The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-01-25
Che Gatftte.
MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.

ErNAx EXPLOSION AND Loss OF LIFE
On Thursday Of last week our town was
made the scene Of one of the mos; terrific
steam explosions that has occurred within
the twelvemon,h About IL o'clock of
that day one Of the boilers attached to the
brick steam mill Of Messrs. Burrows g.
Prottyman exploded with most destructive
results. The engine room and cooper shop
were in brick building adjoining the mill
and enclosed under the same roof. At tho
time Of the accident the engineer had bu,
just lei. the engine and the building, the
fireman was ut his post and six men were
at work in the cooper shop. With the ey-
plosion the bursted boiler was thrown some
distance in the dir and descended in the
middle Of the street. where it yet remains
the object Of inspection to many curious
pssser.by. The other boiler was evident
y thrown upward and descended, falling
over with one end against and penetrating
tho mill. The whole brick building was
completely demolished. The fireman, Mr..
VIM. Fudge, an old and exemplary citizen,
vas thrown some twenty-five or thirty feet
against wood pilc aud instantly killed.
He left large family who were wholly de-
pendent upon his daily labor for liveli-
hood. Now that they arc entirely dcpr,v-
ID Of their support, the citizens, we trust,
will kindly aid in their sustenance. In
the cooper shop at the time we're six men
at work, one Of whom escaped entirely un-
injured, three others but very slightly, and
the other two, Messrs Solomon and Butler.
severely hurt-nl,hough the latter is again
able to attend TO business. II is subject
Of astonishmcnt TO every ono who views
the ruins, how those men escaped death
amid the destruction which surrounded
them.
At the time of the explosion we sat wri-
ting At our desk nearly opposite the mill
and involuntarily contracted our body into
the smallest compass, expecting the whole
building about our ears.' As it did no,
come tumbling upon us we soon reached
tho door, where scene OF the widest con.
fusion presented itself From amid cloud
ofsteam that came rolling onward shutting
out the extent Of sthe catastrophe, in all
directions rushed horses with sleds attach
ed, while men equally alarmed with the
animals, attempted not to stop their pro-
gress. As the steam cleared away aud
the ruins became visible VIC would not have
given rush for the life of fellow being
who stood there bu, the momen, previous
The sentiment was general aud yet, with
one exception, the men were all spared.
The loss sustained By the proprie'ors of
the mill will not fall much short Of $4,000. |
The chimney was left standing, bu, SO in
jured that it will have to be reconstructed
Mr.. Burrows, with TINT commendablc en-
terprisc for which he is known, proceeded
next morning to Bloomington and by tcle.
graph ordered new boilers.
With regard to the cause Of the mclan.
choly catastrophe, it is well known that in
oil steam explosions no blame ever attach
e. to any one-until the matter is inyesti-
gated. The boilers had long been in use
and it was generally progaosticated tina,
they could be made TO serve with safety no
longer. The sequel proved tho prognos,-
cations correct, but whether the prophets
DO entitled to credit for the fuliilmcnt OF
their prophecies, or the circumstance be
simply Que Of those inscrutabIs acts Of IN
over-rulng Providence, time or inve.,iga-
ton must determine.
With regard to the length Of ,imo in
which the boilers have been in use, Mr..
Burrows assures us-and he will have the
requisite proof Of the matter in a few
weeks-that previous to him purchasing
them they had been used in mill but three
and halt years, and had never been on
steamboat but as freight. They were pur-
chased at Alton and before closing the con-
tract, Mr.. B. incurred the expense Of a Wis.,
il TO ST. Louis, where he obtained tho SER
vices Of a boiler inspector, who upon exam
ination pronounced them perfectly safe for
i've years usage. Il is well known that
they bad been in service but q twelyemonth
since that time.
Since writing the above a subscription