The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-10-30
NO. Al.

rE-FRrdurruL ExrIosfoS.-1wo mon
kaled.--Y Ycsterday morning about half pat
nine o'clock, the little locomotive Alert, used
in making up trains in the Central Depot yard,
exploded with tremendous force, instantly
killing two men who were upon on it, and act
ing as engineer and fireman. 1t appean that
she had been fred up for some time and Was
waiting for the Night Express from Chicago
which was little behind time. In few
moments that train came in and as the engine
passed into the depot the two men jumped up
on the Alert to take her to the rear Of the
passenger train to dispose Of the cars. The
water had got very much reduced in the boil
er--so much 50 that it had become decompos-
ed in all probability which had generated gss.
The moment the throttle was pulled and tho
pump commenced working the boiler explod-
ed with terrific violence, instantly killing tho
two men and scattering the fragmenta OF the
engine in every direction. A piece weighing
towards half ton was taken directly over the
passenger cars which were running into the
depot, and deposited at the other sido Of the
yard by the freight depot. Another piece
was thrown through the air and found lodge
ment on the roof Of DeGraff & Hendricks
foundry, after tearing largo hole in the bel
fry. Another piece We arc informed was
found in yard on Porter st., three quarters
of a mile from the spot, while the name was
blown over all intervening buildings and was
found on Fort st., near Mrs. DeGarmo Jones.
The rails of the track were also broken and
one driving wheel blown off.
The regular engineer was not on her at the
time having procured the night watchman
apout tho depot to take his place.
| The poor fellows name was Jacob Fleming.
From the appearance of his body after death
it would seem as though large piece Of the
boiler must have struck him in the face as his
head was mashed to perfect pulp. The rest
of the body was not greatly injured He was
a German and had no relatives here, but has
some friends somewhere in Wisconsin. The
fireman's name was Robert Ashley, boy
about II. He is nephew Of Jas. Mckinley,
n foreman in one Of the Central shops. His
BODY was horribly mutilated. The breast
was torn away from the shoulders and side, so
that every ligament was laid bare, and the
front part Of the trunk as it were split OF
from the hack part His bowels were thrown
out ana burned by the hot steam. His nose
was broken, his eyes forced from their sock
cts, and his whole face so frightfully blackcn-
ed and mutilated as to render every feature
undistnouishabla. Nearly every bone in his
body must have been broken, as his legs had
to be held while person pulled Of his boots,
to keep them from being pulled to pieces. a
man who was standing near BY was Knocked
down by the conclusion produced by the rush
ing steam, and the side Of his head cut, but
not badly. TIE baggage man on the pass
enger train was struck on the instcp and leg
by piece of the boiler that flew past him and
received quite painful flesh wound. Sever
al wonderful escapes were had, and it is al
most miraculous that more were not injured
and even killed.
A stage coach standing near by and be.
longing west was completely demolished ana
the tender to the passenger train pretty well
riddled The Alert was one of the Oldest en-
gnes in the possession Of the Company, hav-
ing been purchased from the State with the
Road Justice H. Chase held an inquest and
the jury returned a verdict that the explosion
was caused by the lowness of water in the
boiler Dct. Dem. Il Inq. 22d inst.