Evansville, IN Furniture Company Explosion, Mar 1890

in evansville furniture co explosion mar 1890

A DUST EXPLOSION.

Three Deaths Result From a Singular Accident.

EVANSVILLE, Ind., March 7.---(Special)---A fatal explosion occurred in the dust room of the Armstrong furniture company at 12:45 o'clock this afternoon, resulting in the death of three boys and the perhaps fatal injury of the fireman of the factory. The man and boys were in the dust room for the purpose of shaking out the accumulation of dust and shavings at the mouth of the blow pipes, when a terrific explosion occurred, which set the building on fire. The flames were extinguished without delay, when it was found that the following were killed and injured:

FRED SACHS, burned to a crisp and terribly mangled.
HARRY CHEATHAM, colored, burned to ashes.
[GEORGE] CRAWFORD, badly mangled and body burned so that identification was nearly impossible.

Injured---CHARLES SHELBY, fireman of the factory, badly burned and leg broken, his injuries are very severe if not fatal.

The killed persons were boys aged about 18 years. The cause of the explosion remains a mystery. The damage by the fire was slight.

Omaha Daily World-Herald, Omaha, NE 8 Mar 1890

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BODIES BURNED.

An Explosion which Caused Serious Loss of Life

INDIANAPOLIS, March 7.---A special from Evansville, Ind., to the Sentinel says: An explosion occurred today in the shaving or dust room of Armstrong's furniture factory, nearly wrecked it and then fire completed the work.

Fred Sache, Willie Cheatham and George Crawford were in the dust room eating their dinner and were recovered later but were burned beyond recognition. Chas Shelby, the engineer, was blown twenty feet and had both legs broken and his head badly crushed. The explosion was caused by the flame of a lantern coming in contact with the powder-like dust. The loss to the firm is not great and is covered by insurance.

The Knoxville Journal, Knoxville, TN 8 Mar 1890
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!