Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1859-04-09

EyrLOSToH or 4 LOCOMOTIVE ,-FPIGuTrCL
AND FATAL ACrIDENT.-On W eduesday morn.
ing, about half past 4 o'clock. the boiler Of
the locomotive "rerkomen," belonging TO
the Reading ltailrond Company, exploded in
the vicinity Of the Falls OF Schuylklll, Phila-
dclphia, with terribly fatal results. The en-
glne. which was a very large and powerful
one-one OF the largest coal. al.burners owned
10y the CompaDy-had inst stepped at the
toll house al the alls Bridge on the West
side OF the Schuylkill, with II long train Of
coal cars attached to il, III order to whit for
another locomotive, TO push The train around
the curve at that point, when the boiler ex-
ploded, with dealenlng report that echoed
amODg he hills like the discharge OF n battery.
The effect was tremendous. by the sheer
fnrce Of the explosion the locomotive was
wreuched from its connection with tho train,
and dashed u complete wreck upon the bridge
a distance Of sixty feet from where il, stood
at :he moment Of the collapse. 4 small
frame building occupied by Jno. Mcdonnell.
Dispatcher, stands near the spot occupied
by the engine. The eoncussion rocked this
building like birds nest upon a swinging
twig, while the live Goals which were scattered
heavenward fell upon its roof and set it on
fire. Mcdonnell, was asleep at the time
lie was hurled from his bed against the wall,
with some violence, and a chilj sleeping iu an
adjoining room made narrow escape t-em u
huge fragment Of iron which was blown
through the window. A daughter Of the
same man was so much stunned by the Jar
communicated 10 the building, as 10 remain
unconscious for length Of time.
The worst however. remains to be told
The engineer, Josiah Missimer, and a brakes
man, named John Foley, both lost their lives.
The body OF the first named has not yet been
found, which leads to the supposition that it
was blown into the Schuylkill. The mangled
and scarcely recognizable body of Foley was
found upon the towing path Of the canal, O
distance Of one hundred aud fifty feet. A
more sickening spectacle than that presented
by the body, when gathered up, was rarely
seen-the top of the head being blown of,
and the brains spattered over the ground -
The unfortunate man had fallen headforemost
upon rock. The fireman owes his escape
TO the fact that he had left bis post, for a
moment, to take q drink at the dollhouse
well.
The force OF the explosion may be judged
when We state that the safety valve Of the
| engine was blown across the river into the
yard Of house at the Falls, where it was
found after daylight. A piece of boiler, as
heavy as two strong men could lift, was found
upon hill about eight hundred feet from the
| spot where the explosion occurred. The con,
cussion was plainly perceptible at Msnayunk
and crowds Of people came from all direction:
to the spot.
This is the fourth locomotive explosion
that has taken place on the Reading road
since its completion. The FIRST was that o.
the engine Richmond" that took place il
the deep Cut" about two miles north o.
Reading, in the year 1874. 1t was demon
strated by an investigation made by DR.
Dionysius Lardnsr, OF England, that this ex
plosion was caused by the done beisg struck
by lightning. Joe. Ward, the engineer, ant
three other were killed.
The second was the "Nevsrsink," which
blew up opposite Manayunk, n the year lS4I
killing seven persons.
The third was the Engineer" which ex'
ploded iu the deep Cut" above referred TO-
in the year 1913, killing Wm. Nagle, the en-.
gineer and four others Reading Gazette.