Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-02-15

Providence R. L. Six persons were
killed by the explosion of mixer in
the starch factory of C. s, Tanner at
South Water and Silver streets late
Wednesday afternoon
Three colored men who were pass
ing the building at. the time were hit
by bricks and pieces of mortar and
also suffered some burns from quanti-
lies of hot starch which was sprinkl-
led literally about the neighborhOod.
These men are Samuel w. Smith, 2S,
of Waldo street; Armstead Johnson,
SS, of Thayer street, and John
Clark, 4S, of 12 Holborn street.
They were found lying in the street
at the front of the building when the
firemen reached the scene. Ambu-
lances were called and the injured
men Immediately removed to the hos.
pital.
The exact cause of the explosion
remains to be determined, Mr.. Tan.
ner intimated that it may have
been due to a spark from defective
electric wiring igniting the starch
mixer prematurely. In the room
when the explosion occurred were the
four workmen, Comes, Dautt, and two
others known only as Tony and Mike
1t is supposed that they were In.
stantly killed and their bodies subse
quently incinerated by the Are The
explosion tore away a great hole in
the centre of the building and carried
away the larger part Of the roof. Ac.
cOrding to eye witnesses, there was
an upward rush of smoke, flames and
fine powder, which looked like a
white cloud, and through this could
be seen portions of timbers and
bricks falling within the building and
outside it's walls as well.
Windows in neighboring buildings
were broken by the cOncussion, and
other damage was caused by the fall
of the wall soon after the fire broke
out.
The house of Hose Company No. 2
Is Immediately in the rear of the
starch factory. Only two hosemen--
John Turbity and Fred Sullivan-were
ins the building at the time. They
were sitting in room on the second
floor, and when the explosion occurr-
ed were thrown to the floor with con.
siderable violence.
Clambering down the pole they
found the big outer door so badly
iammed by the shaking to which the
building had been subjected that it
could not easily be opened.
1t was Is minutes before the door
was finally forced open so that the
hose wagon could be driven out to
the fire.
The coal wharf OF r. A. Smith and
the factory of Altham & Co, across
the street from the starch factory
were badly damaged by the fall Of
debris. The property loss due to the
explosion and FIRE will probably not
exceed $4,000.
Late at night the flremen and po-
lice were still engaged in search
of the ruins for bodies, although on ac-
count of the great heat of the blaze
1t was feared that most of the bodies
had been reduced to ashes.
The starch factory building was
owned by G. F. Tanner, and it is said
to have contained large quantity of
manufactured starch packed in bags
ready for shipment All this starch
was practically destroyed. Mr.. Tan
ner declined to give an estimate Of
the loss.
Figures obtained from outside
sources place the loss at approximate.
ly 100000. The property was insur-
ed for part of its value.
The condition Of Samuel w. Smith
one Of the injured men, was said at
the Rhode Island Hospital to be quite
serious. Smith was severely burned
about the head and neck by a quantity
of hot starch blown out Of the build.
ing by the explosion. The injuries Of
the other men at the hospital are less
severe, though both suffered from
burns.