The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-12-28

Killed ana ELK S0rt0uO1y lnJ0ReGe
We give below from tho St. Louis Republican
full account Of the terrible explosion in that
city on Saturday last:-
Since the appalling catastrophe at the Pacific
Hotel, nearly . year ago, We have not been
called upon to record more heart-rending
calamity than was witnessed on Saturday morn
ing in the explosion Of steam boiler, st the
81. Louis Sugar Refinery. Tie accident occur
ed At about twenty minutes past seven o'clock,
little while after the night workmen had been
relieved by the day men. The boiler room IL
situated at the Northeast corner Of the alley,
between Main and Lewis streets, on OFallon,
and runs back distance Of one hundred and
twenty-five feet. Mr.. Thomas Shepherd, the
principal engineer Of the establishment, happen
ing to be detained at home half an hour later
than usual, was at the corner Of Broadway and
Ashley streets, Oh his way to work, when the
explosion took place. He describes the noise,
at that distance, nearly four squares, as "a
runbling, dismal sound, like that produced un-
derground by blast" The shock must have
| been terrific. The whole length Of the wall
eighteen inches thick Of the boiler room, three
| stories in height, was 1eyeled to the ground in
| a few seconds, and such was the force of the
conclusion, that part of the boiler, eight ieet
| long, and weighing at least 500 lbs, together
with fues weighing $500 lbs more, were lifted
| into the air, carried sixty yards, and thrown
| upon the peak of the root of the main building,
which is seyenty-fye feet from the, grouad,
where they fell through the roof to the floor
beneath. A steam drum, weighing ton, was
projected over high stack Of boilers, and fell
at q distance of thirty feet from its original 20.
| sition. One of the flues out of the main boiler
went into the roof of a dwelling house on
Bates Street, making hole six feet long by
| two feet in width aud another made the singu
lar fight of passing through two opposite win
dows in the third story of the refinery, falling
| on the top of two.s story building below. Pieces
of machinery, timbers, &C., were thrown in all
directions, and scarcely pane of glass in the
neighborhood was left unbroken.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
But all this destruction is nothing, conf pared
with the suffering and loss Of life which the &C
cident occasioned. Immediately succeeding the
report, the walls gave way, the rafters fell in,
and IN halt q minute more all that portion OF
the building situated as described above, was
leveled to the earth.
Bryan Graham, fireman, who had been en-
ployed ten years in the establishment, was ta-
ken from the ruins dead. lie was scaded over
his whole body, both legs were broken in
several places, and there was an awful cut in
his forehead. He leaves a wife and five chill.
dren
Another fireman, named John Conner. was
likewise taken out dead. lie was terribly
scalded and was perfectly black. He leaves q
family.
Jacob Hemminghoffer, mill.right, was taken
out lfeess. His neck and several bones were
| broken. lie leaves a vile and three children.
Henry n. Pettingil, machinist was alive when
removed from the rubbish. He was, however,
wounded in all parts of his body, and his lett
hand was completely cut of. lie was taken to
the Mechanics Exchange, near by, where he
suffered unspeakably for about an hour, and
died. Psttingill had been engaged in the es-
Enlistment since the LIST Of November. He was
formerly from Rockford, Ill, at which place he
invented what is known as the Rockford Boiler
He leaves a wife and three children in Illinois.
A brother in.law took charge of the body for
interment.
Michael heefe, fireman, was frightfully scald
ed, SO much so as TO be almost unacceptable.
lie was taken to his residence, northeast corner
OF Bates and Lewis streets, and when our re
porter LETT the scene late Saturday Afternoon,
favorable opinions were expressed as to his re-
covery. lie Is married and has three children.
Robert Cook, young man, Is years Of age,
who was working at the drill Press, was badly
cut about the head the scalp being torn across
tue top, and almost from ear to ear. His skull
was also fractured, and his shoulders badly in
Jured His brother, VIM Cook, jumped from a
window when the explosion occurred, went
back, took Robert from the ruins, and carried
him home, between Fourteenth and Fifteenth
and Biddie and 0Fallon streets. 1t is consider
ed doubtful whether.he will survive.
| Archibald Mclean, machinist, had one Of his
shoulders disiocated, and was badly bruized in
several parts OF the body. He was at work in
copper shop in the third story, and Tell to the
basement. On hearing the report and feeling
the floor giving way, he chung to "a large vice,
which came down with MIN, and struck him in
the breast. In the fall his right hand was rem
| dered poweriess, but notwithstanding his in
Jufes he bad presence OF mind to arrange TIM
bers over his head with his left hand in such a
manner as to protect him from the falling
bricks. lie was taken to the Sisters Hospital,
and will probably be out in two or three weeks
he has wife and five children in Belleyille
Illinois.
John Booth, machinist, was badly injured,
/ though not dangerously. His place OF work
was about the ccAtre OF the machine shop. i'm.
medlately above the boiler room, from whence
he fell through to the basement He was re-
moved to his residence, at or near the corner of
Chambers and Fourteenth streets.
Ernest Holdorf was severely hurt about the
q
manner as to endanger his life. He was taken
TO the house of brother.in.law, No. l69 Collins
street.
julius Aibrecht sustained number Of pretty
bad Commissions, but it is believed none of his
bones were broken. He was removed to Marion
and Eighth streets.
The above list of the woun I'd embraces, we
believe, all whose condition was such as to re-
qulre medical attention. Several others were
slightly hurt, and some who were in the build.
ing made almost miraculous escapes.
coNJRcTURES AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
The boiler which exploded was an upright tn.
buiar one, containing seventy-fou hues. TWAS
originally made by Gaty, McCune g. Co., but
had been altered several times 90 that very
little remained as at first. it was not long ago
subjected to a test OF the hydraulic press and
withstood pressure OF It's pounds OF steam to
the square inch. The customary gauge was rs
pounds and it is asserted that not more than
that amount was on at the time Of the accident
though it appears almost incredible that that
power would be sufficient to hurl an object
weighing over 5000 pounds distance of l65
feet and lodge it on the roof Of house seventy.
five feet high
Whatever may have been the direct cause it
appears that some of the stay bolts which hold
the inside and outside sheets OF the boiler to-
gether gave way but whether this was from the
pressure OF steam or not, cannot be said
AMOUNT OF TIE DAMAGE.
About seventy-fve laborers were engaged all
day clearing away the rubbish. The ruins had
nearly all been removed last night, and It Is
confidently expected that in few DAYS matters
will be SO righted up that the business Of the
Refinery can go on.
The wall and roof of the boiler department
can be put up for So, 900, by using part Of the |
old material. Mr.. Belcher, who Is largely in
terested, estimates that the total damage 10 the
building and machinery can be repaired at from |
$4,000, to $4,000.
RAILROAD CosvENrioS.--The Des Moines
Statesman contains the following call for j Rail
road Convention -
DEs MONIES VALLEY r. r. CONVENTION.
the request OF numerous citizens, and newspa-
pers interested, We feel so authorized. and do
hereby call a General Meeting Of those inter
ested in the proposed consolidation Of all the
Railroad interests and influences of the Des
Mones Valley, for the purpose Of devising a
plan and maturing the necessary means Tor