The New York herald., 1864-08-29
TERRIFIC BOILER EXPLOSION.
Great Dostr uc ttOn OF Life and Property
n Heavy Boiler Carried through Lhrc
Drick WaiIs-ns1rncuiOus Escapes. tst
-. n.oa. A......n 1

. Great Destructto OF Life and Property
n Heavy Boiler Carried through three
Brick kWaibs-As1racuiOus Escm pes, sc.
From the Detroit Free Press, August 20.
Yesterday afternoon lew minutes before foui
O'Clock, The citizens in the vicinity Of the Mchigar
Central depot were startled by the report OF dull heavy
explosions and moment afterwards by the appearance
bricks pieces timber. boards, &c. which Tell in
showers ali directions. Upon repairing TO the SPOT II
locomotive works OF the Detroit Car Company had
podcd carrying with load OF horror ~hch ut first
frgBuul TO contemplate, and caused the stoutest
hearts To barch with fear at tho work OF destruction
presented bel, re them
Hundreds OF our citizens aocked TO the scene OF the
explosion and rendered every assistance necessary but
happily their services were confined to few These
who we're wounded were speedily attended to and
yeyed home wien their injuries received every possible
attention The steam fire engines proiupy on the
spot prevented the spresd OF the fire occasoned
through The bursting OF the furnace
The buildings where the explosion took place
known as tie Detroit Locomotive Works, and are very
extensive covering nearly the eatre block uewesn Third
aud Fourth streets and Larned ard Congress The block Is
made up OF collection OF bulldogs, uil INJECTED tose
her, the machinery o. which is driven By one engine
the boiler which caused such sad havoc and terrible
fatality. The buildings ~ the immediate vicinity OF lbe
boiler those that suffered most, and tile engine
room the car department Of bean 4 Eaton, and the
moulding room The engiue room is a complete wreck.
the walls eveiled with the eartn. The boier Is thirty
feet long and weighs about two tons. il was riscd bodily,
ana passed through the rear walls OF the engine room
into the department. through two cars, which were
~ Jrpcss of construction, shaterng them 10 ir ,ccnts,
through the wall Il the department, hrorgh
newiy made government standing on the track
ready 10 ship, through the wall OF the moulding
shop nearly across the shop and struck heavy iron
cupoia, /" used III melting iron, ard knocking that
institution to pieces fhe distance syersed about
Que hundred ard sixty ieet Here its progress WAS
aud the power with which 1t struck the obstacle
winch arrested rs light shown by Tho fact that the
eud boiler battered and doubled mp IN wonder
fol rnanner It's course In line ttr1l ht NJ
from bow gun aud the destruction OF yihng
met II It's light H. most complete The three neavy
b.lck walls through hch assed we're levelled 20 he
eiith, tho bear resemblance to their original
shst and loos lie lat upon the ground II Is impossible
conceive ,erect demolition o. brick mortar
ana timber.
Iuere were twelve at work nj the time the
mording shop, Of whom one was killed and thrte
wounded ti1w tno rest escaped ucrcliul Providence
alone c.n dcterm
Ia the car department from twelve to fifteen workmeH
were employed. iI,,udrDg two bOys. Ihe latter were
temporarily buried beneath the dLas AID we're severely
81 tiGrd by the escaping steam hey made Their way
however with all possiole haste, and we're attended
tho,r friends Mr. j In Kendall. carpenter. was
very badly oiured by beng struck by piece Of timber
the osck. and Otherwise bruised by the scattering
timber neil m cue Of the pieces entered his body
feared that OF his limbs has been penetrated.
lie now lies In a precsricus situation.