eX-
plosion. blowing to atoms the Seymour
hotel and the collins house, on River
road and badly wrecking frame
building near by in which We're con-
gregated POO or more men from Pitts
burg and vicinity. betting on the races
and baseball Few of the occupants Of
this building escaped injury, many
being badly hurt.
Mrs Seymour and her daughter of
I,
and it is feared, fatally injured.
The first car of naphtha exploded
about 4:30 O'Clock and the spectacle :
soon attracted large crowd on
streets lining the hills on both sides
Of and parallel to the railroad. The
second car exploded about ) O'Clock.
bGt it was 6:15 o'clock When three
more cars Of the deadly stuff Went up
with 7 roar that could be heard for
miles. before the wGFk CT destruction
really began.
\ torrent of flame be!ched forth on
each si1n of TIE track sweeping back
the terrified spectators like 2 charge
Of artillery ard sending q shower Of
flames over their heads.
The successive explosions had heat
ed the air to such an extent that be
for the thrd explosion many were
rendered unconscious by the extreme
heat and gaseous fumes and were
being carried away when the torrent
of f2me sweyt over the excited
crowd
There was an awful hush for mo-
r?ont then followed ? ecene Of fren-
2y 4ien and women. their clothing
ahlaze. their faces ccorched and bis
tered ana their haii bnined off their
heads, ran h;ther and thither, only in
INT On escaning the furnace of fire.
Some gave vent to frelZied appeals
. kill them a7i nut them ont of their
Esisery. and lttt9e children. 18th their
hair and clothing aGFe. cried piteously
as they were swept along the tide Of
burning humanity
Al TIE pittab"ro an'bnlances were
Immediately dispatched To the scene
with q corps 81 physicians. Nonv Of
those not seriously burned We're re-
moved TO their homes in Sheraden
while oJhers r'era sent to the various
Pi1tebH1e ilcencitala and the de0d rs
moved to undertaking establishments