Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1908-10-07
POWDER HOUSE GOES up.
Explosion at Spencer Which Destroys Life
and Damages Much Property.

LApiUSlutl al OpGlGGl Vhibl uGoiioJo I'i0
and Damages Much Property.
Thursday afternoon at $40 the
powder house at the Southern's
shops in Spencer was blown sky
ward by an explosion, and as a
result, two men we're killed, three
others are put about Oh the verge
of the grave and thirty-nine others
were injured, but not seriously.
As soon as the news of the ex-
plosion reached this city, accom-
panied by the usual exaggerated
rumors customary in similar
cases, condition Of great excite
ment prevailed. Main street was
soon thronged with persons of all
ages and both sexes, anxiously
awaiting the coming of the street
cars that they might get to the
scene as soon as possible Hun
dreds availed themselves of other
means of transportation and until
a late hour the streets between
here and Spencer were filled with
vehicles of all descriptions. Many
of these persons we're, of course,
actuated by curiosity, but among
them we're those who had some
loved one at work at the shops,
and it was natural that they
should anticipate the worst.
The scene of the explosion at
the north end of the storehouse
platform was one we'll calculated
to strike the hundreds of specta-
tors with awe and terror. Wo-
men were there waiting for hus-
bands, sons or brothers, little ones
crying for father, and anxions
friends on the alert for any word
of missing ones who were believed
to have been Oh the ground when
the explosion took place. Master
Mechanic Kederly, H. P. Brands,
C J. Norman, Foreman Conley
of the blacksmith shop, McCor-
mick of the car shop, Bob Julian
of the round house, and others
whose duties kept them there later
than the majority of the force, were
on hand and at once set to work to
bring things to something like a
sem 5lance of usual conditions.
One man, Chas. Layton, was
instantly killed by the explosion
and helper, negro named George
Gould, received injuries from
which he died during the night.
The vicinity of the explosion was
strewn with men who were injur-
ed, no one could tell just how Sc
verely. Kind hands extricated
them from the debris and they
were taken, some to the sani-
torium, others to the Y. NJ.
G. A. hospital and those least
hurt, to their homes.
Three are still in a very
serious condition, Flether Stat
ford, George Honeycutt, and J.
F. Gobble, and at this writing it
seems to be a chance whether they
will recover. Thirty-nine is the
official number Of the injured, &C
cording to the report filed with
Mr.. Kederly. Among these Fred
Lohin is one of the worst cases.
He may lose his eyes. G. II.
Leonard had an arm broken. w.
W. Kluttz received severe wound
on the head. Numerous others
were thrown to the ground or
against the sides of the cars by
the force Of the explosion. Their
injuries, speaking generally, are
more from the conclusion than
anything else. Mr.. Kederly re-
ceived some slight wounds about
the head but will be all right in
a few days. Kluttz was with
Stafford, Gobble and Honeycutt,
the three men so seriously hurt,
and they with others were on their
way to the fire with the hose.
Some box cars intervened between
them and the powder house
They saw the smoke, supposed that