New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-08-11
Disaster on the south Carolina Railroad


From the Charleston Mercury of the 9Th we ex-
tract the following particulars Of the recent fatal
boiler explosion on the South Carolina Railroad, o
brief account of which we published yesterday:
The locomotive F. Fl. Elmore exploded her boiler
on Thursday afternoon, between Lowrys and Gra-
hams Stations, on the South Carolina Railroad, in.
stantly killing five men.
The locomotive F. H. Elmore was just from the re.
pair shop of the South Carolina Railroad in this city,
and was in good working condition. The locomotive
left Charleston on Thursday morning for the purpose
of performing road work in the vicinity of Aiken, to
relieve the locomotive A. Black, which was needing
repairs. The ElmOre was unattended by train, and
followed the regular No. merchandise train from this
city to Hamburg.
Everything progressed well until Lowry's was
reached, at which station the engineer of the freight
train, true to his schedule moved off with his train.
By some means the conductor of the freight train
and train hand were left, but Immediately got upon
the Gilmore to follow to the next station. When the
locomotive had gone but a short distance from
Lowry's it exploded, and killed every man upon the
platform, leaving not one to tell the tale. At this
time there was upon the locomotive Messrs. Thomas
R. Kingdom, the engineer in charge; H. Won Delkin,
the conductor Of the engine H. Donegan, the fire.
man L. NJ. Gritty, the conductor of the preceding
train and A. Mitchell. a laborer on the train. The
accident occurred in the vicinity of o'clock in the
afternoon and at distance of twentysix miles from
this city.
Mr.. Rivers, carpenter in the employ of the rail.
road heard the explosion, and fastened to the spot
He found the boiler of the engine in fragments and
the machinery destroyed. One wheel, with its axle,
had been wrenched from the other wheel and thrown
hundred feet to one side Of the track while the
other wheel was thrown to the other side Nothing
but pieces of iron indicated that the engine ever had
boiler. It was completely annihilated.
The bodies Of the five men were found in different
portions and horribly mutilated. Three of their
heads were blown from their bodies; one was doubled
up, with bis chest blown away and another SO en-.
tirely dis6gured as to be unrecognizable. The top
of the head Of one was blown off. The bodies Of
three were readily recognized the body of the en-
gineer, Kingdom, was only identified by his clothing
and his gray beard; while the body of the fifth was
determined Alone from the fact that he the only
man missing. Arms and limbs were blown off and
fractured to an extent beyond description The body
Of one was found one hundred and fifty yards from
the railroad track
Upon the arrival of the supervisor of that section
of the road, Mr. Mcmillan, the remains were carefully
gathered up sacredy guarded, and sent to the city
in special car, by the early morning train of Fri
day. Mr. Mcmillan wrote statement OF the crcum-
| stances so far as he could command them, to Henry
L. Peake, Esq, General Superintendent OF the road
which was laid before the jury of inquest.
Immediately upon their arrival in town, Magistrate
q. W. Schroeder summoned jury of inquest, com
posed as follows:
Thomas F. O'sulivan, Foreman; NJ. c. Welsh G
q. Lythgoe, J. H. James, T. Hayden, ]. G. Hyduck
A. B. Steinmger j. H. Teasdale, Thomas Grant, w
S. Martin, William E. Berry, A. +. W. Abrahams
who returned verdict that " they came to theil
death from the explosion of the locomotive Gilmore
seyentysix miles from the city of Charleston, on the
South Carolina Railroad.
The funeral of four were solemnized yesterday
afternoon, the body Of Mr.. Kingdom being reserved
until this morning. to await the arrival of brother
resident in Georgetown. The funeral procession met
at hafpast five O'Clock at the junction of King and
Line streets, aud formed a very mournful and sad
spectacle. Mr.. Won Delkin's body was attended by
the German Artillery Capt. Wagner, and Mr.. Mitch
ellis body by the German Fusilliers, Capt. Often
Other associations were present in regaa and othel
indications of grief, and the workmen of the shops
Of the road. No business was transacted in any of
the shops after the arrival of the bodies in the city,
We learn that Mr.. Kingdom was one of the Oldest
engineers upon the road Of great prudence and worth
He was a man Of piety, and invariably carried his
regretted by all his shop-rnates and the employees oil
the road He leaves widow and five children.
Each of the others were unmarried, and two Of them
had families.
The cause of the accident was the inadyertent al
ioWance OF the water to get below safe level in the
poler VI this there can be no doubt in the mind OF
any one familiar with steam engine. While loco
motive Is in notion the loss of water by evaporation
Is compensated for by the constant supply of water
from the tank This supply with the progress
OF the machine. Under hot fire the water in the
GUS point, aud this was smentaby the case in the
present instance. The terrible destruction of life
and OF the boiler itself, proves the substantial con
diton in which it was. Had there been a weak spot
would nave given way earlier, and these valuable
| lives have been spared.
| Our whole community has been Swallowed by thu
gloom which peiyades the families OF these men.