The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-04-15
PEOPLES ED
IN NIGHT CLOTHES
TO THE WOODS
Plant of u. S. Fire Works
Co. Was Wiped Out BY
Explosions and the Sub
sequent Fire-Score Of
Persons Suffered Minor
Hurts

Randolph. Mass, April l5.--Ran-
dolph was rocked early to-day by a
series of explosions in The plant of the
United States Fire Works Co, which,
with subsequent fire, wiped out that
plant, shivered houses for miles around
and tossed sleeping people from their
beds. In shower of falling glass, over
turned furniture and pictures and plas
ter that were shaken down. score or
more of persons suffered minor hurts,
but none was seriously injured. The
property damage was estimated at
about $4,000.
The blast was felt within radius of
% miles. In Boston, one edge of cir
Gle with that radius, buildings were
shaken severely at an hour that sent
sleepers from their beds to the tele-
phones with inquiries as to the cause
in such numbers as to cause telephone
operators TO believe that the peak load
-of the day had arrived Actual dam
age from the shock. however, was linn
tied to an area about six miles around
Randolph.
Residents of this town were not un-
accustomed to such disturbances. ex-
plosions occurring frequently at one or
another of the fire works factories in
the vicinity. The plant destroyed was
the third to be so affected in the past
two months, The first explosion merely
reused sleepers without great excite
ment, but when il was succeeded bv
another and yet another in shocking
succession, with windows and doors be
ing blown out of houses and stores and
against other structures in which peo-
pie were huddled in fear, the effect was
one almost of terror
Families fed to the woods, seeking
the safety of the open places. mothers
and fathers carrying or leading their
young, all in night clothing. With
many gathered in the wooded places
for refuge, flames broke out in the de-
bris of the fire works plants and the
fire quickly overran the ruins and
gained headway in wood lots nearby,
bringing fresh cause for alarm TO the
refugees. Ii was several hours before
the fremen. augmented from nearby
places. could control the flames, and II
was daylight before the excited ones
could be induced to return to their
homes, Some of the returned refugees
found homes uninhabitable. sagging
walls and cracked rafters, causing dan
ger of collapse.
Three houses on Mills street. direct
" opposite the fire works plant, which
were partially wrecked. were occupied
bv Morris Tucker. William Hurley.
Samuel Hart and their families. When
The first shock came a window and a
bureau fell on Tucker and his wife who
we're sleeping in a front room. They
He'd to the woods with their children
md on the way were hurled TO the
yround by a second blast. All received
bruises and cuts from flying glass,
which were given hssty first aid treat
nent in the open. Hurley and Hart,
With their families, had somewhat sim
liar experiences Glass fronts of the
,ostoffice and store in the Masonic |
,uilding in the center of the town were
as were almost all of the
rindows in st. Msry's Catholic church.
The high school and the grammar
chools were shaken into an almost
wrecked condition.
At the Norfolk County tuberculosis
sspital in Braintree Highlands, a mile
nd half away. the shock was severe.
IN the top of a hill il was in the direct
ath of the blast and swayed under the
hook. but the fact that windows were
pened wide was said TO have saved il
rom great damage.
Plaster and hospital fixtures were
nocked down on the 30 frightened pa
ents There was some excitement bot
anic was prevented by the hospital
ttendants.
Telephone wires in the town were
arslyzed for an hour by the explosion
nd calls for assistance from other
Jwns were sent out by motorcycle,
The plant Of the fire works company
hich was wiped out was composed
Irgely of the fimsy structure and
reds that are set up in view Of fire.
aency Of explosions and the minimiz-
II Of their effects in mind. and the
roperty damage did not reach great
-oportions Inquiry 10 determine the
iuse Of the primary explosion was
ill underway today.