New-York tribune., 1912-01-25
GIRL KILLED IN EXPLOSION
Shell Loading Machine Blows Up
in Cartridge Plant.
800 EMPLOYEES IN PANIC
Hundreds of Little Shells Go
Of Like Firecrackers
During Rush.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune ]

Perth AmbOy. y. j.. Jan. 2i-When some
thing went wrong in the packing depart
ment in the factory of the United States
Cartridge Company in this city to-day there
was a terrific explosion followed ny
sheet Of fame and the entire building wGs
shaken. one girl Margaret Eellner of
Smith street, was killed. her body being
hurled twenty feet across the room and
stripped Of every particle Of clothing. Al
most every bone in her body was broken
by the force of the explosion, which oc-
CURED at the machine at which she had
Leen working. The south side Of the build
ing was wrecked. the damage amounting to
more than 5000.
Although this is the first time an acci-
dent has happened in the plant of the com
rany. the girls employed there. OF whom
there are about hundred. refused TO re-
turn to work. and later circulated a peu
ton. 10 he presented 10 the officials OF the
company. stating that the plant must he
rendered safe before they will come back
The employees Of the plant had been back
from their MONDAY meal about an hour
when the accident occurred. The kellner
girl known as a powder girl, was IN
charge Of the packing department, and had
lust sent several Of her assistants to an
other room. Scarcely had the door closed
behind them when the explosion shook the
building.
Miss Kellner had been sitting at loao-
ing machine, feeding the powder into the
shells when there was a sheet of name 2
roar. and the machine was blown TO bits
The girl was hurled from her seat back
81 h. II
struck the wall.
The noise Of the explosion was distinctly
heard three miles distant Twenty foreign
girls, working In an adjoining depart
ment, we're thrown into panic. Many oi
them were thrown 10 the floor and injured
by flying glass and concrete. They start'u
a stampede from the building, and men
employees. who tried TO prevent this, were
swept aside by the wild rysh Of the girls.
All the glass partitions separating de-
partments and all the windows were
blown away, and sparks from the eNplod-
ing powder would have set fire TO powder
stores but for the action Of William Goss
an emplove. who. at the risk OF being
blown TO pieces himself, placed cap over
the mouth of the powder feeding tube.
ting of the flow of powder.
For q few moments after the explosion
the air was shaken by the thousands o.
loaded shells set off by the heat Tn"
three hundred men and girls employed in
the building gathered in the street out
side and rollcall was held. This showed
that three girls were missing II was not
known until then that the Kellner girl haG
been killed.
When she and Lillian and Molly Schau-
Ter. sisters failed TO answer 10 their
names GosS and other volunteers went
back into the building and began a search.
Goss came across the body Of Miss Kell-
ner and carried her lifeless form TO tho
street The Schauier sisters were found
stunned and half sun Iocated, lying in an
adjoining room. and were carried 10 safe
". After they had been treated by ply
sicians they were able 20 20 TO their
homes.
It was fully three hours before order
was restored at the works. The foreign
ers absolutely refused to 20 back when
they heard Of Margaret Kellner's death.
The plant has only been established a
year. The powder is stored two miles
from the main building, else the accident
might have been of more serious conse-
quenCe.
Captain Thomas g. Doe West Point
graduate. was i'm charge Of the plant lie
and John j. Harper and William Doe were
in the office al the time of the accident
and narrowly escaped serious injury They
were unable to explain the cause OF the
explosion.
Anna Howard, another cmploye Of the
plant said after the accident that she and
the other girls received &C. week, and
that they had decided that this was not
enough for which to risk possible death
Miss Howard got up the petition among
the girls.
Coroner Flynn is making an investiga-
tiOn.