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Towanda, PA Rolling Mills Explosion, Aug 1889

Posted October 17th, 2007 by Stu Beitler

FIVE MEN KILLED

A Rolling Mill at Towanda, Penn., Blows Up.

The rolling mill and nail factory at Towanda, Bradford County, Penn., operated by Bostley, Godcharles & Co., has been partially wrecked by the explosion of a boiler, the disaster resulting in the instant death of five men, the fatal injury of two others and slight injury of a dozen other workmen.

The force of the explosion was terrific, lifting the entire roof off the southern portion of the mill, tearing away the rafters and girders and allowing the whole mass to crush into the mill and upon the terrified force of workmen, who were scattering in every direction and crouching behind all kinds of obstacles to escape the fury of the hissing steam, which was filling the structure from the nest of boilers that were displaced and broken in their steam connections by the exploding boilers pieces of which were hurled through the mill.

The larger portion of the bursted[sic] boiler was carried through the side of the mill, landing in a mass of scrap iron fully 150 feet away. The explosion's awful sound was heard all through the town and great crowds of the inhabitants rushed to the mill to learn its effect.

The Cranbury Press New Jersey 1889-08-30
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!

Towanda, PA Rolling Mills Explosion, Aug 1889

On October 17th, 2007 Teri says:

Five Men Killed by a Boiler Explosion

ELMIRA, N. Y., Aug 27-- This afternoon about 2 o'clock a boiler in the nail factory of Godcharles & Co., at South Towanda, Pa., exploded. Five men were instantly killed, two others will probably die, and four others were terribly injured. The killed are: RICHARD ACKLER, SANFORD SMITH, JOHN BESTWICK, ISAAC HARTFORD, and GUY HEEMAN. J. RIDER and GEORGE SEEBACK will probably die. CHAS. MacVEAGH [or MacVOAGH], RAY THOMAS and two Swedes, names unknown, were badly hurt. The building was wrecked.

The Sun, Baltimore, MD 28 Aug 1889

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Another Victim of the Towanda Explosion

Special to the Inquirer

TOWANDA, Aug. 28, -- CHARLES SEEBICK, who was injured in the explosion of the boiler at the Towanda Nail Mill yesterday, died to-night. JAMES RIDER is not expected to live. The mill will be rebuilt at once.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA 29 Aug 1899

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