The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-03
TWenty-eight Wounded Men and
Women Lying at HOSpita,
Some Fatally Hurt
.FROLICSOME GIRLS ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR HAVOC
Firemen Had Little Trouble In Extin-
gushing the Flames, as Building
Was Total Wreck-Shock
Felt for Many Blocks.

Fclt Iot Wdtly 0iosNSs
Cleveland, O., May 9 - An explosion
disastrous in results occurred at the plant
of the Thor Manufacturing company on
Orange street this afternoon. Thus far
three persons are dead, while twenty
eight others are lying in hospitals, some
fatally and others more or less seriously
injured.
The dead:
Mrs. Maurice Cohen, aged 4o
Solomon Cohen, aged H.
Harry Giuechmann, aged 10.
Fatally injured:
Mrs. Anna Stone.
Ben Cohen, aged 10.
Injured: Loretta Stone, aged 5; Vera
Stone, aged 81 Miss Lulu Hahn, aged 2O;
A. w Horwitz; Mary Goblowits, ageo
is; Wilbur Cole, aged, 20; Florence Lltz-
tien. aged 90; Mrs. Henry Quass, aged 80;
Harry Quass, aged s; Mabel Quass aged
8; Mamie Myer, aged 10; Mrs. j. I. Mill
er, Jacob Cohen, Harry Cohen, Ella Hs-
terbrook, Lizzie Stein, Mrs. Esterbrook'
B. Hollander, Mrs. l.. Page, Willie Fer
lei. Augusta Wolff Arthur Conway.
Lille Aithoff Stella Hertzel Daisy
Foutz. Katie Fishel, Belle Griffiths.
The Thor Manufacturing company Is
engaged IN the manufacture OF tor
pedo canes and other explosives, large
stock of material was on hand ana extra
girls were being employed.
The force Of the explosion was tremeno-
Gus and windows within radius OF
. hrnl
In the house on Orange street, next
to the factory. lived Maurice Cohen with
his wife aud eight children. With the
collapse of ire nouse. simultaneously witl
the explosion, the woman and four chill
dren were CO ght the falling partitions
and al horribly ruyheb.
Mrs Cohen died on me way to the hos
pital.
In the house directly in the rear were
Mrs. Barney Quass and TWO boys. AL
three were badly injured
OF Peculiar Origin.
The fire originated in a peculiar manner
The torpedo caps are filled in molds and
there is constant danger of some OF the
loose powder, supposed to be illuminate
of mercury, dropping on the floor. Foi
this reason the girls and boys who are
employed in the factory are compelled
to remove their shoes while at work. sc
as to avoid the danger of striking sparks
The explosion was due to the frolicsom6
propensities of new girl, who had beer
employed at the plant less than week
The girls had their shoes on at the lunch
hour and one playfully showed another OF
the girls AS the girl slid along the flool
| her shoes struck a spark in some loos'
! powder. Instantly the floor was ablaze
At this juncture painter who was work
| ing on the Brudno house next dool
/ glanced through the open window ant
saw the fire. The girls did not seem t
realize their great danger and were tryint
to extinguish the flames. The painter
realizing what was stored In the building
yelled to the girls to run for their lives.
There were ten girls, four boys ant
one man in the factory when the explos
i ion occurred. All of these got out ex
| cept Florence Lipster. Willard Cole, sol
of one Of the proprierors, and Arthur
Conway, 14-year-old boy.
Flames Easily Subdued.
The flames were easily subdued by th'
firemen after the explosion, as there wa!
nothing left of the factory but pill,
! of debris The fire-fighters AT once com
menced the work of digging in the ruins
for the imprisoned. The first to be un
earthed was Arthur Conway. He sus
4 tanned no injuries of a serious nature
! The next found was Willard Cole. Hi
right arm was broken and terribly lac
Grated, and he was covered with bruises
/ He was unconscious when found. but al
most Immediately regained his senses. II
broke away from the firemen who wer
/ carrying him and rushed back to tn
ruins crying, Florence, Florence" From
this the firemen knew that at least on
-. 4, -.
away the debris resumed their search
In a short time they came upon the un
| conscious body of Florence. Lipster. Sh
was pinned under a great weight o
debris, terribly bruised and disfgured.
old Woman Horribly Bruised.
Mrs. L. Page. rs years of age. lived neal
! the scene OF the explosion. She wal
| thrown to the floor with great violence
In falling her hair caught upon an OBJ
| struction and part Of her scalp wal
| torn of Both ears were torn of. II
| an adjoining apartment was a baby i
months old. Falling glass cut the chilt
| so severely abtut the face that 1t is fear
| ed its eyesight may be destroyed.
| A short distance away was the home o
Mr.. and Mrs. H. Gluechmann Harry
J Gleuchmann, their 15-year-old son, wa!
lying critically i'll Of typhoid fever. Th'
| explosion and the consequent shock was
too great for the sick boy to bear ant
he died within five minutes.
| At No 1865 Cass avenue little girl Il
years old was lying I'll of scarlet fever
| The crashing glass from the window fel
| across the sick child's face and her fore
head was deeply gashed. splinter O
| the glass embedded itself in one eye ant
| she will lose her sight.
| In No 619 Orange street, six doors from
| the scene of the explosion. were Mrs
Rosie Lewis and her daughter Sylvia
The mother had her baby girl In her arms
at the time of the explosion and botf
were thrown to the floor, They were
bruised and 1t Is feared the baby sus
tanned internal injuries.
For two blocks pedestrians were thrown
to the ground by the force of the de
tonation and scores of persons sustained
xaix.,.- it,iIIriea this ,uav