The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-10-14
From the Indianapolis Gnd.) Journal Oct. 2.
Fearful Accident at Indianapolis, Indiana

f-.
From the Indianapolis (Ind.) Journal, Oct. g
Fearful Accident at Indianapolis, Indiana.
One clock yesterday afternoon was the
hour assigned for the trial Of portable en-
gines and saw mills, and into the competition
several firms entered, among them Sinker &
Co., engine builders, and Long, Joseph
Carter, sawyers. The test had been compile
ted and the victory, if victory it is, had been
won by the Sinker machine. Seven minutes
and half of saving had been done with
every part Of the engine and mill strained to
the utmost tention, after which the fires had
been permitted to go down and the machines
to rest. About three o'clock, Mr.. Sinker's
foreman thought it advisable to saw up the
logs on hand, SO as to clear up for removal
on the morrow The engine was started and
the task accomplished with the exception of
two "turns." The pit beneath the saw was
filled with sawdust and temporary rest was
taken to allow two colored helpers to clean it
out. A large circle of interested lookers-on
were gathered about the area occupied by
machinery, while here and there over the
grounds were scattered $4,000 or Is 900 peo-
pie At moment Of ualisturbed quiet,
WAliO viz AQlu VI biic uIdCulueEy WAS fuuSlltu
and attention directed toward the ring IN
which the fast trotting was about to commence,
a noise, like the explosion Of a park of ar
tillery, saluted the ear, and conclusion Of
the earth as of an earthquake, sent thrill
of fear to the heart. A volume of steam, IA
binding cloud Of dust and smoke, the air fill
ed with debris of timber, of pieces IF iron,
Of shreds of clothing, parts of human be-
ings, of groans and shrieks, men falling hith-
er and thither, and ranks opening as if
ploughed through with grape and shrapael,
told the fearful tale of an explosion. The
engine, moment before a thing of beauty,
obedient to the touch of man, was torn and
rent by a mighty CONFUSION; its comliness
gone, it's parts scattered to the four winds,
hardly joint left in integrity. That which
in one second had been an implement of in
dustry, in the next was turned into sicle of
death, reaping a.ld moving its victims in
swath confined by no rule and measured by
no regularity. f'.oH ,5asiul .fsx 5~aat,z b
81 The scene was one to appal the s:outest
heart. The immense crowd, only informed
enough to know that terrible accident had
occurred, swayed and suFged like mighty
pillows, breaking over every confne and
threatening to add to the list Of deaths by
trampling beneath, their feet some of the
weaker and the smaller, who were .reeling
about in the vortex in utter hclplessness.-|
First impclled by curiosity the jam was to-
ward the spot from whence the sound came
the manned and wounded lying about the
vicinity were overwhelmed, and doubtless
some were killed outright who might have
lived had they been allowed air and given at
tention at once. When curiosity was appeas-
ed BY the CHASTITY sights which met the eye,
and when the people, in a. .dazed and bewild-
cred way, came to comprehend the character
OF the disaster panic seized them, anil even
more fearful calamity was threatened through
their terror. Strenuous exertions were made |
BY the cooler and calmer to quiet and allay
excitement, and after time something like |
order was evoked and a survey made of the
extent of the casulty., fg,. as
The engine was set up about seventy FIVE |
yards west Of the Power Hill and the sawlnill
some fifty or one hundred feet. due north of
the engine. The force of theexplosion seem
ed to be lateral. Heavy. pieces of the ma
chincry; were blown to the north and to the
west a Z. long distance ;aafew of the lighter
parts were found some distance to the cas-
but more were thrown backward. Those WHO
saw it say that nothing was thrown. higher
thaa thirty forty feet, / The bodies of sew
eral were lifted into the air and alighted in
lnanglcd and mutlatcd shapes many yards
from where they were standing when struck
with the ateam,. An idea of the force and
power and the horror Of the explosion may
be, gathered from some of the accidents.
which We have been able to colate. -
Where tie engine stood was left no per-
'eptible trace, except an area of smoked and
olacksned groupd. Even the foundation
lad been torn up, and not, a brick was left ;
landing the one upon the her. g The franz
ng Of the saw,nill was thrown -askew, turned
'ver, broken and dislocated A large piece I
# the boiler. which must have weighed 500 a
pounds, was carried distance of 100 yards
0ne smaller piece was thrown clear into the
lme track, and slipping over it buried itself .
n the sod beyond. Another large piece was {
'.own westward clear over the dyke upon /