Visiting Decorated Homes Worth The Trip 
Enlightening Experience

Andrew R. Calabrese Jr.

By KALEN CHURCHER kchurcher@leader.net
 Sunday, December 23, 2001 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1B 





PLYMOUTH - Cold winds whip through the Shawnee Cemetery despite sunlight that
pours through the barren trees. An occasional bird chirps in the distance, but
save a passing car traveling up the steep West Mountain Road, the only sounds
are from the squirrels scampering among the dead leaves. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A walk through the cemetery, just southwest of the Plymouth Township line,
is like taking a tour through the West Side borough's history. Established in
1870, the 13.5-acre area is the resting place of hundreds of Welsh, English,
German, Polish, Irish and Russian immigrants who toiled away in the borough's
mines and settled the land along a section of the Susquehanna River. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wrought-iron fences outline some of the family plots, while other markers
seem to be placed haphazardly and are barely readable due to years of
weathering. But one particular marker towers above the others in the front
section of the cemetery - a mass grave that memorializes 10 of the 12 victims
who perished in an explosion at the Powell Squib Factory on Feb. 25, 1889.
Erected by the ``sympathizing citizens,'' the inscription states as follows: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Together they sleep on the sloping green where the flowers bloom 'neath the
sunlight beam and the soft breezes sigh through the willow tree that nods o'er
the grave in the sunny Shawnee. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The explosion at the factory - which manufactured fuses for use in the
mines - made front-page headlines in the Wilkes-Barre Record on Feb. 26.
``BURNED TO CRISP'' was the headline over the story of 11 girls ``burned to
headless and limbless trunks.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The explosion happened at about 1 p.m. According to published reports, the
succession of pops came as no surprise to many residents in the area who were
accustomed to hearing explosions in nearby mine shafts. However, the people
who lived near Cherry Street knew immediately that something was wrong at John
Powells' squib factory, on the hill near the Gaylord breaker. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to the Wilkes-Barre Record, there were only four eyewitnesses to
the explosion and their accounts of the disaster had few discrepancies. The
explosion blew the roof more than 5 feet into the air. It settled on top of
the occupants before another explosion forced out the sides of the structure.
Of the 12 people in the building at the time, only the foreman, George Reese,
escaped. He later died from serious burns and was buried with the others. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In a discussion with the coroner, published on Feb. 27, Reese said by
orders of the proprietor, he had Katie Jones, 17, and another girl, examine
the squibs for quality. The two girls began the work at about noon and
continued until just before 1 p.m. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I, at that time, stood beside the stove, and Katie was sorting the squibs
at the table,'' Reese told the coroner as reported in the Wilkes-Barre Record.
``Katie came from the tables and said to me, `These are all bad, and I'm going
to burn them.' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``She had some of the refuse in her apron. She took the lifter to lift the
lid off the stove and threw the refuse in. But before she had time to put the
lid back there must have been a squib filled with powder in the refuse which
flew out of the stove and into the rear of the building. It dropped on a sheet
of paper that covered a case of squibs. As soon as it dropped on that it
exploded like a cannon.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Although the two ran for the door, smoke quickly poured into the room
making it impossible to see. The next thing Reese recalled was being in the
basement - alone. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Eleven girls perished in the fire, although records provide identification
for only 10. Names on the grave marker include Mary Walters, 16; Esther Ann
Powell, 22; Ruth Powell, 20; Maggie Richards, 15; Gladys Reese, 14; Mary Lake,
16; Kate Jones, 17; Jane Thomas, 14; and Hettie Jones, 16. George Reese, 44,
is the 10th person buried in the grave. Maggie Lynch, 21, also died in the
explosion. The location of her final resting place was not mentioned. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Reports indicate ``the supposed remains of eleventh victim supposed to be
only a mass of glue.'' The Wilkes-Barre record states she may have been from
the Scranton or Carbondale area. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 An investigation conducted indicated there was no foul play involved. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Until 1994, the grave marker for the young women remained virtually hidden
in the Shawnee Cemetery, covered by overgrown weeds and wild brush. After
being neglected for years, the entire cemetery appeared to be more of a vacant
field than a final resting place. Since then, various community organizations
and volunteer groups have helped restore the cemetery under the watchful eye
of Plymouth resident Janice Williams. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``All the acres except for the part that went down in the cave-in have been
cleared,'' Williams said as she pored over the cemetery's records at the
Plymouth Historical Society. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Throughout the past seven years, paths have been cleared, fences painted
and dignity restored to the old cemetery. And nestled between Hairbell and
Aster paths, under the outstretched branches of a towering tree, the mass
burial spot of the Powell Squib Factory victims still sits, with its
wrought-iron gate propped open by a small mound of earth. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kalen Churcher, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7329. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

1889 Blast Cut Short 12 Lives 
Ten Of The Victims Of The Violent Event Are Buried In A Mass Grave In
Plymouth's Shawnee Cemetery. Among The Dead Were 11 Young Girls Who Worked At
The Factory.

1889 Blast Cut Short 12 Lives Ten Of The Victims Of The Violent Event Are Buried In A Mass Grave In Plymouth's Shawnee Cemetery. Among The Dead Were 11 Young Girls Who Worked At The Factory.