The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-10
ONE KILLED, EIGHT HURT.
CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE.)

CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE.)
to the easf of the engine room saved sur
rounding property from damage from fly
ing splintefs, as the loosened wreckage was
hurled against their sides and held down by
the roof. AS it was. stray particles of
wreckage were thrown hundreds of feet
from the scene, but fortunately none Of
them did any damage to either property or
the life Of residents of the vicinity
Mrs. Peter Clements, who lives at No.
1913 Madison avenue, directly across the
street from the plant, said her first intima-
ton that something was wrong in the plant
was In AR to her house and a sudden
noise which increased momentarily and be-
came deafening. Added to this were fall
ing walls and escaping steam. She looked
out of her window and at first imagined
that the whole plant was destroyed and,
towering high above the steam and smoke
and dust raised by the disaster. she saw
the smokestack trembling and swerving as
though it would fall. Her house quaked
from the effect, and as she rushed into the
street she saw her neighbors, similarly dis
turbed, standing in front of their homes
waiting for the rest Of the plant to sue
cumb to the extraordinary disturbances in
the engine room.
TALK WITH EMMINGS.
Robert E,nmings was taken to his home
by Captain Newman, of the Salvage Corps
after he escaped from the wreck He was
not injured severely enough to prevent his
talking of the disaster. He said he was
standing talking with Fireman Bowers the
man who was killed, outside of the engine
room, ten minutes before the accident
After talking about the coming heavy sea-
son of work, of which they were warned by
the foreman, the two firemen started into
the engine room, after a remark by Bowers
that I'VE hid better take a look at them"
The two firemen went below and started to
work. Bowers fired No. l and No. 2, and
continued To No. 3, while Emmings started
on his task at boilers Nos. 4, and 6. Just
as he opened the door of No. he heard the
report and was hurled from his feet He
says he does not know which boiler ex-
ploded, but that Bowers must have opened
the door OK No. and started to work.
when he was hurled back by the explosion
Bowers was found lying about ten feet in
front of boiler No. 3, in a pool of boiling
water. He, was held down by wreckage
which had fallen on him, and 1t was with
pensary ambulance, hauled him out. Nc
Donald was assisted by the firemen of en-
CINE compan MES Nos. II and 4, under Cap
tains Delaney and Pugh. After the body
was recovered 1t was taken in charge by
superintendent Lowry and DIR. Crockett of
the City Dispensary. and taken to the city
morgue. From the morgue the body was
taken in charge by an undertaken and pre-
pared for burial
BOWERSS EMPLOYMENT.
Bowers was fifty-two years old, and had
been an employee of the plant for some
time He worked in the plant when it was
known as the Indianapolis hominy mill,
and before its acquisition by the American
Hominy Company. He is survived by a
widow and eight children, six girls and two
bows, who range in age from FIVE years to
men and women.
Immediately after the explosion the DO
lice fire and medical departments of the
city were notified, and soon the place was
under control by the authorities. A detail
of police under Captain Kruger stretched
ropes to prevent the crowd from getting too
close 10 the walls of the building. which
were thought to be unsafe, and the fire de-
partment had streams of water playing on
the ruins. The city ambulance was not
slow in getting TO the scene, and immedi-
ately after it's arrival the physicians and
driver worked industriously in saving the
injured men, The uncertainty Immediately
after the explosion got on the nerves and
it was two hours before friends and rela-
tives knew that but man had been
killed After all of the men had been ac-
counted for the managers of the plant were
relieved and the rescuers ceased their la
bors of searching for supposed imprisoned