The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-03
COOKER BLEW UP.
Big DIstillery Wrecked by Ex-
plosion at Peoria.
Four Killed and Number Miss
ing or Injured.
DAMAGE is $4,000.
Plant Had a Capacity iof 5000
Bushels Daily.
Government stOrekeeper Is
Among the Missing.

Peoria, ILL.,, Oct. 3.-An awful catas-
trophe occurred at the plant of the
Corning Distilling company.s in the ex-
treme south end of the city At o'clock
this morning, when one of the immense
cookers in the main building exploded
with deafening report killing several
of the employees, manning many more
and completely wrecking that portion of
the distiHery. Fire alarms were imme-
diately sent in for the entire department,
and patrol wagons and ambulances were
hurriediy summoned. Fortunately the
wreckage did not take fire AID the fire.
men Immediately assisted the distillery
employees, who had escaped III the rescue
of their less fortunate fellofgworkmen-
The cooker is a steel continuance about
20 feet in diameter and so feef in length,
used in cooking the mashes.: 1t is pre-
sumed vacuum was formed. and when
the steam was turned on to cook today's
mash the explosion followed The cook
er was hurled through the north wall
of the four story structure, a distance of
250 feet. The entire north wall of the
distillery was blown down. and the
south and east walls were also badly
damaged. The wreckage was distribu
ted all over the neighborhoods The dis
tillery management estimates their fin
ancial loss at full $75, 900, and it will be
some weeks before the plant can be re-
paired sufficiently to resume operations.
Thousands of people quickly gathered
at the scene to assist in the work of
rescue. James McManus, an 4mploye OF
the cooker room, was first removed from
the wreck He was dead. having been
instantly killed James. O'Keefe was
still alive when removed. He was badly
burned all over his body by the scald-
ing steam and died a few mirsutes after
FOL
Powell, the assistant engineer of the
cooker room, was dead when taken out.
George Schaeffer a boy 16 years of age
was alive when taken out. bat died on
the way to the hospital He was scald-
ed all over his body
Owing to the complete wreck the
search for the bodies was attended wftf1-
the utmost difficulty
The following is believed to pe COM
plete list of the casualties:
THE DEAD.
, JAMES McMANUS, Instantly killed
in the cooker room.
NEII. POWELL. assistant engineer
in the cooker room; taken out dead
JAMES O'KEEFE, badly burned all
over his body; died in the ambulance
on way to the Cottage hospital.
GEORGE SCHAFFER, aged 16. years,
scalded all over his body: died on way
to the hospital.
THE MISSING
John Wilson. government st6rekeeper.
Guy Brennan, yeast maker.
THE INJURED.
Daniel Cashin, both legs fractured,
burned on arm; it is thought he will
recover
James Welsh, burned on body; not
badly. Will recover-
George c. George, 715 Warner ave-
nue., scalded about the hehd. face
hands and legs: not serious.
Charles Lane. 321 South Washington
street hands burned; not serious
Unknown man. called tsThe Dago.
badly scalded about the head: uncon-
SciouS
Corning's distillery was a eompara-
lively new house, having been erected
two years ago. and haC capacity of
5000 bushels per day. 1t was equipped
for the manufacture of finished goods
as well as high wines and alcohol.