The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-03-24
MANY KILLED
in EXPLOSION
Boiler Blew UP and Wrecked
Large Section of Brockton,
Mass, Shoe Factory.
ENTIRE PLANT BURNED
Accurate List of Dead Cannot
Be Had, But Will Reach
Fifty.
CAUSED A PANIC IN TOWN
Relatives of People in the Factory,
Which Employed 600, Hurry to
Scene, Where Awful Spec
tacies Were Enacted.

Brockton, Mass, March 22.-Already
h bodies of fifty three persons have
been recovered from the ruins of the
Grover & Co. factory. Seven bodies
have been identified. but only three OF
four positively. Fifty-three persons
known to be still missing, the names
of thirty-one of whom have been OBJ
tained.
Many others are reported missing,
but 1t is considered possible that some
of them are at their homes in nearby
towns.
Two hundred and fifty-three sur
vivorS nave been accounted for. Tn
to eighty. and of the injured from
fifty to 100.
Brockton. Mass, March 2o-Within
an hour after the 500 employees at the
r. b.. Grover shoe factory had begun
work the boiler blew up in the
engine room. wrecking a section of the
building and starting a fire which de-
stroyed the ruins and spread to other
buildings near by.
200 People Involved.
Owing to the nature of the accident
and the speed with which the flames
seized upon the collapsed section. and
the excitement. an accurate estimate
of the loss of life is impossible. 1t is
understood that upwards of 200 per-
sons were at work in the departments
near the boiler room.
At 1890 it was learned hat about
fifty were u-naccounted for. and it was
believed that many of this number
might be dead or injured. The factory
was a large four-story wooden struc-
ture and was destroyed.
Financial Loss 100000.
Several dwelling houses near by and
from the factory We're also destroyed.
The financial loss is estimated at $780,
900. Most of the employees in the main
part of the plant succeeded in escaping.
although in a terrible panic. A num-
Der were injured.
The factory wa situated about "a
mile south of the city proper. A series
of alarms all the fire appar-
atus in the city to the scene and aid
was also sent from nearby places. The
firemen experienced the greatest diff
Guilty in battling the flames, as the fac
tory was of an extremely intlammable
nature, n nearly all the floors were
raturated with oil.
Had to Be Abandoned.
Their attention was chiefly given to
the part nearest the boiler house, and
in the earliest stages of the fire a num-
Der of employees We're eXtricated from
the ruins. The flames soon, however.
stopped the rescue work, and the en-
tire plant. with those who failed to
escape. was abandoned.
Meanwhile the news of the accident
had reached the homes of operatives.
n through the crowds already near
the burning factory men and women
We're struggling towards the center TO
get news of their relatives. The cries
which sounded above the roar of the
flames We're heard. as frantic women
learned that there was little hope for
anyone who was caught in the building.
After the explosion many employees
went to their homes. This added to
the difficulty of compiling a reliable list
of the missing.
Caring for the Injured.
Brockton hospital was notified at
once of the disaster and hurried prepa-
Tations were made to receive the in
1ured. All the am%bulances, police
wagons and many street carriages.
physicians and surgeons We're hurried
ly sent to the scene.
twenty-five bodies had been taken
fr2Sn tie ruins up to 1880. Many of
them were SO terribly mutilated and
burned as to makei Identification almost
impossible.
Fire Marshal Boyden stated that re-
~ ~ 'sANA ~ iIltil VIZ " llooIl %
Gated that the list of dead might reach
fifty. Calls have been sent out for
every person who escaped to Indicate
the act at once. In this way it is hoped
a fairly accurate estimate of the num-
Ter of dead may be obtained.
List of Dead.
The dead:
DAVID ROCKWELL. engineer; died
shortly after being arrested. -.
TnIYNy CNTJ1NTJ
STEPHEN SNOW.
The missing:
Frank Bell.
Ba-nabus Lewis.
Nellie Leary.
Maurice Fitzpatrick.
Mira Berger.
Mrs. Perry.
The injured:
Andrew Lundell.
Elmer H. Dodge.
Hirma Pierce.
Ira Buck.
George w. Lawrence.
Alderman George Mork.
William McJudhee.
Joseph Mclaughlin.
o. Reyolds.
William Emerson.
John Turner.
Frank Bell.
Says Boiler Was Overworked.
Superintendent Charles Emerson, who
in charge of the factory, said that
was at a loss to account for the
explosion.
In an interview given to the Asso-
,iated Press Mrs. David w. Rockwell,
he wife Of the engineer at the factory.
sald:
my husband has said many times
II late that he had to put on the
a pressure it was unequal to.
He had to do this. he said, because he
york Of the factory required It,"
When shown Mrs. Rockwell's state