Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-09-10
The North Euut Boiler Explosion.

TERRIBLE WRECK OF THE BuILDINds-AN Ex-
CITED COMMUNICATIVE KILLED AND WOUNDED
--sOENEs INCIDENTS, NC
[CorresI ondence of the Commercall
NORTH EAST, Md, Sept 8.
Being in the vicinity, on Sunday, l visited the
scene of the fearful boiler explosion, which oc-
cured al the Mccullough Iron Works. of this
place, on Saturday morning.
The place, seen at the time stated, pre-
scented a sad aud dilapIdated appearance. The
explosion made a complete wreck OF the bull
ding A piece OF the boiler about thirty feet
long, went crashing through the large brick
smoke stack, tore out coruer of the building.
and landed some two hundred yards away. The
other end OF the boiler, about twenty feet long
took an opposite direction, tearing its way
through the side OF the building, and finally
stopped on the hillside about one hundted aud
fifty yards from the building.
II seems like miracle that 30 few lives were
lost, when one looks at the ruins and considers
the whole affair. Large irons were wrench
from their places and broken, while heavy tim
bers were splintered and hurled in all directions,
and the immense smoke-stack was shattered in-
to fragments As in all such accidents no one
can tell Just how this one occurred, or what the
real cause was 1t is generally asserted, how
ever that the boiler was an old one and entirely
unsafe. 1t was only few months slnce that
the head plate or some part of 1t was blown out.
There were more than one hundred mon in
the building at the time. To three OF them, the
accident proved fatal, while the total number Of
wounded amounts tosixty-seven. OF the wound
ed Inone are 80 badly injured AZ to prove fatal.
Immediately on receipt OF the news OF the acci-
dent the several members of the company hast
ened to the scene of the disaster, and with OPT
purse did all they could for the relief of the act
ed and gave assurance to the families Of the men
who lost their lives, that they would be amp'y
| cared for.
One poor fellow, not badly hurt but dreadful
| ly frightened, was found, asleep, in the ashp
| OF the furnace, literally covered with pieces OF
wood and rubbish of the ruin. 1t took some
| time to get him out aud convince him that he
was alive. Another victim WAS pulled out by a
comrade but left his shoes, stockings, and teSh
of his feet fast in the bricks. In this condition
| the poor sufferer actually walked across the
/ building and then fell. 1t WAS a sad and horri-
| BILE sight to look upon. Some, with the flesh
/ burned off their hands, faces, and other parts
/ of their bodies, while others were cut and
| bruised with flying pieces of brick, wood, and
| iron. One young man with luxurient growth
| of handsome curls was wounded in the head,
and when told by the surgeon that some of them
| would have to be cut off, in order to dress the
wound, positively declared that such a thing
| should not be done, and resolved to let nature
| work its own cure.
All manner of stories are on the wing, and
| should be treated with suspicion as to correct
| ness The total loss is estimated at $4,000
| As see you have the names of the fatal cases
send you these items, as carefully obtained
by VISITOR.