The Owosso times., 1907-08-23
FATAL EXPLOSION.
MansIe at City Laundry Blows Up,
Killing Lenora WisweII, Seriously
Injurlns p. G. Corey, and
Wrecking Front Of
RutIdiup

Building
An unexplainable explosion oiaethe
mangle at the City Steam Laun< y
last Friday afteronon at 3o'clock,
was one of the saddest acci'
dents that has happened in Owosso
for long time. Without warning the
big roller, weighing over $500 pounds,
shot out of its place, tearing through
the front of the building, gouging a
large hole out of the pavement near
the car track, and striking the sidewalk
on the other>side of the street, was de-
fiected to the corner of the Lindner
meat market building, destroying the
cornice and part of the roof, and rolling
over into the yard broke off small tree.
Several people were working at or near
the machine at the time of the explosion
and all We're scalded and otherwise
injured. Misc Lena Wiswell receiving
terrible wounds in the head and body,
p. q. Corey. father of NJ. D Corey,
being scalded about the head and should
ers, Spencer Carey scalded on the back
and left arm, Miss Tena Maesner on
the limbs, Mrs. M D. Corey, Mary
Butter and Mrs Eva Youngs, more or
less burned in several places. Miss
Wiswell was attended by three doctors,
who did everything to make her as
comfortable as possible, it being evi-
dent that she had little chance of re-
covery. She passed away at 1890 Fri
day night. p. g. Corey, who is 20
years of age, suffered more from the
shock. but was badly scalded and is
still in critical condition. The others
suffered from burns, but none are SER
iously injured. m
The mangle was being run Slowly,
with but 80 pounds of steam pressure,
drying and ironing the pieces put in
by the six people working on it, and
the escape of the others from death is
most miraculeas, Miss Miswen was
starching clothes near the machine and
was carried about 25 feet to the rear Of
the building and was found in a pool
of blood with heavy piece of iron
across her arm.
The loss to Mr.. Corey will be about
81, 600, as the machinery was not insur-
ed, and another has been urchased,
and the building was badly damaged.
The work at the laundry was interrupt
ed only long enough to clear up the
building, although it was difficult to
turn out the just amount of work on
hand without the big machine.
Coroner Loring held an inquest in the
case of Miss Wiswell, the jury being E.
VanGiesen, F. L. Payne, B. G. Miller,
j. D. Estes, W. H. Sexton, Albert Will
cox. The result of the inquest will be
found on another page of this issue.
Miss Lena Wiswell was 27 years
of age; was born in Owosso and lived
on East King Street with her mother,
Mrs. Harriet Wiswell, aged SO years,
and was her sole support. She was an
industrious, Christian girl being a
member of the Church of Christ and a
prominent worker both in the church
and Sunday school, acting as Superin-
tendent at the time of her death.
She is survived by her mother, two sis
ters, Mrs. p. Lovett, Ball street, and
Mrs. Ward, who lives south of the city,
and three brothers. Herbert, of this
city, George, of Bay City, and Edward,
of Saginaw.
The funeral was held from the
Church of Christ Tuesday afternoon,
Rev. G. NJ. Keene, officiating, the
church being crowded with friends of
the deceased