Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-01
DISASTER AT MIDDLETOwN, PA.
Five Men Killed and Six WOundesI-DC
structiOn OF a Furnace. &c.


StructiOn OF Furnace, &c.
A brief teegraphic dispatch yesterday announced
the occurrence of terrible accident at Middletown
Pennsylvania, by which five men lost their lives and
six others were dangerously wounded. From the
Harrisburg Telegraph learn the following particu
lars:
A most terrific explosion of boiler occurred about
halpast o'clock last evening" at the furnace of
j. IL Ii. j. Nelly, located at the JUNCTION of the
Pennsylvania and Union Canals at the borough Of
Middetown-resuting in the complete destruction of
the furnace, and the death of five men, besides the
wounding OF SIX other persons, one of whom cannot
live.
the furnace, one of which raised from its bed,
passed up and through the building, and carried
distance of five hundred yards a brick dwelling
and furnace, and lodged in the Pennsylvania canal
All the other boilers were torn from their places and
scattered in various directions of them passing
through houses and other buildings. portion of a
boiler was hurled through a room in which two
women were lying sick but missed them. The bridge
over the Union canal was carried away, nothing but
the abutments remaining The cinder cart and the
horses attached to the same were standing near the
building, and carried distance of fifty yards
into the Union canal. Thirteen men were in the
furnace at the time the explosion occurred Ofthese
the following were killed:
james Thomas, chief engineer; Benz. Boyer, Ia
traveller who had taken lodging in the building: Jo-
siah Sleeper, an employee; George Washington Bur-
re an employer Eli Ayers (coloredl, an employee.
Wounded-Patrick Q'DonneI. sealded; Neil Reilly,
| scalded and bruised; Richard Malone, slightly
wOunded; EleaZer Randall, dangerously wounded in
head and badly scalded cannot Survve Henry Scrog-
| gins. slightly wounded; John Meyers, slightly
wounded.
| The cause of the explosion is not known The
chief engineer was at his post of duty and found
dead near by shortly after the accident occurred.
A colored boy, who had taken lodging in the sand
house, was found covered with stones and rubbish
but upon being released from his unpleasant situa-
tion ran away, and did not return until this morn
ing. He unable to give any account of the acci-
dent.
gloom has been cast over the town and vicinity,
by this terrible event. and the shocking result of the
same. town meeting has been called for this even
ing to devise means to relieve the families who have
been bereaved in consequence of the accident.
Many OF the dwellings located in the vicinity of the
furnace were more or less shattered by the fragments
! Of the exploded boilers, and the whole town was
! shook to its foundation by the explosion, the report
of which was heard as far as Highspre distance Of
| about three miles
The loss of the Messrs. Nelly, will reach if not ex.
ceed fifty thousand dollars. They intend to rebuild
| the works Immediately, and workmen are already
being employed in removing the remains of the ole
atructnre. which "a total wreck. The accident is
one of the most destructive that ever occurred IN Ou
county, and sight of the ruins ! exceealngiy un
peasao to say nothing o. the sadness that relgns IL
| the vicinity of the scene.