Milford chronicle., 1905-03-24

explosion. AT the same moment the
large wooden frame Of the factory, a
four-story structure. quivered, and
then the rear portion of it collapsed. In
a fraction of a second this section #
the great building had been trans
formed into a mass of iron and wooden
wreckage, in the midst of which human
beings were piniOned. In another mo-
ment fire had broken out in the de-
bris, and death by fire and suffocation
became the fate of scores of the opec-
atives.
Scenes of horror followed the
wrenching apart of the factory build
ing. In the rear the three upper floors,
weighted as they were with heavy ma
chinery, collapsed with a crash that
was heard for blocks. Men and women
operatives attempted to flee, after the
first dull roar, when the flooring sank
beneath them, and they were carried
to the ground floor, crushed and
bruised, amid the mass of debris. Many
fell into a veritable fiery furnace.
Scarcely had the rear portion of the
structure collapsed, when a tongue Of
flame started up from the boiler pit,
and, reaching out as it ascended, COM
municated with the splintered wreck
age, and Immediately after with the
standing walls. Soon the entire fac
tory was in flames.
By this time nearby citizens had ar
rived to assist the employees who es-
capped in the rescue of their fellows.
BY the use of long pieces of timber the
rescuers were able to raise parts of the
wreckage and thereby release some of
the imprisoned men and women, and
then, by rushing into the smoke, pull
them from the ruins.
Then it was that acts of sacrifice and
heroism were seen. One man, whose
legs were caught under an iron beam,
cried to the rescuers that they could
not extricate him and to help the girls
behind him. Stretching out his arms,
he lifted several girls, one by one, and
passed them to the rescuers. Then
the fire reached him and he died. A
woman, who was entangled in a shoe
machine, cried out that she was dying,
and commanded the rescuers to attend
to others who might live. She begged
to be shot. Soon the flames enveloped
her.
Among the first to arrive on the
scene was Rev. James A. O'Rourke.
curate at St. Margaret's Catholic
church nearby. At the risk of his life,
he removed seven persons from the
ruins before the fire had reached them,
and was returning for the eighth one
when he tainted from the effects of the
smoke and shock.
The house at the north of the fac
tory through which the exploded boiler
crashed was owned and occupied by
David W. Rockwell, the engineer III
charge of the boiler, who was among
the killed. The house was demolished,
the roof being ripped off and two walls
torn down. Mrs. Rockwell, who was
sitting by the kitchen stove, had a
miraculous escape from death, receiv-
ing many cuts from flying bits of tim
Der when the boiler exploded through
the upper portion of her house. Mrs.
Rockwell snatched up her two chill
dren, who were uninjured, and started
for the home of the nearest neighbor,
Mrs. Eta Hood She found this cot
tage had been practically rent asunder
by the boiler, the head of which was
buried in the middle of the structure.
Miss Pratt, 7S years Of age, a relative
Of the Hoods, was alone in the house.
The cottage was thrown several feet
off its foundations and Miss Pratt was
knocked down and stunned, but recoy-
cred.
Several charred and headless bodies
were recovered near the boiler pit,
and the bones Of others we're found.
They were placed in pine boxes and
removed 70 a temporary morgue.
Several Of the rescuers and search
vrs tainted as they beheld the dis
tressing scene. There was no trace Of
the body Of David W. Rockwell, engi-
neer of the plant who was not seen
after the explosion. It is supposed that
he perished at his post.
An inspection Of the wrecked boiler
by the state boiler Inspector showed
that there was a sufficient supply Of
water in it. The cause of the explosion
Is at present a mystery.