Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-01-20

happened here Monday A NJ. in the explc e
Of the boilers Of the Pioneer Mechanics Shop
and the consequent death of se7en persons.
The particulars are as follows
THE EXPLOSION
At half past Fix Monday morning many citi
zens were startled by the apparent report o
a cannon, those near the shops knew it coul,
not be that, for their houses were shaker
violently. There was hut a single sharp re
port. Two Of the set Of three boilers tha
supply the engines of the Pioneer Shops haC
exploded, completely destroying the engin,
house. The third boiler did not burst, but
was thrown up on end at one side of tn,
ruins The steam-dome, weighing about
1900 pounds, was thrown completely over
the shops striking the railroad track on the
other side, fifty feet from the building. The
two boilers We're completely rent to pieces,
the engine was torn and broken all up. moth
| ing being left whole unless possibly the
cylinders, and the fy-whecl which hes half
buried. The force of the explosion seems to
have been upward and toward the south side,
SO that the surrounding buildings were not
damaged except 10y breakagc Of glass. and
shaking of loose articles. The dry houses,
directly north Of the engine room, We're not
hurt by the explosion, but speedily took FIRE
An alarm was rung outabout halt-past seven,
and the fire engires were quickly on the spot
and cxtinguished the flames. The tail chin
ncy was not hurt. except Tor crack m one
side but the place where the engine-house
was, is a mass of broken Iruu, boiler-hues,
bricks and rubbish
One OF the workmen, named tyson was
standing near the door OF Flanders Machine
shop, in the second story. on 90 gon--way
that runs to the wood-sh1p. directly along
side = the ensine-room. ami witnessed the
explosion. It was the work oi au instant,
and came without warniu.-thc air being
instantly filled with bricks. pieces of iron
and broken umb,r,, as IT. the cnginc-hou-c
had been blown up with gun-powder.
ruE BILLED.
At the time of the explosion. which WAS
iust before commencing work for the week,
there were IN the frc-room. a number OF the
workmcu warming themselves, as their GUS
tom j., before going 90 work. How many
were there besides the fireman and stoker. is
not known. Four were found wounded, and
mp to eleven O'Clock, the dead bodies of sew
en- bad been taken from the ruins. Their
names are as follows
KiHed.-Pat1ck Farrell. fireman, John
Shcou, an old man employed TO wheel shay
ing- to the furnaces
Edward T. Fletcher,
Eugene C. Fletcher,
Antoine A'aIa,
Ge1. Garrick and Edward Jcullc. boy-.
Woun6ed.-Chas. Welch. collar bone
broken. Ed. Foy. Clas. Dimoul and his son.
Farrell was the man in charge of the en-
gine. the Engineer not having yet reached
the shop. and was Trustworthy and careful
man. who had been employed as fireman
eleven years. ever since the establishment of
tie shops. He was considered entirely COM
retcnt to take care of the engine and fur
nace-room. lie body was found ON the
South side among the bricks and ruins of
the enginc-room. Ono of the men who was
near, and escaped he docs not know how,
says Farrill lad Just zone to sound the whi--
tie, at the moment of the explosion.
The bodies Of the others. VINO were cyi
IDENTIFY all in the furnacc-room. were found
among the runs on the west side and on the
roof of what remained Of the cnglnc-housc
next the main building Shc0u evidently
was at the time wheeling shavings from the
little room used to store them IN 10 the fur
racc his body was found buried beneath
the shayings badly mangled and one hand
burned
Four other bodies were found piled up to-
gcthcr, and covered with fragments of iron.
They were shockinsly manglel, burned
and scalded Nearly al Of Alapa', head
was blown Of. and one Of the Fletchers was
only recognized by IaTcrs in m- pockets.
The sight was horrible IN the extreme
lis thought no others were killed. a- no
more appear missing from the rolls. on were
inquired for by relatives FARRELL and Ei-
ward Fletcher leave famhic- q
CAUSE oF TIE EXPLOSION
Exactly why the boilers exploded. viii
probably never De known. The engineer
went down Sunday to see that all wa- right,
and left plenty Of water IN the boilers.
There are some indications that the water
was low. and one or two of the flues are col
larscd. It Is surmised that in some way a
leak had sprung over night. and let the wa
ter nearly all out of the boilers, and that
Farrell failed to discover it, but fired up as
usual. 1t has been repeatedly shown IN
similar instances, that steam boilers will be
upon the verge of bursting, and that the
opening Of the valve to start the engine. the
lifting Of the safety-yalye, the starting Of the
pump, or anything that disturbs the equil
ibrium, like touching a match to keg o
( powder. causes an instant explosion. Il
seems evident that Farrell was in the act %
sounding the whistle, the usua
signal of commencing work. an,
probably the trifing release Of steam thi
occasioned caused the catastrople.-whicl
would as well have been caused by startin:
engine or lifting the safety valve.
Farrell alone would be able to testify as t
the actual condition of the boilers. lie wa
entirely competent to manage them and th'
engine. and must have been in some wa!
greatly deceived, either as to the pressure %
steam or the amount OF water. The boiler
J. L..