The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-02-13
Early day From Explosion
Ruins in Providence
FIVE LIVES WERE LOST
A. L. G. Chase Was Just Entering the
Starch Mill Of c. S. Tanner Last
Night, When the Explosion
Came.

Providence, r. l., Feb l3.-The first
body was taken from the smoking ruins
Of the G. S. Tanner starch mill this
morning. 1t was that Of A. i. G. Chase,
an East Providence ship chandler, who
was called to the plant by business just
before the explosion that cost five lives
last night. On account Of the fire that
burned all through the night, system.
attic search for the bodies was not begun
until to-day. Chase's body was found
under the ruins of fallen walls. lie was
evidently caught in the street as he was
about to enter the building The names
Of the four workmen, supposed to have
been under the ruins, are Michael JOS
eph, Richard GonsaIves, Joseph Duatt
and Tony Silva.
OF the four who were injured BY
falling walls on the street outside, John
Smith, negro, may not recover. The
others are resting comfortably Through
confusion in names, it was at first re-
ported that six persons met death in
the explosion.
The cause of the disaster is still nm
known. II may have occurred from an
accident in the starch oven.
The building was a three story brick
affair, located at South Water and Silver
strets. and four of the dead men were
employed by the Tanner concern. The
loss was about 100000
Charles s. Tanner, his son, Milton
Tanner, Walter Low and Miss Laura
Chapwin. bookkeeper. who were in the
office on the first floor Of the building,
escaped death by crawling out of the
office on their hands and knees BY way
OF side door.
moment after the explosion, which
came without warning, draught of
smoke and flame came down into the
office, almost suffocating the occupants
With rare presence of mind, they groped
their way out by crawling on the floor.
First Workman to Appear
John Smith was The first workman to
appear outside the building after the
explosion. He had crawled out Of a side
door and he was badly burned. Mr. Tan
ner found him lying upon the ground,
buried under bricks and mortar He said
that, to his knowledge, the other work
men were still in the building, trapped
under the ruins. Johnston and Clark
soon afterward appeared, covered with
dirt and suffering from burns They
were removed in ambulances to the hos
pital
The second explosion occurred shortly
after the fremen reached tie building.
and covered them with starch and gum.
The fumes drove them back Ulme and
again, and a third explosion was feared.
A. L. G. Chase, proprietor Of the
knickerbocker company, vino was 6s
years old, was in the building with tnree
customers wnen the explosion occurred.
His horse and buggy We're standing in
the rear Of the shop, ready for MS de-
parture for home at o'clock lie was
well off financially, had a large house. |
and leaves widow and six children
Soon after the fremen set To work |
they found the body Of his dead horse |
and the buggy broken into splinters, and |
it is believed that the old mans body |
lies under the ruins Of his building, |
which was crushed to the ground by /
the falllng roof and afterward caught T
FIRE The three men rushed out of the /
office and escaped injury
The five Portuguese worSmen who /
we're trapped in the building all have
families living near the factory. They +
were recorded on the payroll only BY T
their first names, and It was with con I
siderable difficulty that their families
were located. Then the wives and eni-
dren hurried to the scene and begged the +
firemen to hurry in their work Of dig
ging up the ruins. They stood crying
and moaning, while friends and neigh
bors attempted to comfort them in their
sorrow