Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-03-02

Boiler Kxplosion!-Sad Calamity.
About half-past 10 o'clock this morn
ing, a terrible explosion occurred in
Lower Gold Hill, a short distance below
the Petaluma Mill, which shook the
earth and alarmed the neighborhood.
As soon as the first alarm had passed,
people rushed to the Main street, and
the wrecked fragments Of the Gold Hill
Foundry soon told the tale of death and
misery. The steam boiler of the Fouu-
dry had exploded, and death aud de-
struction stared the people in the face.
The building of the Foundry consisted
Of a large wooden frame, about forty
feet front, and a depth Of perhaps fifty,
two stories in hight-the lower portion
being used for an engine room, q black
smith shop, and for foundry casting pur-
poses; while the upper rooms were &C.
cupied as pattern and carpenter rooms.
The engine had been stopped for a short
time when the explosion occurred, and
Peter Hagen, the engineer, who is n
Va buS WOuAuONt hhS slhSC WIN 10 tuub
he believed there was not more than
forty pounds Of steam in the boiler at
the time. The effect Of the explosion
Of the boiler was to almost entirely de-
molish the building, the ends and sides
being blown out, and the roof merely
hanging on a few timbers; the second
story floors, with all its patterns and
machinery falling down on the ground
floor. The boiler was blown into pieces,
a large fragment lodging several hum
dred feet distance, OIL the side of the
hill back of the Petalums mill. The
steam drum also lodging near by this
piece Of boiler. From several persons
who were in the Foundry at the time Of
the explosion, we ascertsined that "the
boiler was worn out, rotten, and unit
for use''-although the boiler was new
when put up, only two years ago, and
had q safety-valve, but no steam-guage
that was reliable. There certainly was
something wrong about it-and lest
that the engineer, Peter Hagen, who
had charge Of the engine, should be &C
cused Of intempcrance, we will state that
the contrary is hisreputation. He near
the boiler when it blew up, and is one
of the wounded. So much for the cause
of the calamity, as near as we could
find out. There were fourteen men in
the Foundry building at the time Of the
explosion. James Hutchins, %machinist,
aged about 10 years, was instantly kill
ed. He had been in the second story of
the building, and had just come down
to get some taliow, when the explosion
occurred. He was in range Of the boiler,
perhaps twenty feet front the head that
blew out, receiving the full force Of the
hot steam and gas. To say that the
poor man was literally blown into frag-
ments would be a near description Of his
awful-looking remains. The head, from
the eyes up, and down to his neck, was
entirely blown of; the balance Of his
face is nothing but an unacceptable
black, charred mass; his body was torn
open from the ribs to the pelvis, and his
bowels protruding, black and burnt to Il
crisp: his back, arms and legs broken,
and blackened, as though dragged from
a burning furnace. His mortal remains
present u truly sickening sight. Four
men were severely wounded, and s or
9 slightly. The most seriously wounded
is Andrew Hutchins, brother Of the de-
ceased, his wounds being in the side and
head, and are considered quite serious,
although the extent is not fully known.
These Hutchins brothers have a broth
er living near Marysville, California,
who has been telegraphed to- Mr..
Hamilton, machinist, was injured in the
back, and it is thought has q rib broken.
Peter Hagen, the engineer, had a cash
two inches long cut in the top of his
head, (being o scalp wound, and is also
injured in his right arm, perhaps broken.
Thomas Carroll, blacksmith, had his
shoulder blade broken. Roger Carri-
gan, severely injured in the side.
Doctor Hall was early at the scene
Of the calamity, and rendered good
service to the wounded. Within an
hour after the said occurrence, hundreds
hocked to the scene Of destruction-
many to look on it in wonder and aston
ishmeut, and others TO render kindly
acts of humanity to the wounded. The
Foundry was owned by A. L. Greedy, OF
the Fulton Foundry, on the Divide, and
the damage is quito heavy-consisting
of the almost entire destruction Of the
building, the total loss Of the engine,
and other machinery but the contents
of the pattern shop, etc., we learn sus-
tanned but little injury.