The Indianapolis journal., 1903-05-03
Woman and Four Children Caught by
Falling Partitions i'm Their Home
and Seriously Crushed.
MANY BUILDINGS SHAKEN
WINDOWS WITHIN A RADIUS OF A
QUARTER OF MILE BROKEN.
Toy Torpedo Canes Were Manufac-
tured I'm the Plant and Powder or
illuminate Was ON the Floor.

H
CLEVELAND, o.. May Am explosion
that caused death and destruction occurred
In the plant the Thor Manufacturing
Company, located at 747 Orange street. this
afternoon. Thus fer three persons are
dead. while twenty-eight others are lying
at hospitals. some fatally and others more
or less seriously injured.
The Dead
MRS. MAURICE COHEN. aged forty.
died on the way to hospital.
SOLOMON COHEN, aged twelve, died at
hospital.
HARRY GLUECHMANN, aged fifteen.
sick at the time died as result of shock
Fatally Injured
MRS. ANNA STONE. left eye torn out,
severe scalp wounds, deep cut in right
cheek through the jawbone and bruised
about the shoulder.
BEN COHEN, aged thirteen, frontal
bone torn away. skin torn from face and
scalp. cut about the shoulders and legs;
will die.
Less Seriously Injured
LORETTA STONE, aged five. end of
tongue torn away and badly cut about the
head.
VERA STONE, aged three. slightly cut
about the head.
MISS LULU HAHN, aged twenty, cut
about head, face and hands, severe scalp
wound.
~ w HORwITZ, cut about ears and
deep cut in right temple. also severe scalp
wound.
MARY GOBLOWITZ, aged sixteen, COM
pound fracture of the left arm. badly
bruised about the face. head limbs and
body; in a serious condition. -.s-,.---
WILBUR COLE. aged twenty. arm cut;
portion of nose corn away and bruised
about face; not serious.
FLORENCE LITZSTEIN, aged twenty
two, seriously cut about the face and head
MRS. HENRY QUASS. aged thirty-five
cut about head and body; injuries serious
HARRY QUASS. aged five, suffering
from shock.
from shock and cut about the body.
MAMIE MAYER, aged fifteen, eye blown
out and suffering from shock.
MRS. ]. T. MILLER, cut about the head,
JACOB COHEN, aged thirteen, badly cut
about the body.
HARRY COHEN, aged fifteen, badly cut
about the face and body.
ELLA ESTERBROOK. aged eleven
thrown against furnace and injured and
cut about the sace.
LIZZIE STERN. aged eight. cut by fly
ing glass.
MRS. EsTERBROOK, cut In forehead
and bad cut in scalp.
b. HOLLANDER, shoulder sprained,
badly bruised all over body, possible in
ternal injuries.
0nESo Ia. <a0L%s SCdip anu CdhS tclL, Ddu-
ly bruised.
WILLIE FERTEL. badly bruised
AUGUSTA WOLFF, thrown to pavement.
face torn.
ARTHUR CONWAY, aged fourteen, cut
and bruised.
LILLE ALFHOFF. bruised.
STELLA HERTZEL. DAISY FOUT.
KATIE FISCHEL and BELLE GRIF-
FITHS, all employed at torpedo factory.
They had escaped from the building before
-. e.ffer I-r ar,I
bruises from flying debris and from being
thrown 10 the pavement
The Thor Manufacturing Company is en-
gagged in the manufacture OF toy torpedo
canes and other explosives. The company
was in the midst of its busiest season. A
large stock of material was on hand. Ex-
ira girls were being employed and by the
end of the week it was intended TO put on
the road the largest shipment ever sent
out by the company.
The force OF the explosion was tremen-
dous and windows within a radius OF a
quarter of mile We're broken. In the house
on Orange street next TO the factory lived
Maurice Cohen, with his wife and eight
children. With the collapse of the house
simultaneously with the explosion the wom-
an and four children were caught in the
falling partitions and all were horribly
scious. Mrs. Cohen died on the way to the
hospital. In the house directly in the rear
were Mrs. Barney Quass and two boys
All three were badly injured. and taken
TO hospitals.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The fire originated i'm 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. For this
reason the girls and boys who are employed
In the factory compelled 10 remove
their shoes while at work. so as TO avoid
the danger OF striking sparks The ex-
plosion was due to the frolicsome pro-
peasities OF a new girl who had been en-
ployed at the plant less than a 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 floor her
shoes struck spark in some loose powder
Instantly the floor ablaze. With great
nresence OF mind one OF the girls ran to
rub of water which was standing in the
ROOM and threw IL on the fire. The blaze
had gained too great headway, however
and the water did not quench IT, At this
functure painter. who was working or
tho Brudno house next door. glanced
through the open window and saw the
are The girls did not seem To realize
their great danger and were trying 10 ex-
ffngufsh the flames The painter. however
raa?sz;ng what was stored in the building
yelled to the girls 10 run for their lives
There were ten girls. four boys and orc
nan IN the factory when the explosion oc'
H,~rod All OF these got out except Flor
S-~e IftxStefn, Willard Cole. son OF one o1
the proprIetors OF the place.. and Arthur
Conway. fouI teensssass,1omb sssv subS;ed bv tb<