Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-10-28
g)APFACIORY WRECKED
Dynamite Believed to Have Been
Used to Destroy Des Moines
Structure
.ataAT HAVE BEEN A COLLAPSE
Mr.. Charles ?routy, at the Head of the
Soap Company. Estimates the Dam
age at $4,000, Mostly Covered by In
aithful Employe Has Mar
row Escape From Death.
row Escape From Death
Especial to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Oct 2S.-The Prouty
soap factory at East Third and Market
streets was wrecked last night and
Charles Prouty, who is at the head OF
HE soap company. said he believed dy-
namite had been used to destroy the
structure. altho it was possible that
the building had collapsed,
Henry Atwood one of the employees,
was In the building at the time, and
narrowly escaped With his life. He
vas buried In the debris.
Mr.. Prouty estimated the damage al
$4,000 1t is possible that the insur-
ance will not cover the wreck.
Only a few minutes before the acci-
dent occurred. Atwood who is the
hight Waterman at the factory, saw
ave men come from the alley north of
the building and cross the X. & ID.
tracks and get into some box ears. lie
rays that he first heard an explosion
from the north part of the building,
and thinks that a charge Of dynamite
had been placed there. The bricks
We're thrown clear across the road, ana
long distance from the building in
very direction.
At the same time it is worth con-
;i1ering that because of the location.
OF the building near the tracks used by
the Rock Island, for exclusive freight
,rafTic. i; must stand the vibrations of
The ground caused by the gigantic mo-
suls and the long trains of cars pass
ing daily.
The entire east wing of the building.
which was entirely new, having been
occupied only a few weeks collapsed
shortly before o'clock. The building
was worth $4,000. The stock within
was worth $4,000, the whole covered
by insurance, which would be valid for
any ordinary accident, but may not
prove OF any help in the present in
stance.
The night Waterman, Henry Atwood,
who lives at 522 South East Fourth
street, was IN the center of the wreck
ed portion of the building mailing boxes
when the crash came. His position
between two high piles of soap boxes
10 all that saved his life. the ruins be-
Ing held OF him by the stack of boxes.
The first men to arrive on the scene
took axes and chopped hole in the
debris to reach him, finding him in a
sitting posture. with his right arm un-
Nfted and grasping his hammer.
Tho collapse had came so sud ienly
that he had been unable 10 lower his
arm from where it had been raised 10
Strike a nail.
,al, Nd yx-ni All
away. declaring that he was not badly
hurt. Later he discovered that he had
several severe bruises, but none sur
ficient to prevent him getting abous
the building with ease.
He refused to leave the scene until
the secretary and manager of the COM
pany, Mr.. c. ID. Prouty, could reach
the scene, saying that he had been left
in charge of the building, and that he
would stay by it until the owners came
to relieve him. He went about TO all
parts that were left standing, saw that
everything was all right, inspected the
boilers and, when Mr.. Prouty arrived,
was able TO Tell the story and turn the
wreck over to the proprietor, having
watched 1t faithfully to the end He
then walked to his home in South Des
Moines.
The police ambulance was called soon
after the wreck, but Atwood steadily
refused to be taken home, preferring
to remain by his charge until he could
turn 1t over to the proprietor. After
Atwood had gone to his home the works
were left in charge of Officer Brophy
until substitute Waterman could be
obtained.