The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-03-07 00:00:00

TERRIBLE BOILLR EXPLOSION AND
LOSS OF LIFE.

A terrible explosion of two b tilers took place at the
large cotton 'plunk g mill of Alderman Toomps tn,
Hollins Bank, Blackhurn, at half plat ten o'c ock on
Monday morning. From some cause, at present un-
explained, the water In the b ilers got no low that toe
engine tenter thought it necessary to turn in more
water. The cold water taps let ffito the boilers at
one and the game time, aid a terrible explosion
of both boilers followed, which blew down that
portion of the mill in which the winders and the war.
perm were employed. Bricks were scattered about
like hail in all directions ; wheels and diff,rent portions '
of machinery were hurled across the canal. One stone
neatly a ton in weight was sent 200 yards, and it
alighted with such force that it rank for several feet
into the field. The engine teuter's head war blowout!.
Mr. Richard Thompson, the eldest son of Mr. Aide,-
: man Thompeon, had I is head lain open, and was other.
wise frightfully mutilated. He was killed on the
spot. Mr. Alderman Tutinpson had fortunatt 4, left
the mill only a moutent prior to the explosion, and
it is said that his face was cut by some of the
falling glass. The scene was one that rifles description.
The rest of the hands rushed out to find their friends
and companiota Mired in the ruins of the fallen p
lion of the mill. They wre panic.stricken and nein-
lees. The news of the disaster spread like wild ire, and
nearly all the members of the borough constabulary
went to the spot for the palliate of enforcing order ;
I and in this respect they succeeded admirably. Work-
men were at once employed to remove the debris, and
up to three o'clock the bodies of fourteen persons were
taken out of the ruins quite dead, and (tie difficult to
say bow many remain behind.
The disaster is the greatest of its kind that has ewer
occur's,. in Blackburr, and it has filled the town with
universal gloom.

FURTLIER PARTICULAR'.
Monday Nlght.
Eleven bodies have been discovered, and not four-
teen, as at first stated. Some of those employed at the
mill state that. there were two di tinct explosiona, and
that the hands ran out to perceive teat one portion of
the mill was a wreck. It was two o'clock before the
third man, Mr. Coertharo, of 27, Haoriltonoitreet,
was recovered. Not a particle of the boiler or the
engines was to he found in the hoder house, and
the gable end of a four et try spinning mill, con.
taming forty thousand spindle% was damaged in the
upper story, a portion of the brickwork being
smashed in, and many of the windows broken. A more
frightful wreck could hsrdlv be =Killed. The greatest
consternation prevailed in toe towii, and the road and
bricks of the canal were lined with orrople until late
tox,ight, and many anxious inquiries were made by
those who fancied that they had lost relatives or friends.
It may be explained that the weaving shed ire model
of Its kind. Mr. Richard Thompson was said to have
been on the boiler at the time of the explosion. He
was found in the looming shed, and was taken to his
father's home at Witton Bank. Four weavers were
found laid side by side as if in sleep. Th., engine.
tenter's body has not yet been recovered. Nat a particle
of either of the boilers has yet been discovered. The
',art of the engine shed was so shaken that the water on
its surface pert °listed through shattered portions of the
roof and ran down upon the weaving material. in the
room, &dog conelderable damage. No fewer than six
medical men sr, tended the injured perl,nns, and they
were most unremitting in their kind offices. Edsven
of the wounded were removed to the blackburn and
East Lar cashire Infirmary, where they were attended
upon by Mr. William% the house surgeon. SOWS of
them are described as being likely to die. Mr. Alder-
man l'hompson bad spoken to his eldest sin only a
minute or two before the sad catastrophe occurred.
The extensive mill will be stopped, and the damage
will not be recited for less than ten thousand pounds.
It is believed that the b Aerie bad become overheated
when the cold water was poured in.

On Tuesday the inquest was opened all Blackburn
Town-hall on the eleven bodies recovered from the
wreck of the Mill. The jury viewed the scene of the
explosion, and when evidence of id-nt.fication had been
given, the inquest wee adjourned for a for Might. It
Is tearei that there will be more death* among the
sufferers in the hospital. Five hundred factory workers
are thrown out of work, and such a sorrowful event
never happened in Bieckborn before. The strongest
sympathy is expressed for the bereaved proprietor of
the roill.—Dewhurst, the engine tenter, was found at
one o'cLick on Tuesday morning with his coal rake
firmly clenched in both hands, thus showing that his
last act was that of raking the bare of the boiler fire.
He was buried under an immense weight of small coal
and debris.