"Explosion Fatal to 23 - Two Carloads of Dynamite Are Blown Up in Utah ... Most of the Victims Were GREEK Laborers..." article, Chicago Daily Tribune, February 20, 1904

Published in the Chicago Daily Tribune, February 20, 1904

EXPLOSION FATAL TO 23.

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TWO CARLOADS OF DYNAMITE

ARE BLOWN UP IN UTAH

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Accident to Work Train on Southern

Pacific's Ogden-Lucin Cutoff Due

to Water Train Running into Cars

Containing Explosive - 

Most of the Victims Were GREEK Laborers -

Much Property Reduced to Debris -

Relief Work Follows Disaster.

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Ogden, Utah, Feb. 10 - Two cars of dynamite attached to a work train on the Ogden-Lucin cutoff of the Southern Pacific railroad exploded this afternoon at Jackson station, eighty-eight miles west of Ogden, killing at least twenty-three persons, injuring as many more, and destroying a large amount of property.

The majority of the victims were Greek laborers.  Among the known dead are Conductor George Dermody of Ogden and his train crew.  It is also reported that a fireman named Burt, with his wife and three children, were killed.  The explosion wrecked everything within a radius of half a mile.

Occupants Blown to Pieces.

Jackson station was used principally as a telegraph station, but a number of outfit cars were sidetracked at the place for the accomodation of the workmen and their families.  Some of these cars, it is stated, were near where the explosion occurred.  The occupants, it is believed, were blown to pieces.  The telegraph operator's house was badly damaged and Operator Taylor and his wife injured.  The nearest telegraph office is at Lucin, fifteen miles from the scene of the explosion.

Collision Causes Explosion.

The accident was caused by a water train running into the two cars loaded with powder.  Five locomotives were reduced to scrap iron, and the big steam shovel at Jackson station was demolished.  As soon as news of the explosion reached Ogden a special with physicians, nurses, and stretchers was hurried to the scene.

Tonight a train arrived from Jackson bringing twelve of the inured.  Some of them are apparently lifeless.