Cleveland, OH Mine Supply Co Explosion, Oct 1891

HORROR AT CLEVELAND

CLEVELAND, Ohio., Oct. 27.---The factory of the United States Mine Supply Company was completely destroyed by explosions, followed by fire, shortly after 5 o'clock this afternoon.

Three persons were killed and several injured.

The factory was recently established in an old brick stable on Wilison avenue, which originally cost $10,000, and made fuses, cartridges, etc, for mining operations, using different preparations of gun cotton, dynamite, nitro-glycerine[sic], and gunpowder.

The first explosion was a heavy one, blowing the roof nearly off and shattering the walls. The shock was fell for half a mile away.

Shouts and screams were heard inside the building and then all of the twelve employes[sic] excepting three tumbled pell-mell out of windows and doors. Several other lighter explosions followed, sending bricks in all directions, and in a few minutes the flames were at work.

The fire was subdued, and in a few hours the charred remains of:

JOHN FINK, 14 years old;
ALFRED SCHANFFER, 17, years old;
PAUL PFANNACCHE, a nephew of the president of the company, were dug out of the ruins.
MINNIE PECK, an employe[sic] was severely cut and bruised and other employes[sic] were injured, but not severely.

The loss on the building is about $2,300, and on the stock $5,000.

The Daily Inter Ocean, Chicago, IL 28 Oct 1891