New-York tribune., 1903-03-03
EXPLOSION KILLS SIN
THIRTY IRE INJURED.
FH-emcn Helpless Before Blaze at
Edison CrmcRt Plant.
fBr TELEGRAPH To THE rR1EuxE.I

Washington, \. J.. March with the list OF
dead and injured incomplete, six men are known
to have perished and between twenty-five and
thirty to have been more or less seriously
wounded in an explosion of pulveriZed coal at
the plant of the Edison Cement Company, at
New-VfITage, short distance below this town.
iue4 before six o'clock this evening.
The list of dead so far discovered is: Robert
Broadhead of Washington; Alvah Bryant. or
Washington: Daniel Smith. If Broadway, and
George Tompkins of New Village Two bodies
were not identified.
few minutes before the time for the blow
ing of the whistle t" announce the close "f the
davis work, fire discovered in coal hln IN
the coal storage house. = brigade of the en-
ployes who worked about the yards was armed
with buckets of water and hand extinguishers'
and their efforts were directed with such vigor
that they seemed to have "xtingushed the
flames
Later Harry Rose heard cracking noise
in another part Of this building and ON investi-
eating found that coal which was still burn
ing was being carried hy a oonvcyor TO another
building.
Just as he seized hucketful Of water and
was about to dash it on the flames the coal
exploded with a binding fash. roar and
concussion that shook every building IN me
ward and shattered every window
preparing to 60 home The explosion burst on
them without warming Huge Jumps of the
white hot coal struck them. Knocking them
down and setting fire to their clothing Screams
of pain and shrieks of terror filled the air as
some, with burning flesh. ran from the bulld-
ing while others stricken helpless by inc merry
blast. writhed on the floor. unable t" escape
The burning coal sot fire to the building ana a
gas which overpoWcred aud made unconscious
ling In al
nc.,rIv thirty mcu were injured and at latest
rcports three were missing. although the num-
bor MAY exceed that. Physicians of Washing
ton and Phillpsburg we're called. and the IN
i,,rod ,rera cared for as rapidly as possible
Tho most seriously injured, all of whom are
burned.
F. Darling. New Village. chief engineer;
William StaatZ Stewartsvillc. y. j.. night super
intendent may die; Harry Rose. PhiIlpshurG'
n l. day foreman: K. H. GoOdWellie. NeW-f ork'
chief electrician: George Bowman, timekeeper:
Ciintnn 8 Race EastOn; Alexander Wolf, stew
artsyiIle; George Bowman. Broadway ~ d. anu
Harry Wilkmeu, Broadway, n. D.
All oil these we're taken TO Eastoh- me
remainder cf the injured are being cared for at
,cev,-yiI,are and Stewartsville at farmhouscs
near the plant Special trains have been run
ming between New-Village and Easton ell night
and more of the unfortunate men are expected ID
be taken to the hospital there
It was reported that two men are MISSING ana
if is thought they may have been blown to pieces
or their bodies hurled so far that the search FOR
then, las not extended far enough and will not
until daylight.
Superintendent Darling. VINO could prohaoE
;donti,, .bom. is too badly hurt himself to do
~ His hands and arms badly burned
,,d form that IT is not likely they can he saved,
even II he survives his other injuries George
Rowman. another of the injured. is peculiarly
hurt His flesh blown from his back as
'.leanIv aInros: as if scraped of with Il knife.
FoO-nan will not live through the night.
The buildings known as the coal blower house.
era cooI house and coal storage house and the
three conveyors connecting thenl were destroyed
Ia. the Are The Washington iren1en were
called to the scene. but the fire N these struct-
Ires burned itself out.
Nurses as we'll doctors were rushed to the
srene Another explosion was expected. and the
bremen. for fear of Fastening 1t. dared not get
too near the burning structure or put water on
the flames ., -, ,-,
The plant was built only recently by Thomas
A Edison and has not yet turned out its nm
Ished product. Il employed several hundred men,