Evening star., 1935-10-08
.FOURPROBES OPEN
IN CHICAGO BLAST
Six Known Dead, 40 Hurt
as Workers Push Hunt
for More Bodies.
BY the Associated Press.


CHICAGO. October 8.-While fire.
men and crews Of workers searched
the ruins of the soya plant Of the
Glidden Co., Investigators launched a
four-way investigation today into the
terrific explosion which yesterday took
six known lives and injured more than
40 persons.
Five employees were definitely missing
and firemen said they believed them
to be dead In the ruins.
As the work crews struggled with
tractors, steam shovels and trucks at
the scene Of the explosion that rained
bricks, blocks of structural steel and
twisted iron in a block-square area,
relatives Of the missing men waited
fearfully in huddled groups.
Residents in a radius of a mile from
the wrecked plant were replacing glass
in windows and repairing roofs and
walls damaged by the force of the
blast.
Four Investigations Pushed.
Investigations were under way by
SOlO1lCl ain w aAcAA, VIZ
moned a jury of chemists and engi-
neers for an inquest; by States At
torney Thomas j. Courtney. by City
Fire Marshal Thomas j. Sheehan and
by the Office Of the State fire marshal.
Three members of the coroner's jury
were chosen by the Western Society Of
Engineers at Walsh's request.
Three possible causes of the explo-
sion were suggested by William j.
O'Brien of Cleveland. Ohio. vice presi-
dent of the Glidden Co. One was that
a dust explosion occurred. another was
that steam pipe burst. The third
was that vaporized hexane-a form
of benzine used in extracting oil from
soy beans-had leaked from a tank
and had been set OF by spark.
States Attorney Courtney said he
would demand an explanation Of the
oil extraction method from the COM
panys officers.
Workmen, aided by glaring lights,
dug away at the wreckage throughout
the night.
D6H1dSc near N1IAOh.
Searchers we're hindered by the
mass of brick, shattered glass and
twisted steel girders. A huge crane
dug away at the wreckage under the
eerie light cast by huge searchlights
mounted on fire department trucks.
Firemen said it would require several
days to clear the wreckage.
The terrific explosion caused dam
age estimated at nearly 100000. 1t
leveled the half block long plant,
felled three large storage tanks,
wrecked five automobiles parked near
by, crushed two box cars on a siding,
caused serious damage to nearby
homes and buildings and shattered
windows within a radius of several
blocks.
The plant had re-opened for the
first time a few hours before the blast.
It had been closed for five weeks to
permit the installation of new ma
chinery.
Max Spoerri. %. an engineer for
German firm which supplied the new
machinery. was among those at first
IepOIUSU hlllCu, Uut ioVA SAASSn
showed he was not at the plant at
the time.
List of Known Dead.
The known dead were Dana Noyes
Merrill, 80, chemist. Of Oak Park, Ill,
George R. Harger, SO. superintendent,
of Oak Park: Samuel Van Glider. As,
of Arlington Heights; John A. Satosky,
35, of Chicago; Edwin Seaburg. 48, OF
Chicago; Ralph Payne, 40, Of Oak
Park.
Among the reported missing were
Edward Biang, Frank Covey, Wilson
Cruz, F. Lowell and Frank Cozey.
Danger Of new explosions from es-
Gaping gases added to the difficulty
of rescue and f1remen relinquished the
task to crews from the building COM
missioner's department. Gas company
workers dug to the mains to shut of
the flow of gas to the factory.
The police were obliged to stretch
ropes around the scene to hold back
the thousands of spectators who
rushed to the plant.
L. s EXPERTS SENT