The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-10-09

In tie midst croVtl oi iaen. goalpep
and ehildten. At the Stsss Heir. at Endis
snas pills. 1nfiana, on Friday St last
!Feek It seeas to be- established thak
the cause OF the explosion was that there,
was but little water in the boiler aud the
Aues were greatly heated. The scenes
that followed the explosion were terrible.
Where the engine stood there was no
perceptible trace except an area of smok-
ed blackened ground. The Indianapolis
Journal says:
10 attempt to pen a picture Of the
scene were folly. Imagine Is, 900 people,
pallid with fear, rushing and crushing to
and fro, impelled by nameless some
thing toward an indefinable object Men
bearing dead and wounded into the vari-
GUS halls; women shrieking and crying
for fear their husbands, sons or brothers
might be among the killed; strong men
convulsed and in tears because Temporal
rily separated from their wives and chill
dren, and in suspense as to their safety.
A large piece of the boiler, which must
have weighed 500 pounds, was carried to
distance of 100 yards. One smaller
piece was thrown clear into the time
track, and skipping over it, buried itself
in the sod beyond. Another large piece
was thrown Westward, clear over the
dyke upon the cattle pen. In almost
every direction smaller pieces of the ma
chinery were thrown, and the air was
literally full of splinters, bolts, screws,
nuts, pieces of rods, and such of the
lighter portions of the engine. Immune
rable are the stories told OF how deadly
missiles alighted just in front of the peo-
pie. arrested by gracious Providence in
their deadly flight. The following are
among the horrible incidents of the ca
tastrophe:
A man walking in front of the Execu-
tive headquarters was startled at seeing
the skull of man drop in front of him,
the flesh actually scalded off the bones,
their sockets and jaws. Several yards
legs, held together by the mcrest shred
of flesh. At one place was the headless
trunk Of man; Mt another was the leg
of woman, with her boot and stocking
and part of her drawers still upon it;
the arm of n man was driven into n pop
lar board; while not far from Power
Hall was seen the body of o man so hor-
ribly mutilated that his heart, stomach,
liver and lungs could readily be seen
When first discovered. his heart was
still palpitating, and the motion of the
organ was plainly observed.
In the Agricultural Hall were lying
four bodies, jumbled, almost unrecog-
niZable mass of charred, roasted and
scalded humanity. Mr.. John L. Fonda
ry, with friend, was sitting in a car
riage on the East side of Power Hall.
They both saw IL piece of the boiler
coming toward them, when Mr.. Fouda-
rvs friend pushed him aside, and the
deadly iron imbedded itself in the
ground not three feet behind him. The
scalp of o man was found near the stair
way to the amphitheatre. A mother and
three children were standing in q group
near the boiler. The mother was in
stantly killed, and two of the children
badly scalded. The third escaped unin-
jured. A gentleman and lady were walk
ing by with locked arms. The gentle
man was killed and the lady uninjured.
Quite n number Of persons were thrown
to the ground with considerable force,
many of whom were picked up in an in
sensible condition. A baby wagon was
struck by piece of the flying iron, and
the wagon utterly demolished, but the
child in it left nnhurt.
A piece of the boiler was blown into
the cattle shed 200 yards, where it pass
ed through the roof and knocked the
tips off the horns of the mammoth OK,
but doing him no other injury.
Mr.. e. A. Vinton and his daughter
were sitting in buggy about fifty yards
away, looking at the running of the
mills, when q piece of the boiler struck
the horse, killing him instantly, and up
setting the buggy, throwing both OF the
occupants out, but doing them no seri-
Gus harm.
a piece of a mans head, showing a
part of the forehead, the nose and left
side of the lace, the hair and whiskers
very black, slightly tinged with grey,
was found near the Executive Office
One of p. l.. Davis arms was blown
over 100 yards from the place where he
fell dead. His body was otherwise terri
bly, mutilated.
In lumber pile, near the place where
the boiler stood, were found some of the
remains of man literally wadded into
the instertices between the planks. One
woman, inquiring for her husband, asked
one Of the reporters if his name was
upon the list of killed 1t was, but the
man could not summon the courage to