New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-10-27
TERRIFIC LOCOMOTIVES BOILER
EXPLOSION IN JERSEY CITY.
Five Men RiiIcd-The Shock OF the lex.
pIosicn felt throughout the Cify-Coro-
rcr,s EuQucst.

pIosicn felt throughout the Chy-Coro-
ner's Inquest.
About "A O'Clock on Saturday evening last the
boiler Of locomotive belonging on the New-fork
and Erie Railway exploded near the Long Dock 10
Jersey City, by which five men employed on the
road were killed. and two others were injured. The
explosion was the most terrific Of the kind ever
known, and the shock, as if Of an earthquake, was
felt throughout the cry. Houses near by were
shaken, window glass was shattered and at the dis
lance Of mile or more the windows and doors rat
tied so violently that it attracted the attention Of all
within. The report Of the explosion was heard at
a great distance, and was go loud that 1t caused
general remark. The engine. which Is coal
burner of the largest kind, .hsd been undergoing
thorough repsrs to her machinery, and her boiler
had been supplied with new furnace or iire-box.
The engine, No. l6i, was brought down from the
shop at Paterson ON Saturday, and arrived IN Jersey
City about p. M; it stood III the engine-house until
nearly o'clock with the hre mp, for the purIo,e OF
taking out freight train which was TO leave about
u. The man employed 70 take care OF the engines
noticed that the engine sas blowing of steam very
rapidly, and upon getting up on The platform saw
that there was from l45 10 $50 pounds Of seam Oh;
be then ran her up and down the road for the pur-
pose of reducing ,he steam. While SO engaged. the
engineer, VIM. Root came and took possession OF
the engine. At that time there was lao pounds Of
steam which ia % pounds more than In allowed by
the instructions for running The engineer aso ran
the engine up and down the road, and finally ran
down 10 "A building for the purpose Of having sand
put Oh board, which is used for SANDING the track
when the wheels Zip. While two OF the firenen
and the Gilman engaged shovelIng on the sand,
the explosion occurred instantly killing the engi
neer TWO brakemen, and the GILMAN, the fireman
died half all hOur later. The conductor and boy
were injured. The following are the casualties:
- m
Patek Mscs Of Binsham.oa fireman sad one man, the
SJusED-h-nfy Hunt.r Of Port Jsry conductor scaded
,shy the forehead and cut upon the hssd by ,hyns
struck by piece VI iron and sustained fracture oi the
The engine and boiler was broken INTO Thousands
Of pieces, which were scattered IN all directions Tor
great dlftance. Que piece OF the boiler, larger
than maus band, was found yesterday morning
near The gas house, nearly five blocks away.
Another piece, nearly two feet square, was thrown
over fifty rods and landed III tue street. The axle
of one vi the large driving wheels was broken oil,
and tue wheel carried bodily over ditch and
landed % feet distant. large piece OF boiler
struck the wheels OF platform car, standing on IA
side track aud broke the iron axle. The tire "
driving wheel struck IA box car and made wreck
Of it. chunk Of iron went through small house
occupied by fsgman and jutt escaped lis head
another piece passed through the iron smoke-stack
OF locomotive, and another whisiled over The
head Of Mr.. Goh who was just entering his house
some distance away. The rails under tie driving
wheels were broken into several pieces. The for
ward part OF the engine with the fore-iruck was
driven forward some ~ feet, aid the head OF TIE
engine entirely reversed.
Coroner Gaiuey Of Jersey City commenced an in-
yeslgafiOn yesterday foreDo N, which continued
until nearly clock last evening. The evidence
went 10 show that the locomotive was irst-,lass
one, in complete repair, ana War capable Of sustain
ing over 200 pounds pressure " the square inch.
The principal iacIs III The evidence are stated
above. The Jury rendered the following verdict:
We, the Jury, lind that VIM. Root, Alfred Brad
bury, Patrick MIscal, Martin Bennett. and one man
the Jury unknown, came 10 their death by the ex
plOtiOn OF the boiler Of engine No. l6i, near the
New.York and Erie Railway depot, on the evening
Of October %, 1862. Further, tnat sald exposon
was caused by excessive pressure oil steam, which
was allowed to generate while under the charge OF
VIM. Root, engineer.
During yesterday several thousand persons waited
the scene Of the catastrophe.
The engineer and one Of the breakemen were
mangled and muIilated III a shocking manner.