Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-02-07
DAY OF DISASTERS.
HUNDREDS OF PERSONS KILLED
IN VARIOUS WAYS.
Chicago Stock Yards Explosion
Takes Nine Lives-Hundreds of
Miners Buried in Foreign Coal

Shafts-Scores of Chinese Drown.
Nine killed and many injured in ex-
plosion of ammonis INK in refrigera-
tor plant of ArmoL q Co., at the Chi
cago stock yards; hundreds of coal
miners buried in a shaft at Reden,
Rhenish Prussia Many lives lost in a
hre-damp explosion in a coal mine at
Levin, France; over 100 Chinese
drowned in Hongkong harbor during a
rain squat. This is one days record
of disaster
Wholesale death and injury We're
caused at the Chicago stock yards
Monday when an ammonia tank in the
plant of Armour & Co. exploded, wreck
ing part of Il building in which scores
of men were working. Nine men are
known to have been killed outright by
the fumes. Eleven others were over
come and were dragged from the build
ing. All were unconscious and terribly
injured.
Following the explosion thousands of
employees in other adjoining buildings
We're thrown into panic, and many de-
serted their work and went home. Win
dows and doors of the building were
blown out and debris flew in all direc-
tons. call was sent to the stock
yards police station. and as soon as
possible six police ambulanceS and five
patrol wagons were nurrying to the
scene of the explosion. Calls were also
sent to the offices of physicians in the
neighborohod and in rev minutes ev-
cry available means known to science
was being used to resuscitate those who
had been overcome. For some time
after the first reScuers arrived the
fumes were so strong that those who
tried to enter were knocked down.
Windows in houses nearly a half-mile
distant were shattered by the force of
the conclusion.
Hurricane at HOnskOnE.
A terrific rain squall broke over
Hongkong Monday morning and in the
space of ten minutes sunk over fifty
Chinese craft in the harbor. more than
100 natives being drowned. The har-
DOR was Uttered with the wreckage Of
the sunken junks. During the squall
the river steamer Paul Bean broke
adrift, but she was brought to an an
Choir without sustaining any damage.
Hongkong is an island belonging to
Great Britain, lying off the southeast
coast of China. The island was coded
by the treaty of 1912, made at Nankin,
China. The roadstead has a wcll-pro-
tected anchorage. Victoria, the capital
Itself commonly called Hongkong) is
situated on a magnificent bay of the
same name, setting up into the north
side of the island.
Hongkong is the great center of for
eign trade of China. The exports of
the island are roughly estimated at
1925, 100000 and the imports ut $780,
100000 AS a British colony on Chi
nese soil it is most important in its
political and defensive position, and
is the headquarters of military and ma
val establishments.
On Sept 10. 1906. the island was Wis
tied by a typhoon. when the loss of
life was over 5000, mostly Chinese,
and the damage to property was esti-
mated at $2O,OOO,00G.
Coal Mine Disasters.
Near Saarbrucken, Rhenish Prussia,
nearly $50 coal miners were entombed
ut the REDEEM shaft by an explosion OF
fire damp. When the first report was
sent out, 164 bodies had been recovered
from the mine. seventeen were taken
out dangerously injured and upward Of
$50 miners were missing. The mines
at REDEEM all belong to the German gov
eminent. The strata of coal in the re-
yion are often curiously dislodged.
A terrible disaster involving tine loss
of MANY lives occurred in Il coal mine
at LEVIN. in the Courieres district,
France. The catastrophe was due to
an explosion of fire damp in one of the
pits.
Less than year ago similar dis
aster occurred at Courrieres, France,
near Calais, when 1919 men were en-
tombed in burning coal mine.
terrific explosion was heard shortly
after the force of miners had descend
ed for the days work, and almost i'm
mediately smoke and poisonous gases
poured from the mouth of the shafts
and the entire interior became a mass
of roaring flames. Some of those near
est the surface made their escape or
We're rescued, but of 1875 men only
SO were brought to the surface, and
many of these were dead. The disas-
ter was the worst ever recorded in
France, and was traced directly to
careleSsness.
From Far and Near.
William Fowler Thomson DreSident