The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-30
tS KILLED IN AN EXPLOSION.
BOILER M RSTS IN THE CHICAGO
STOCK YARDS.
One Of swift 4 CO.'S RcfrieeratinG Plants
Nreckcd-Eire Follows Explosion
Work Of Rescue lmpcded-Neariy
score OF Persons Hurt seriously.

CHICAGO, Nov. Thirteen persons
are known to have been killed and at least
seventeen were injured seriously in series
of explosions in the boiler room of the ice
machine plant of Swift 4 Co. at the stock
yards this morning at 10 O'Clock. Hardly
had the roar of the exploding boilers died
away when the roof Of the Diesel Can Com
pany factory, at Foriie,h street and Stew
art avenue, a few blocks distant. fell. crush
ing six workmen and injuring one of them
seriously
Fragments from the exploded boilers
were blown in every direction. injuring
those at work in adjoining buildings. Re-
frigerator plant No. 3, in which the ex-
plosions occurred. was completely wrecked
and il is reported that not one Of the seventy
five men. women, boys and girls at work
in the place escaped unscathed.
The front of the buiiding was blown
out and crashed into repair shop across
the street, demolshing it. The roof was
crushed in and part of the side Of the
voucher Office building nearby. where 100
clerks were al work, was damaged, injuring
several men. Windows of buildings for
blocks around were shattered by the con-
cussion. Those in the refrigerating plant
from escape by the debris and suffered
torture from the rush Of steam and the fire
that started.
Cries from the imprisoned victims were
heard above the noise of the falling t.ebris
ana the shouts Of the hundreds who rushed
to the rescue. Clerks from the offices OF the
various packing concerns hurried to the
place and workmen came from every d.
rection to help the injured and aid in the
recovery of the dead.
Twenty ainbuances and patrol wagons
we're hurried to the place from the South
Side police station. Doctors within a
radius Of several miles were summon ed
Every hospital H. the South Side was asked
tor aid. lie dead were carried half a
block from the ruins and placed on the
wooden sidewalk until ambulanCes or ra-
troll wagons arrive ed to take the bodies
10 nearby undertaking establishments
immediate relief was given to the in
lured in offices AID buildings adjoining
the place. As quickly AZ possible the
sufferers were taken to the hospitals
The work Of reSc ue was hampered by tn
rhousa, ds who rushed to the sreLe aIe
blocked the Harrow streets of the stock
yards IN their e:crts To see what lad hap
pcned. Tie police ard fremen were
forced 10 charge the crowds to clear Path
for the amhulances and fire engines When
the crowds had been pushed back to make
room for the reScuers a Gordon Of police
was thrown out to keep the space clear
about "a" ruins.
No sat isfactory e1planati ion as to what
caused the explosion can be secured by the
police, A recent inspection of the boilers
was made 10y the building department Of
the city, and they were reported to be in
good condition.
RefIigerating plant No. Of Swift 4 Co
was a two-and-a- halfstory building, about
1875 feet long by rs feet wide, at the corner Of
LOOMS and Broadway streets, in the yards.
Boiler No. r. one 81 a series of Thirteen. was
the one that exploded The mass of iron
was torn bodily from it, fastcningS and
carried through the front Of the boiler
room, taking part Of the wrecked building
with II. The entire mass fell upon the
carshed, sixty feet away Then the heads
of the other boilers were blown out by the
force of he fist explosion
The dead are: Henry Arnold, colored,
ash wheeler; A. NJ Bushnell. assist ant
purchasing agent for Swift h Co: Thomas
Cubat, millwright; Thomas Holmes. lief
engineer; John Henry, colored, firemen;
james Owens, colorod, water tender; W
O'Connor. sewer digger; W farkes, laborer;
Abe Rachuv, foreman; NJ schultz, mill
wright: George Tate, colored, fireman.
Charles Webb, color,d, fireman; Edward
Wright, Cololcd. fireman.