The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-17
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
iron ADDITIONAL LOCAL ITEMS SEE INSIDE rAOBAl
BOILER ESPLOs on IN WEST PHILADELPHIA.
Destruction Of Property and Probable
rnf Lila.

DebtEucblOm OF properly anu EN0RhRAe
Loss of Life.
About half. past 4 o'clock this morning, the
citizens of West Philadelphia were startled by
a ooncussion and Numbering crash, whion
seemed to shake their dwellings TO their very
foundations. II was not long before it was as
ceYtained that a terrible explosion had occurred,
and In the excitement which was constantly
increasing, rumor spread that many lives had
been lost. The following are the particulars Of
At the hour mentioned the boiler In the
large whisky distillery No. 4ll6 Ludlow
Qately Oak street, exploded with terrific
effect. The boiler was placed in room attached
TO the main building, which is an extensive
explosion demolished the whole building-the
engtne-roo being completely wrecked, while
Its roof was blown TO atoms scarcely vestige
remaining. The large engine seemed from It's
appearance, to have been placed in some fiery
furnace, and curled and distorted by the flames
and heat. The large building adjoining this
was greatly damaged-the walls being Shat
tered-while the roof was lifted from its
place, and had settled back with n great
crash, which demolished beams, and made
large crevices in the walls.
Had II not been that the boiler was placed In
small building adjoining the distillery, the
effect OF the explosion would have been terri
there were many workmen engaged in it. AS
IL Is the result has been serious, and may prove
The engineer, Samuel sweeney, was badly
sGalded,, especially about the face and neck.
George Whetley, a fireman, had his skull
fractured by a beam that came crashing down,
and Was fatally scalded. he was taken to the
I1OSplltlS anu luO ldbSSO ESDOIb was buhb no udu
died.
Joseph McGrady, whose duty 1t was to tend
the mash tub, was seriously sealded and was
taken 10 his home No. 20 Carlton street.
These men were all taken from the ruins soon
after the explosion occurred and amid the
widest excl ement of the crowd that had gath
cred about the scene, and who believed that the
debris of stones and burning beams still covered
the bodies OF other workmen who had been
killed, and buried them from sight. But there
were ready hands to search beneath the ruins,
and IL was soon ascertained that none had been
Killed. and more had been wounded than
those enumerated above.
The distillery was occupied by John Haas
and was run steadily almost day and night to
complete large contract then on hand, but
which was destined never to be com pleted, by
the dire calamity which so suddenly occurred,
and with such terrible effect.
Near the distillery Were three fcame build
ings, Nos. 4ll8, $40, and 4l26 Ludlow street. and
owned by David Eastborn colored man, that
were more or less damaged by the explosion,
ol stones and mortar, and their roofs being
almost broken in by the beams and large stones
and iron which fell upon them. No. 4l26 is oc-
cupied by Eastborn. A large stone was forced
through one of the windows of the second story,
leaving the shutter nothing but splinters, and
bounded on TO the floor just beneath the bed on
which Two of MIR. EasLDorn's sons were sleep.
ing, and then glanced upwards. lifting The bed
a jar that startled The household, but caused no
injury. Another large stone, which must have
been been portion OF window S cap. smashed
into a stove, breaking through its iron top as
though 1t were tinsel, and then burying itseltin
The buildings Nos 4llS and APO, tenanted by
colOred families, were damaged In about the
same manner; some of the large boulders and
pieces of iron tearing right through their walls
Of wood as though they were shavings. A
portion OF the boiler, weighing about one hum
dre3 pounds, was thrown about two squares
from the scene of the explosion and landed in
Ludlow street, sinking deep into the ground.
The boiler was almost a new one, and of large
dimensions, and its explosion is said to have
resulted from negligence in allow ing the water
to get low and the boiler hot, and then pump
ing in a new supply of cold water.
The distiilery building was formerly occupied
by Charles Harding a snu1-mill. All the
morning--from the time wnen the first Lhun-
dering report was heard-the place has been
thronged with people, who,came breathlessly,
fearing that the calamity might even prove
more fatal that the terrible Sansom street eX-
plosion. The loss is $1,000 on the boiler, engine,
and engine.room, these being totally demo-
lished. The main building can, with no very
great expense, be repaired and made strong