The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-03-24
SCORES OF LIVES LOST
IN A BOILER EXPLOSION
ing the latter structure. Here its
course was stopped.
A SCENE OF HORROR

"A SCENE OF HORROR
Senes Of horror foaowing the wreck
ing a part OF the factory building. In
the e rhe three upper floors, weight
ed as they were with heavy machinery,
collapsed with a crash that was heard
for blocks. Men and women operatives
working in departments Of this section
vino busy ait their machines, had
time but TO turn in an attempt ITO fee
after the first duff roar, when the floor
ing sank beneath them and they were
carried to the ground floor, crushing
and bruisfng amid the mass of debris.
Many fell into a verltable fiery furnace.
Into the sections Of the factory which
remained standing the operatives were
panic stricken as they sought escape.
Many fed down the stairways and
reached the street, others ran to the
windows, the fire eScape in NAM cases
having e torn away by the explo-
sion. In desperation many jumped from
the second and third story windows to
h ground and We're dangerously in
Jured. The crush ON the stairways
resulted in numerous minor injuries.
Scarcely had the rear portion of the
structure collapsed when a tongue Of
flames started UP from the boiler pit
and reached out as it assembled, CON-
m~unicated with THE splintered wreck.
age, n Immediately after with the
standing wallis. Soon the entire fac
tory was i'm flames
CRIES OF AGONY.
Instant death was the fate of many
who when down with the floors that
non1a>cal --~o x~l~ - ~o~~ @~L
women, who were working near the
supports were alive after the floors and
wallis fell. From these u~nfortunates,
th rilling cries of agony and terror went
up. Almost all had been caught be-
tween broken Ftimbers, lighter wooden
wreckage and heavy pieces of machin-
cry. A few persons succeeded in extri-
eating themselves from liz wreckase,
but more were rosted ito death. By
this time nearby citizens had arrived
TO assist the employees who escaped, in
the rescue of their fellows. This task,
became m~omentarily more difficult and
rerilous, for THE heat of the fire was
almost ~unbearable. BY the use of long
pieces of timber the ~escuerS were able
to raise parts OF THE wreckagc ard
thereby release some of THE imprisoned
mn and women, and then by rushing
irJtO the smoke pull them from the
ruins
Then lit was that acts of sacrifice
and herOism were seen. One man
whose legs were caught unde an iron
'heam, cried ITO the rescuers that they
could met e~Ntr'icate 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.
ACTS OF HEROIsM.
A was entagled in a shoe
machine cried out that she was dying
ana commanded the rescuers to at
tend 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
O'Rourke, curate at St. Margaret's
Roman Catholic church nearby. At
the risk of his life. he removed seven
persons from the ruins before h fire
had reached them and was returning
for the eighth time when he tainted
from the effects of the smoke and the
shock. Father O'Rourke administer
ed the last rites of the church to
many Catholics. both to those who
were saved and some who later per-
iShed.
A TERRIBLE STORY.
Father O'Rourke said tonight:
Pinned beneath heavy pieces Of
machinery, timbers and twisted coils
of pipe, were many, oh. so many, men
and women suffering terrible agonies.
.To Nr1or RI rnoah these innriS-
oned sufferers we a to crawl through
The debris and with the aid of a
large timber we raised the w~reckage
which held fast several men and
women. In this and by brute
strength We pulled out seven m
ployes.
"Ey this time the flames We're al
most upon us and we were about to
flee for safety, when one poor fellow
begged that 4 last effort be made to
same him. Three of US grasped the
man by the shoulders and arms and
tusged and pulled until suddenly he
cried: My God, my leg is pulled off,
"Tt was terrible. especially so be-
cause a moment later, with our cloth
Ing scOrched. we were ordered away
by the chief of police and of the fire
QoD2fCfnonC ana were TSluCldllllS GULL
PEELED to leave the poo man TO his
fate.
"Just before leaving I saw at least
fifteen of the imprisoned operatives, |
some already suffering untold agonies
from the flames which were actually
choking their flesh and others watch |
ing with terror-stricken eyes the fate |
OF their companions, knowing that a
moment or two would bring to them |
similar suffering. and then Death
With their stained and h~aggared |
faces wornen and children beseiged the |
rectory of st. Margaret's Roman Cath |
Ollie church during the day, pleading |
with the priests for information about
husband. father. sister or brother. !
who failed to return home. Little
comfort could be given to these peo-