The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-21
Shoe Factory al Brockton, Mas.
sachusetts, Blown Up by
the Explosion.
SEVEN BUILDINGS DESTROYED
There Wsrs Over 400 Persons In the
Factory 81 the Time OF the Explos.
ion, and impossible TO State How
Many Have Been Killed.

Brookton. Mass. March 20.--At leasI
90 persons weer killed early thik morn
Ing by the explosion Of a boiler In ths
large shoe manufacturing establish
ment in CAMPBELL district conducted
by the II. II. Grover Company. Tn,
explosion was Immediately followed by
flash OF flames which conaumed III,
factory. long four-story structure
as II II werc house OF cards, and I'm
clncrated an unknown number OF mel
and women who we're unnbel TO extri
cate themselves from the mass Of
tangled wreakage formed by the ter.
rife upheavai In the boiler room. More
than 80 employees In the building were
maimed or bruised by the time they
reached the ground
Some had to jump from the roof and
some from the windows and many 9TH
erA we're injured In the mad rush 10
escape IRON the doomed factory" from
which all parts emmitted the heat Of an
inferno. driving back many bands OF
heroic rescucrs who In few minutes
performed gallant service.
The hre 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 blacksmith shop
The wooden buildings near the engine
room were practically demolished by
pieces OF the flying boiler, but none OF
the occupants were seriously hurt. The
, total financial loss In estimated nt
'S25O. 900.
II may never be known Just how
many persons perished In the wreck.
age No one knows exactly how many
persons were In the factory The num-
ber has been estimated ut 400. but
Treasurer Nelson said tonight he
doubted whether thySe were 10 many
AT work, Two hundred and fifty have
been accounted for and at midnight
so bodies had been recovered form tho
ruins, ana the search will be continued
all night,
Fragments OF human frames which
might possibly belong TO bodies othe,
than thoes removed have also been
found, Few OF the remains have been
identified. The head In nearly every
intsansc is missing, and except in rare
instances II Ia impossible to distinguish
the sex.
Chief of Police Boyden at late hour
tonight expressed the opinion that
some Of the employees had not reached
the factory at the time OF the explos-
ion and undoubtedly number of those
living nearby, who were injured, had
gone home without reporting their In.
juries. It is thought that many of those
unaccounted for, more than 100 In
number were among these. The dis
acter was attended by many harrow
ing scenes and thrilling reseues. An
inspection OF the wrecked boiler by
the state boiler inspector showed a
sufficient supply OF water In It. The
cause OF the explosion is unknown.
When the boiler exploded It passed
upward almost perpendicularly, tear
ing a passage as It went, killing many
on its way After rising high in the
aid II descended half distance and
then, swerving northerly, cut It's way
like a huge projectile through a
dwelling house further along.
Scenes Of horror followed the
wrenching apart of the factory bullj'
ing. In the rear three upper floors
Weighted as they were with heavy ma