Seven Men Killed.

Horrible Explosion In a Pennsylvania Sawmill.

Four Torn Limb From Limb.

Mill Was Being Operated by a Boiler Which It Is Said Had Been Condemned – Bodies Were Horribly Mangled -Recognized by Their Clothing. Victims All Married.

West Bingham, Pa., May 15 - Yesterday afternoon the bodies of eight men, horribly mangled, scalded and disfigured were picked out from among the ruins of the Peckhaskee & Cobbs sawmill here, the victims of the explosion of the boiler in the mill. The killed were:

Claude English.
James Mowers.
Eugene Merrick.
Lyman Perry.
Charles Rover.
Caleb Converse.
Albert Degroat.
Bell Gridley, injured internally and sustained a broken leg; will recover.

The mill was run by steam, generated in an old 80-horse power boiler which, it is reported, had been condemned by an inspector a few days before because the steamguage failed to record accurately the amount of steam pressure.

Torn Limb From Limb.

Thirteen men were employed in the mill and they were busy at work yesterday morning as the belt broke, shutting down operations. While it is being repaired nobody paid any attention to the boiler, which was making steam meantime at a prodigious rate, for a hot fire had been kindled under it. Suddenly there came a boom as of a cannon, followed by a cloud of steam, dust and smoke, which rose high in the air. Four of the victims were torn limb from limb and their remains scattered about the mill and immediate vicinity. The mill was almost entirely demolished. Parts of the boiler were blown hundreds of feet. The victims were horrible mangled, having their head crushed to a jelly and being recognizable only by their clothing. The dead workmen were all married and had families.

Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, IN 15 May 1895
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Transcribed by Liz Dodson. Thanks Liz!