Warren County Ohio
Western Star, Lebanon, Ohio
Jan. 23, 1902
Three Killed By an Explosion at Kings Mills.
The dead: Wilbur Gustin, David Thompson, Charley Hayer.
Injured: Russell Butler
Another terrible explosion occurred at Kings Mills at 1:30 o'clock Monday afternoon and as a result three men are dead while a forth lingers in piteous agony.
The accident occurred in the glazing works of the blasting powder department. This building stood near the dam and was 30x100 feet, built of wood and covered with sheet iron.
The building was in charge of Wilbur Gustin, 25 and unmarried. From the statement made by the only survivor, Russell Butler, it appears that at the time of the explosion the three men who were killed were at work inside the building. Foreman Gustin was cleaning out the clinkers from the round wooden tubs with iron hoops, using a copper spad. Something perhaps came in contact with one of these hoops causing a spark, and that was all that was necessary to send everything up in smoke. The exact cause of the explosion will never be known.
Wilbur Gustin was the only one instantly killed. His body presented a horrible appearance, being burned to a crisp, while his limbs were either burnt off or blow off, and such pieces as could be found were tied up in a bundle for burial. Gustin's home was at Maineville.
Western Star, Lebanon, Ohio
Jan. 23, 1902
Three Killed By an Explosion at Kings Mills.
The dead: Wilbur Gustin, David Thompson, Charley Hayer.
Injured: Russell Butler
Another terrible explosion occurred at Kings Mills at 1:30 o'clock Monday afternoon and as a result three men are dead while a forth lingers in piteous agony.
The accident occurred in the glazing works of the blasting powder department. This building stood near the dam and was 30x100 feet, built of wood and covered with sheet iron.
The building was in charge of Wilbur Gustin, 25 and unmarried. From the statement made by the only survivor, Russell Butler, it appears that at the time of the explosion the three men who were killed were at work inside the building. Foreman Gustin was cleaning out the clinkers from the round wooden tubs with iron hoops, using a copper spad. Something perhaps came in contact with one of these hoops causing a spark, and that was all that was necessary to send everything up in smoke. The exact cause of the explosion will never be known.
Wilbur Gustin was the only one instantly killed. His body presented a horrible appearance, being burned to a crisp, while his limbs were either burnt off or blow off, and such pieces as could be found were tied up in a bundle for burial. Gustin's home was at Maineville.
Warren County Ohio
Western Star, Lebanon, Ohio
Jan. 23, 1902
Three Killed By an Explosion at Kings Mills.
The dead: Wilbur Gustin, David Thompson, Charley Hayer.
Injured: Russell Butler
Another terrible explosion occurred at Kings Mills at 1:30 o'clock Monday afternoon and as a result three men are dead while a forth lingers in piteous agony.
The accident occurred in the glazing works of the blasting powder department. This building stood near the dam and was 30x100 feet, built of wood and covered with sheet iron.
The building was in charge of Wilbur Gustin, 25 and unmarried. From the statement made by the only survivor, Russell Butler, it appears that at the time of the explosion the three men who were killed were at work inside the building. Foreman Gustin was cleaning out the clinkers from the round wooden tubs with iron hoops, using a copper spad. Something perhaps came in contact with one of these hoops causing a spark, and that was all that was necessary to send everything up in smoke. The exact cause of the explosion will never be known.
Wilbur Gustin was the only one instantly killed. His body presented a horrible appearance, being burned to a crisp, while his limbs were either burnt off or blow off, and such pieces as could be found were tied up in a bundle for burial. Gustin's home was at Maineville.
Western Star, Lebanon, Ohio
Jan. 23, 1902
Three Killed By an Explosion at Kings Mills.
The dead: Wilbur Gustin, David Thompson, Charley Hayer.
Injured: Russell Butler
Another terrible explosion occurred at Kings Mills at 1:30 o'clock Monday afternoon and as a result three men are dead while a forth lingers in piteous agony.
The accident occurred in the glazing works of the blasting powder department. This building stood near the dam and was 30x100 feet, built of wood and covered with sheet iron.
The building was in charge of Wilbur Gustin, 25 and unmarried. From the statement made by the only survivor, Russell Butler, it appears that at the time of the explosion the three men who were killed were at work inside the building. Foreman Gustin was cleaning out the clinkers from the round wooden tubs with iron hoops, using a copper spad. Something perhaps came in contact with one of these hoops causing a spark, and that was all that was necessary to send everything up in smoke. The exact cause of the explosion will never be known.
Wilbur Gustin was the only one instantly killed. His body presented a horrible appearance, being burned to a crisp, while his limbs were either burnt off or blow off, and such pieces as could be found were tied up in a bundle for burial. Gustin's home was at Maineville.
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