American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-05-15

dreadful explosion took place in the extensive
Iron Foundry and Machine Establishment of
MIR. John Waterman, on the South side of the
Basin, yesterday morning, about 90 minutes of
O'Clock. The boiler, which is said to be sixty
horsepower, and by which the machinery
throughout the entire establishment was pro-
PEELED, was situated in the centre of the large
building used as a machine shop and pattern
department, exploded with loud report, burst
ing out the walls on each side, for some forty
feet, and scattering the brick and timbers in
every direction, from the ground to the roof,
making perfect wreck Of every thing in this
portion of the building. The walls on both
sides and ends, were started from their founda-
ton, cracked in every direction, and the ends
which did not fall had to be Immediately prop
ped up, to keep them from tumbling down IN
the universal ruin. Large girdets, iron shafts,
and immense tnbers were broken into pieces.
The boilers and engine were forced from their
beds, and thrown a considerable distance. The
machinery and tools were scattered all over the
place, and a small shed at some distance from
the building was thrown down by the shock.
The most lamentabe part ofthe accident re-
mains to be told. A young man named John
Eden, aged about 90 years, who had fired up
the engine was buried under the ruins. Scores
of men Immediately went to work to recover
his body, and about half past 0 o'clock he was
found, atire, having been buried nearly four
hours in the most horrible of all situations. 1t
appears that portion of the boiler had been
thrown so as to form a sort of shelter for his
body, and thus saved him from being crushed
to atoms under the pile of bricks, machinery
and timbers. He was Immediately taken to
the house ofhis widowed mother, n. 25 Armis-
tead lane, not more than hundred yards from
the Foundry. When found he was insensible,
and died in a few moments after being carried
home. His body was very badly scalded his
skull fractured, and body otherwise horribly
mutilated. Coroner Bowman held an inquest
over the body and verdict was rendered in
accordance with the facts.
A German, named Thompson, who belongs
to Fell's Point was also seriously injured, and
his feet and legs badly scaldcd He had Just
entered the door whenthe explosion took place
and was thrown out some distance, against
large iron cylinder. Medical aid was soon in
attendance, and no serious apprehensons of his
ultimate recovery are felt.
It's somewhat singular, that the father of
young Eden was killed on board of the steam
boat Merchant on her passage from this city to
Mobile, in the fall of 1887. He was engineer
of the boat, and in oiling the crank it struck
him, killing him instantly. The young man
was the only stay and support of his mother,
and several small brothers and sisters, and is
represented as being industrious, and ofexem-
plary character. MIR. Waterman was absent
from the city, having gone to Fredericksburg,
Va, on Wednesday afternoon, on an expert
mental trip in the new boat "Mary Washing
ton" The chief engineer was absent and Eden
had been left in charge, otherwise the sad ac
cident might not have occurred
Had the explosion occurred but a few mo-
ments later, the loss of human life would have
been most fearful, as the hands 20 to work at
O'Clock. There were about 100 persons en-
Dloyed in this building, and had it occurred at
Ter they had gone to work, but few, if any,
would have escaped death, or serious injury, as
l great proportion of them work directly over
and in the vicinity of the boiler. Most fortu-
nately but two have been the sufferers. The
loss is very large not only to MIR. Waterman,
but to the hands, who have lost private tools
and implements, and are now for time thrown
out of employment. We have heard Mr..
Watchman's loss vaIiousy estimated at from
81 to sac, 900, but we think that at present it
is impossible to make even a correct guess at
the amount of damage.
There is an insurance on the property against
ire, but none against such an accident, which
will cause the loss to fall heavily upon the pro-
orietor We have never beheld more COM
olete wreck ofany building or structure by any
lgency. An immense crowd Of persons visited
he place during the day to gaze upon the sad
'uin. The alarm of fire yesterday morning at
his hour, was caused by the above explosion,
out luckily the quantity Of water in the boiler
put out the fire, and thus saved the wreck from
hat devouFng element.
Shocking Occurrences Yesterday morning
between and O'Clock, most dreadful oc-
,urrence took place at the Maryland Hospi-
al. A colored man belonging to Cecil coun-
", who is a maniac, and who has been confin-
ID in the Hospital some time, by some means
Or other got loose and threw another patient
named John w. Higgins, a white man, and
native Of Talbot county, out of third story
window, killing him instantly. He then made
1t another man named Law, and struck him
IN the back of his head with large club, frac
turing his skull, and he is not expected to re-
cover. He also injured one of the keepers
very seriously, and finally attacked the gard
ler of the place, who report says seized fork
md pinned him in the back of the neck. and
hat while thus held, another inmate came
up, and picking up the club with which Law
mad been struck, he feed the negro to the
earth who it is stated has since died from the
INJURIES received. These are all the facts we
nave been enabled to obtain, those having
charge of the Hospital refusing to give any
on the subject, consequently we
nave had to depend in great measure upon
report We hope that the occurrence NAV
nave been exaggerated, for fit be as stated, It
shows a remissness of duty somewhere, in per- ,
hitting maniac to get loose, and thus de-
troy human life.
Volunteers for MericO We are requested to
say that roll-book will be open this day at
he rotunda of the Exchange, for the purpose
Of receiving the names of young men, between
eighteen and twenty-five years of age, who