Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1905-03-25
Boiler in Shoe Factory txpIodes and
Wrecks Building
DEATH LIST A VERY LARGE ONE
Power Boiler Exploded, Sky-Rockct.
lno Up Through the Building and
Causing Scores Of Deaths Through
instantaneous Fire in the Wreekage.

BrcSkton. Mass. Special.-This city 4
&c in mourning for at least three score /
people. whose lives were blotted out /
early Monday by the explosion OF a /
boiler in a large shoe manufacturing |
establishment I'm the Campobello dis
trict. conducted by the r. b. Grover
Company.
The explosion was Immediately fol
lowed by a fash OF flame. which con
sumed the factory. a long. four-story
structure. as IL IL were a house OF
cards. and incinerated an unknown
number OF men and women. who were
unable 20 extricate themselves from
a mass Of tangled wreckage formed
by the terrific upheaval in the boiler
room. More than half a hundred OF
the employees were manned. burned or
bruised by the time they reached safe
ground. Some had jumped from the
roof. some from windows. and others
had been injured in the mad rush TO
escape from tie doomed factory.
which from all parts emitted the in
tense. awful heat of an inferno. driving
back the band OF heroic rcscuers who
in a few brief moments had performed
gallant service.
The FIRE extended from the factory
10 seven others buildings in the vicin-
its and destroyed them. One OF these
buildings was a three-story wooden
block. owned hv Charles r. DahlbOrC
the others being cottages OF small val
ne and blacksmith shop Two wood
on dwellings near the engine room
+ were practically demolished by the
flying boiler. but none OF the occu-
pants was seriously injured The too
tal financial loss lis estimated az a
quarter 90 a million dollars. 5000 600
of which falls on the r. Il. Grover
COMPANY The monetary losses are
nearly Offset hy Insurance.
lt may never Doe known just how
many persons persisted iu the wreck
age. 80 one knows exactly how many
persons were in the factory. The
number has been estimated az 500
lur Treasurer Charles @. Emerson
said he doubted whether there were
So many az work Two hundred and
fifty survivors have been accounted
for. and az midnight the remains %,
50 bodies had been recovered from the
ruins. The search being continued al
night Fragments OF human frames
which might belong 90 bodies othe'
than those enumerated. have alss
been found Few OF the remains hav,
been identified The head in nekrl,
every case is missing. and, except u
rare Instances. 60 was impossible ever
90 distinguish the sex.
Chief % Police Boyden az a lat,
hour expressed the opinion that som,
% the employees had not reached IA
factory az the time o. the explosion
and that undoubtedly a number @
those living ln nearby places were an
p ,ured. and had gone home wIthou
P reporting their injuries. He though
o. that many ~ those no: accounted fol
: upwards - 100 IN number wer
among those.
An inspection % the wrecked boile
y by The State boiler Inspector shove
that there was q sufficient supply &
2 water IN g. The cause ~ the eVpli
p sion Isl at present mystery The di
Z astcr viii be further Investigated &
r. the state authorities
Inspector 70 Investigate.
- Boston. Special-Chief Shaw. OF Il
- STATE police has detailed inspect
Kazer 20 proceed 10 ascertain the ca.
4, o. the accident
7, If criminal negligence IS shown
shall take immediate steps. said q
chief tonight
The boiler was insured hy the HaI
Il ford Steam Boiler Inspection and ]
. surance Company OF this city IN Z
= sum % SO 900. c. r. Roberts. the i0g
manager. sent tao OF the inspectors
y the scene Immediately upon receipt
the news Of the catastrophy.