Philadelphia, PA Cigar Box Manufactory Explosion, Nov 1886

TERRIBLE EXPLOSION.

A BOILER EXPLOSION IMPERILLING MANY LIVES.

Philadelphia, Nov. 11. -- An explosion occurred in the cigar box manufactory of Henry H. Sheep & Co., Nos. 1,704 and 1,706 Randolph Street, this afternoon, which blew out the rear wall, badly injuring a number of young men, women and girls and imperilling the lives of over 100 more. The manufactory is a three story brick structure. Just before the explosion the engineer started up steam by throwing a large amount of sawdust on the fire under the boiler and then went to the Randolph Street front of the building.
He states that he had not been there but a few minutes when he was startled by a report of a loud noise, followed by the upper portion of the rear wall falling out and the screams of women in the upper stories. Bricks were flying in all directions and in less than a minute afterwards the whole rear of the mill appeared to be in flames. The greatest excitement existed among the hands employed in the building, but all but one of the women were carried out in safety. A large number, however, were badly burned and otherwise injured.

One Girl Missing.
One girl, CARRIE BRUNO, aged 18, is missing.
Following is the list of injured:
ELLA STOCKER, aged twenty-one, badly burned about the face and hands.
CARRIE MULLEN, eighteen, burned about the body.
EMMA MULDER, sixteen, burned about the face.
MARY E. KNECHT, fifteen, face and body burned.
AMANDA COOK, nineteen, burned about the face, back and hands.
JOHN POLLOCK, seventeen, injured about the head by falling bricks.
JOSEPH REHMEN, seventeen, badly burned.
JOHN KLERGELHAFER, twenty-one, head cut and hand injured.
GEORGE KIMBALL, nineteen, head and face cut.
CHARLES BROWN, fifteen, head, hands and face cut.
DANIEL FRIES, an old man, head and face burned and arm cut.

Bangor Daily Whig And Courier Maine 1886-11-12
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!