Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1905-03-24
DOOMED TO
AWFUL FATE
Brockton, Mass, Factory 0p-
eratives Thrown Into
Furnace.
CAUSE, EXPLOSION OF BOILER
Leaves Many Crushed and MangIed
Bodies to Be Cremated Others,
Still Living, Are Forced to Await
the Approach of the Flames.

score of her citizens, whose lives We're
| plotted out early yesterday by the
| explosion of a boiler in large shoe
manufacturing establishment in the
Campello district, conducted by the
| r. B. Grover company.
The explosion was Immediately fol-
lowed by a flash of flame, which con-
sumed the factory, 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 terrific upheaval in the boiler
room. More than half a hundred OF
the employees in the building 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 the
doomed factory, which, from all parts,
emitted the intense, awful heat of an
inferno, driving back the band Of
heroic rescuers who, In a few brief
moments, had performed gallant sG'-
vice.
The fire extended from the factory
to seven other buildings in the vicin-
ity and destroyed them. One Of these
buildings was q three story wooden
block owned by Charles F. Dahlborg,
the others being cottages of small
value and a blacksmith shop. Two
wooden dwellings near the engine
room were practically demolished by
the flying boiler but none of the occu-
pants was seriously injured. The total
financial loss is estimated at a quar-.
ter of million dollars, 100000 of
which falls on the r. B. Grover COM
pany. The monetary losses are
nearly offset by insurance.
1t may never be known just how
many persons persisted in the wreck
age. No one knows exactly how
many persons were in the factory. The
number has been estimated at 400,
but Treasurer Charles o. Emerson
said tonight that he doubted whether
there, were so many at work.
At an early hour this morning the
remains Of fifty-three persons had
been recovered from the ruins. Seven
bodies have been identified, but only
three or four positively. Fifty-three
persons are known to be still missing,
the names of thirty-one of whom have
been obtained. Many others are re-
ported missing, but it is considered
possible that some of them are at
their homes in nearby towns.
At this hour 253 survivors have
been. accounted for. The estimates OF
the dead range from sixty to eighty,
and of the injured from fifty to one
hundred. Many persons not seriously
/, hurt went to their homes and did not
report their injuries. There have been
no deaths at the hospitals, where but
four persons are on the dangerous
list.
The disaster was attended by
many narrowing scenes and thrilling
rescues. For hours hundreds Of rela-
tives of the factory operatives be.
sieged the ruins and the fire and po-
lice stations in quest of missing ones.
Some, in their violent grief and agon-
izing stress of mind, collapsed. Sew
eral of the rescuers tainted as they
beheld the scene. There was no trace
Of the body of David w. Rockwell, en-
gineer of the plant, who was not seen
after the explosion. 1t is supposed
that he persisted at his post.
An inspection of the wrecked boiler
oy the state boiler inspectors showed
that there was a sufficient supply Of
water in it. The cause of the ex-
! plosion is at present mystery. The
disaster will be further investigated
by the state authorities.
Brocl1ton, Mass, Mar. 22.-Satisfied
that there was no chance of recover
Ing additional bodies from the ruins
of the r. B. Grover company's shoe
factory, search was abandoned at II
o'cock last night by the small army
of volunteers after thirty-seven hours
Of constant toll.
Although the police and Medical
Examiner Paine feel sure that they
have removed from the debris all re-
mains which were not reduced to
ashes, a second search shortly will be
Instituted to satisfy the relatives and
friends of the victims.
The revised list, as given out by
the police at 1880 o'clock last night,
was as follows:
Bodies recovered, SIS; identified, IA;
missing, As; reported as escaped, 2S3.
MISSOURI DEADLOCK ENDED.
Jefferson City, Mo-, March 19.-Af-
ter having been in deadlock since
January 10 over The election of
United States senator to succeed Fran
els M. Cockrell, the legislature, at
,,,ir Gina Iin aI-
jourment yesterday elected Major
William Warner, republican, of Kan
sas City, to fill the contested vacancy.
Seven ballots in joint session were
taken yesterday in effecting decision,
and the closing scenes of the legisla-
AZURE have not been paralleled in the
history Of Missouri politics. When
It became evident that Warner would
% the choice, the democrats
who had steadfastly supported
Cocrklell throughout, locked horns
with the republicans, who were
split on the caucus nominee,
Thos. X. Niederinghaus, Richard c.
Kernes, and over score of other
nominees, and the assembly chamber
became a place Of general riot. Eff
forts were made to prevent roll call
on the seventh vote, several attempted
20 tear the presiding officer from the
chair, and the democrats tried to eff
feet an adjournment without election.
The time for sine die adjournment had
been set for 3 o'clock by concurrent
resolution and as the hour approached
the clock was smashed in the melee.
Amid an uproar that almost baflled
control at times the seventh ballot of
fed control at times the seventh ballot
IF the day was taken, resulting in the
election of Major Warner. The vote
stood: Warner 81, Cockrell SO, Med