The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-12-02
BURST AND
LEAP THROUGH ROOF
Explosions Roar Death KnelI
for thirteen.
ALL IN BOILER ROOM DEAD
The Scene Of the Disaster in Swift and Gem
pany's Plant, Chic7g,--The Cause Of
The Explosion May Never
be Known
lBy The Associated Prcssl

Chicago. Nov. 29.-WIth a deafening
plant exploded shortly after ten O'Clock
this morning. Thirteen lives were sac
rifccd ana scores OF employees. visitors
and others were injured. Huge boil
crs were sent through the roof Of the
structure and hurled hundreds OF feet.
Nobody within the boiler room survived
to tell the story OF the accident. and II
may never be known what caused the
explosion. \ careful investigation today.
however, convinced the experts that the
explosion was the result OF carclcssness
on the part Of an employc. whose own
life also was sacrificed. Five minutes
after the explosion nothing or the build
ing but a pile OF twisted iron. bricks and
mortar remained.
Sheets Of flame sprang from the ruins
and the spectators realized that it would
be impossible TO save the lives Of those
who were caught in the wreck. The cN-
plosion VAS 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 il was nee
essary to remove them to hospitals. 9th
ers were taken TO their homes. The list
Of dead, compiled by the police officers
of the company, follows:
II. ARNOLD. cOlored. taken to Mercy
Hospital. wher he died.
NAMES OWENS. coIored.
A. RACHUG. sewcr-digger.
SIMON TATE. colorcd, fireman.
W. O. O'CONNOR. sewcr-diggcr.
f. WRIGHT. colored. fireman.
~. PARKS. foreman.
THOMAS HOLMES, engineer.
CHARLES WEBB. colored. fireman.
JOHN HENRY, colored. fireman.
ALBERT NJ. BUSHNELL. purchasing
agent.
- CUBAT, millwright. dice at
Mercy Hospital.
- SCHULTZ, millwright.
1t was rumOred that from fifty TO q
hundred persons had been caught in the
wrecked building. This report caused
great excitement. and repeated calls
were sent for police and amublances. \
dozen patrol wagons and as many ambu-
lances were sent from all parts OF the
city. Extra calls for the fire engines
followed and soon the flames We're 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 manglcd
remains Of a man were discovered. At
the same time other rescucrs were dig
oing with desperation TO rescue seNCral
victims who were still alive.
Bodies, torn. bruised and mangled
were taken from the ruins and sent to
tho m0rgues. 4 boy, scalded from head
to foot and bleeding from cuts and
bruises, staggered toward the office OF
the general superintendent. {. q. Young
The hoy was Mr.. Young's PERSONAL mes
scngcr. Tn lad however. had been So
badly ~lisfigured that Mr.. Young did not
recognize him.
Many theories were advanced as tc
the responsibility for the disaster. The
inspector decided that the explosion had
been caused bV cold water injected into
the boiler. but a majority Of invcstisa-
tors held the opinion that the catas-
tropha had been caused by low water
! Nothing vas learned, however, and, az
all the men in the boiler room were
killed. it is not likely the cause of the
i accident ever Will be known. It is not
thought that the loss to Swift q Com
pany viii amount to more than 100000.