Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-03-25
SIXTY PEOPLEKILLED
BOILER EXPLOSION AND FIRE At
BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
Large Shoe Manufacturing Establish
ment of S. B. Grover Company De-
stroyed-Bodies Fifty-three People
Recovered-Loss Will Reach More
Than S25o,ooo.

plosion of a boiler in a large shoe man
ufacturing establishment in the Cam
pellO district, conducted by the S. b.
Grover company.
The explosion was Immediately fol-
lowed by a flash of flame, which con-
sumed the factory, a long. four story
structure, as if it were a house of
cards, and incinerated an unknown
number of men and women who were
unable TO extricate themselves from a
mass of tangled wreckage formed by
the terrible upheaval in the boiler
room. More than 30 of the employees
in the building were mangled, 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 the doomed fac
tory. From all parts of the building
the heat of an inferno was emitted,
driving back the band of heroic recuers
who in a few minutes had performed
gallant service.
The fire extended from the factory
to seven other buildings in the vicinity
and destroyed them. One of these
buildings was three story wooden
block, the others being cottages of
small value and a blacksmith shop
The wooden dwellings near the engine
room were practically demolished by
the flying boiler, but none of their oc-
cupants were seriously hurt. The total
financial loss is estimated at $3.50, 600,
5000, 900 of which falls on the b. b.
Grover company.
1t may never be known just how
many persons were In the factory. The
number has been estimated 400 but
the Treasurer Charles o. Emerson said
tonight that he doubted whether there
we're so many at work Two hundred
and fifty survivors have been accounted
for, and at midnight the remains of 90
bodies had been recovered from the
ruins, the search being continued all
night. Fragments of human frames
which possibly might belong to bodies
other than those recovered also have
been found. Few of the remains have
been identified. The head in nearly
every instance is missing, and except
in rare instances, it was impossible
even to distinguish the sex.
The work of identifying those killed
by the explosion progressed slowly, ow-
ing to the generally unacceptable re-
mains of the victim s.
The explosion which was followed by
such sacrifice of life entailed appall-
fter l,..t. oh "
Gfter the operatives had settled down
to work for the day, and without warn
ing suddenly the air vibrated with the
roar of an explosion.
At the same moment the large wood
en- frame of the factory, a four story
structure, quivered, and then the rear
portion of it collapsed. This section
of the great building had been trans
formed into a mass of iron and wood
wreckage, in the midst of which hui
man beings were pinioned. In another
moment fire had broken out in the lob
bies, and death by fire and suffocation
became the fate of scores of operatives.
When the boiler exploded it passed
upward almost perpendicularly, tear
ing passage as it went, killing many
on the way. After rising high in the
air it descended half the distance and
then, swerving northerly, cut its way
like some huge projectile through
dwelling house 90 feet away and pierre
ed another dwelling further along.
The scenes of horror followed the
wrenching apart of the factory build
ing. The three upper floors, weighted
as they were with heavy machinery,
collapsed with crash that was heard
for blocks. Men and women working
in departments of this section who
were busy at their machines had time
but to turn in an attempt to flee after
he first dull roar when the flooring
sank beneath them, and they were car
ried to the ground floor, crushed sand
bruised amid the mass of debris. Many
fell mot veritable efiry furnace. In
the sections of the factory which re-
manned standing the operatives were
panic stricken as they sought escape.
Mnay fled down the stairways and
reached the street. Others ran TO the
windows, the fire escapes in many
cases having been torn away by the
explosion. 1t desperation many jump
ed from the second and third story
windows to the ground and were dam
gerously injured. The crush on the
sttairways resulted in numerous minor
injuries.
Scarcely had the rear portion of the
structure collapsed when tongue of
flame started up from the boiler pit,
and, reaching out, burned the splinters
of the wreckage, and Immediately af-
terward the standing walls. Soon the
entire story was in flames.
Instant death was the fate of many
who went down with the floors that
collapsed. A large number of men and
women who were working near sup
pOrtswere alive after the floors and
walls fell. From these unfortunates
cries of agony and terror went up.
Almost all had been caught between
broken timbers, lighter wooden wreck
age and heavy pieces of machinery. IA
few persons succeeded in extricating
themselves in the wreckage, but more
were roased to death.
Later.
The remains of 90 persons have been
recovered from the ruins Fifty three
persons are known to be still missing,
the names of 81 of whom have been OBJ
tanned. Many others are reported miss
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