The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-01-02
QUINCY MEN
WERE KILLED
By Explosion of Air Com
preston Tank in Gran
ite Plant
THIRD MAN INJURED
BUT NOT SERIOUSLY
Napoleon Reed and Michel
Lavoie Were the
Victims

Quincy, Mass, Jan. 2.-ln an eXplo-
sion OF compressed air tank in the yard
of the Reed & Vendret granite plant,
Vernon street. two men were instantly
killed and another was injured yester-
day afternoon. The fact that the plant,
in observance OF New Years, had de-
clared day off probably saved the lives
OF several others.
Napoleon Reed, one OF the firm, aud
his brother law, Michel Layoie,. en;-
ployed as Jumper at the plant, we're
killed. Armand Nendret, the other NOM
Der of the firm, escaped with his lie,
but his face was bruised and he suffered
severely from the shock of the explosion.
Although the air was filed with fly
ing pieces of metal, none of the men was
struck Reeds body showed no other
trace of injury except that his left leg
was broken. He had evidently been
killed by the shock of the explosion and
the rush OF air, which picked him up and
threw him 10 feet.
The force with which the air WAS
driven by the explosion was shown by
the fact that Layoies left side was
crushed in as If it had been pressed
upon by heavy weight, while his lett
arm was broken in three places.
This tank had been used to supply
power to the machinery around the
yard. While the men were at work
Tuesday il was discovered that the tank
was leaking at point where the pipes
from the boilerroom ran into it. Plans
were made then to repair it yesterlag.
Many Of the men employed at the plant
are French, and New Years day i TO
them one OF the days they are accus-
toned to look upon as a holiday. AN
nouncement had been made that the enl-
ployes could have the day off. Reed and
Vendret held a conference and decided
that they would spend part OF the day
gett ig the tank into condition for the
resumption of work to-day.
Early yesterday morning the tNo,
with Lavoie and the engineer oil the
plant, August Reinhald, went to the
yard sstook the tank apart and worked
until noon soldering and patching. After
dinner they went back to work and were
busy until P. m.
When the work was completed they
decided to have precautionary test.
The engineer went into the engine -oom
and soon the compressed air was being
driven into the tank. He ran the pres
sure up to rs pounds to the square ,neh
Reed and Layoie, wrenehes in their hands,
stood close to the tank watching the
dial which registered the pressure, frsep
slowly up. Nendret stood in back Of
them.
The explosion came like flash. Rein
haId heard the report and felt the blast
shake the engine room. He shut oil
the steam and dashed out. All three
men were lying on the ground. He
reached Nendret first and found him un-
conscious, but Nendret recovered his
senses as the engineer was carrying hlm
into the engine room. Staggering to his
feet. Vendret rushed back to where the
others lay motionless.
While Nendret knelt over the forms
OF his business partner and his employe
the engineer ran for doctor and re-
turned with DIR. Roderiek McLennan,.
He found Reed and Lavoie dead. Medl-
cal Examiner i. f. Jones was summoned
and the bodies were taken to the un-
dertaking establishment of John Hall
on Hancock street. DIR. Jones found that
both men had died from the shock OF
the explosion.
Reed was AS years old and lived at
Liberty surare. He leaves widow,
three daughters and a son. In both the
business and fraternal life of Quincy ne
was prominent for years since coming
to that city from Lawrence 90 yeers
ago. He was born and educated in Law
renee
When he. first came to Quincy he
started business with Alexander Soutlcn
under the firm name of Souden & Reed.
Eleven years ago that firm dissolved,
when Reed went into partnership with
He was a member OF Clan Mckenzie,
order OF Scottish clans; of Maple lodge
3l3 knights and Ladies of Honor, and
was trasurer of the Bay View Quarry
of Quincy.
Lavoie was "a years old and lived on
Barry street, West Quincy. He i!so
leaves widow and two SONS and two