 Humboldt (IA) Republican October 5, 1899 p. 2 A boiler explosion in a gin mill at Pottsboro, Tex., killed Grant Cordon, Nunn Steele and a boy named Jones.  Dallas Morning News September 25, 1899 FRIGHTFUL BOILER EXPLOSION Two Men and a Boy Instantly Killed, While a Young Lady Lostg Both Feet and Had Thigh Broken Pottsboro, Tex., Sept. 25 - The boiler at Henderson & Mangus' gin, just across Red river north of this place, blew up this afternoon at 1:30 o'clock, completely demolishing the boiler and pressrooms and killing Engineer Grant Cordor, Pressman Munn Steele and a boy named Jones. A Miss Jones, sister of the boy killed, had both feet blown off and a thigh broken in two places. Several parties were more or less bruised. Sherman, Tex., Sept. 25 - B.R. Leatherwood of Pottsboro, Grayson County, was here this evening and stated that just before he left home about 6 p.m., an agent travelling across the country reached Pottsboro and gave the meager information that this afternoon a gin boiler exploded near Henderson's ferry on Red river and killed three men. He could not give any names of any of the parties. The telephone and telegraph offices at Pottsboro close at an early hour, and all endeavors to get later information have been unavailing.  St. Paul Globe (St. Paul, Minnesota) September 26, 1899 WITH FRIGHTFUL FORCE Boiler Explodes, Killing and Maiming Many Persons Pottsboro, Tex., Sept. 25 - The boiler at Henderson & Mangus gin mill blew up this afternoon, demolishing the building and killing Engineer Grant Cordon, Pressman Nunn Steele and a boy named Jones. Miss Jones, sister of the boy, had both feet blown off and a thigh broken in two places. Dallas Morning News September 27, 1899 SCENE ONE OF CHAOS Later Details Show Fearful Havoc Was Wrought by the Boiler Explosion Near Pottsboro. Sherman, Tex., Sept. 26 - The News special from Pottsboro this morning contained a meager account of the explosion of the boiler at the cotton gin of Henderson & Mangus, just across the river on the Indian Territory side and about 9 miles northwest of Pottsboro. Later intelligence received today confirms the first report that Engineer Grant Corder, Pressman Nun Steel and a cottonpicker, a youth by the name of Tom Jones, was terribly maimed, both feet being crushed and injuries of perhaps an internal nature received about the body. The explosion occurred shortly after 3 o'clock in the afternoon and was heard for miles. Employes about the gin who were not seriously hurt were thrown into such consternation that little if anything had been done in an attempt to succor the others when people began to gather in from the surrounding neighborhood. Corder's body was found almost buried under the stone and brick hurled out of the boilder foundation. His bowels were gushing from a terrible rent in the side and nearly every bone in his body was broken. Steel was found in the debris of the pressroom which was literally torn to pieces. A flying timber struck him on the head and crushed the skull like an eggshell. His neck was also broken. In both his case and that of Engineer Cordin death was instanteous. The Jones boy was gasping, but died in a few moments. He was internally injured by flying timbers and his sister was found near him in a pititable plight already mentioned. The boy and girl were picking cotton near the gin and had just stepped up to the door of the lintroom and asked for a drink of water when the explosion occurred. They are the children of a family who formerly lived at Locust, Grayson county. Corder was a single man, who came to Henderson ferry from Illinois about 3 months ago. The address of his relatives or friends in Illinois can not be secured this afternoon. Steel was a married man who has lived several years in Grayson county about halfway between Pottsboro and the river. He leaves a wife and children. At 2 p.m. Dr. Jolif of Pottsboro, who went to the scene of the terrible affair last night, and had not returned and it is not known if the girl is still alive.  Pottsboro History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |