Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-07-23
City ann County sntelli9enre.


noon, about half past one O'Clock, at the wire
factory of Messrs. l. Washburn & Co. on
Grove street. The large steam boiler, so feet
long and four feet in diameter, and weighing
about five tons, attached to their powerful en-
CINE, exploded with tremendous force, shat
tering the engine house (which is ofbrick) into
atoms, demolishing portion of the walls of
the main building adjacent, and injuring seve-
raj workmen, one severely, but it is hoped
not fatally.
So immense was the force of the explosion,
that the ponderous boiler, leaving the fire box
and the crown sheet behind, shot through the
engine house walls into the air, to an altitude
of two hundred feet at the highest, as estimat
ed by many observers, and reached the ground
striking with the top downward, in the garden
of Mr.. ]. NJ. c. Armsby, on Lincoln street
over quarter of mile distant, and driving
itself into the earth to the depth of four feet ;
but it rebounded from the garden, and break
ing off a portion of the top or rim, which it
left buried there, finally spent its force in land
ing itself on the further side of Lincoln street,
where it lay extending dagonally across. 1t
tore away Mr.. Armsby's fence for width of
fifteen feet, and injured the fence of MIR. j. H.
| Gerauld.
| One of the Aues of the boiler, being dsen-
gagged after the bursting off of the top or rim,
shot out, and precipitated itself alongside of
the boiler, in the street.
The explosion produced dull, heavy
sound and was not very extensively heard.
AS the report of the occurrence spread, the
CONSERVATION and excitement thereby produc-
ed was very great. 1t is a long time since
there has been anything like it in Worcester.
The gas explosion last winter produced an
excitement like this in some respects.
There were over one hundred men at work
in the factory at the time, and a number of
persons were at work upon the grounds out
side. 1t seems almost miraculous that all es-
capped with their lives, and that so few were
injured When the boiler rebounded across
Lincoln street, two men were riding by in
carriage and very narrowly escaped death.
The following persons were injured;
John Morrissey, middle-aged man, resid-
ing on Exchange street, was at work outside,
wheeling gravel, and was struck by the steam
pipe. He had two ribs broken, and was in
jured internally, seriously, if not fatally.
Henry c. Wilson, the engineer, was badly
bruised by the flying bricks, and considerably
injured, but not seriously. Mr.. Wilson was
not regularly at work, having been ill several
days. He happened to come out yesterday,
after dinner. The engine was in the care of
another person.
Daniel Guilfoil, who lives on Prescott street.
in the rear of the cemetery, was slightly in
jured by the flying bricks.
William Prouty, who lives on Thomas
street, was bruised, but not badly. He was
about to enter the engine room, and was prov
identially delayed by some circumstance.
Patrick Gumforth, who resides on Gold
street, was injured badly across the back, but
not seriously.
Within hundred feet Of the place where
the boiler struck the garden, is the residence
OF WnrIdm "A. WneeIury ---a,--.------o-
Armsby being not more than twenty feet dis
tant. Had that ponderous mass of iron struck
either of these elegant mansions land it might
have fallen upon the roof of either), the struc.
ture would have been crushed in a moment,
and there could have been nothing but instant
death for the inmates. The weight of the
mass could not have been less than three and
| half tons, aud it had gone flying over the
tops of buildings to the place where it fell.
The cause of the catastrophe is explained
by the proprietors of the establishment in this
way While some of the men were at work
hosting up wire, the rope become entangled
around Skating, rendering stoppage OF the
| engine necessary, with a closing of the
| safet6 valve. The consequence was ar
increased pressure of the steam which caused
the explosion. This was the state OF the case
as they understood. Perhaps some other ex
PLANTATION may be found on further enquiry
The boiler was strong and had all the modern
Improvements. 1t was made by Thurston
Gardner & Co., Providence, r. l., and cos
about 81 600 1t had been in use some five
years, and the proprietors were about to ex
change it for a new one. The engine had
been stopped only four or five minutes when
the explosion occurred
Inc damage TO the building, which is owned
by Hon. Stephen Salisbury, is not far from
five thousand dollars. The damage to the en-.
CINE must be considerable
The stoppage of these works for brief De.
riod is much to be lamented, as the business
has been unusually brisk this season. William
L. Merrifield, Esq, has kindly offered Messrs
Washburn G Co. the use of rooms and power
in his buildings on Union and Exchange
streets, till the repairs can be made