Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1902 — MANY ARE KILLED. [ARTICLE]

MANY ARE KILLED.

DISASTROUS EXPLOSION AT THE CHICAGO STOCK YARDS. Accident Occurs at Swift & Company's Big Packing Plant—Crowd Thronging the International Live - Stock Show Terror-Stricken. One of the boilers in Swift & Co.’s refrigerating and ice plant in the Union Stock Yards, ' Chicago, blew up at 10 o’clock Saturday morning. At least twenty employes in the plant were believed to be dead in the wreckage. Nearly all of the victims were colored. The work of rescue was commenced as soon ns.the fire department arrived. Ambulances were called into action from every available quarter to remove the injured. News of the disaster caused great excitement in the stock yards district. When the first reports reached the general offices of Swift & Co. consternation reigned. Crowds at the live stock show were equally frightened. The cause of the explosion be determined. The boiler was inspected recently and was reported to have been in good condition. Live coals from the fireboxes were scattered in every direction by the force of the explosion and the building was set on fire. An alarm was turned in and the department soon responded, adding to the confusion and excitement. The explosion was heard for many blocks. The boiler at Swift’s was one of a series of thirteen, and the force of the concussion blew out the heads of all the others. The wrecked one was carried through the front of the structure in which it was situated and across the street, where it crashed into the front of a car shed, totally destroying it.