The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1904-05-26
LIVES ARE LOST
BY AN EXPLOSION
TERRIBLE DISASTER OCCURS AT
FINDLAY, o.
BIG PLANT TORN TO PIECES
Explosion in Lake Shore Novelty Com
pany's Factory Kills Seven Per-
sons and Injuries Many, Some
of Whom Will Die.

Findlay, O., May 23--As a result Of
an explosion in the two drying rooms
of the Lake Shore Novelty company
plant here Sunday, seven persons are
known to be dead five are so seriously
hurt that recovery Ia believed TO be
impossible, and IL or Is are injured
badly. From reports of the physicians
ten of the less seriously injured may
die as result Of blood poisoning from
the potash that was driven into their
bodies.
The Victims.
The dead are: Joseph Sherwood,
aged 81; Jay Sherwood, aged "a; Edith
Dillon, aged II; Dean Shaw, aged is;
and Mary Snider, aged %. These were
killed Instantly Estolla Decker, aged
Is. and Frank Grant, aged 81 died
later at home.
The injured, whom 1t is believed can
not recover: Maggie Logan, aged 10;
injured by flying debris; Thomas Book,
struck in the back by flying barrel.
arms and legs broken, internally in
jured; Claude Shaw. twin brother of
Dean back severely injured and ankle
broken; Efie Peterman and her broth
err Roy. caught in falling debris and
internally injured
The property loss is 100000. The
plant, il is said, will not be rebuilt
Most of the funerals will occur to-day
and business generally will be suspend
cd hnJiqc found ~ "a dis
lance of 300 feet from the scene of the
explosion.
Cause Not Definitely Known.
The Lake Shore novelty works plant
covered nearly ten acres of ground in
the Southwest part of the city and
employed nearly 200 men, women and
children. Railroad torpedocs and
Fourth of July explosives were manu-
featured. Owing 10 the large rush Of
orders the officials of the plant re-
Qucsted the employees to report for duty
Sunday. About 30 complied with the
request. During the morning residents
Of Findlay were startled by two eX-
blossoms that shattered windows
throughout the city The conclusion
was felt for miles around Two maya
zines in separate rooms at the novelty
works let go simultaneously with ter
rble reports. The exact cause OF the
explosion is not definitely known. 1t
IS surmised that one of the Sherwood
brothers, who were the only persons
In the drying rooms dropped large
box of torpcdoes, but this theory can
not be confirmed The explosion oc-
Cured shortly before the employees as
sembled for duty. At least 20 per-
sons were on their way to the factory
when the explosion occurred
Human forms were strcwn consider
able distances apart on the factory
site The remains of the Sherwood
brothers were found in drying room
No /, manEed, and almost uurecog-
nizable Their clothing was blown
from their bodies, save a stocking ON
the right foot of Jay Sherwood The
body of Edith Dillon was picked up
zoe yards from where the explosion
occurred The news of the catastro-
phe spread like wildfiro throughout the
county. Every train and interurban
car that has arrived In the city for the
past ten hours was crowded. The large
plant is shattered into fragments, not
one single wall remaining. Bricks and
timber can be found for half mile
orpurI