, 1872-11-30
FATAL EXPLOSIONS.
-Four Hen KILLED Mt milwaukee,, nnd
Two in a Rolling MilI at Springfield,

Eour Hen KILLED ut NIilxynukee, md
Two in q Rolling Mill at Springfield, ,
Ill.
Special Dcspatch to The Chicago Tribune.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,. Nov. 29.--The excitement
occasioned by the terrible explosion which oc-
CURED at the Springfield Rolling Mills, about
two miles north of this city, at a. N. to-day,
has so far subsidized as to enable your correspond
ent to get the following reliable facts: At the
hour mentioned, and while 800 men we're at work
in the building, the crash came, and as soon as
an investigation could be made, it WAS ascer-
tanned that two Of the battery Of four boilers,
which we're twenty-eight feet long and forty
two inches in diameter, had exploded, and
torn to wreck tho engine house, the
falling timber Of which had instantly killed
Thomas Robertson, the water tender. 7; G.;
manner, and there is little prospect Of his re-
covery. II he should recover he would undoubt-
edly be forever blind. John Hahn, the engineer,
received compound fracture OF the left arm,
arm. Peter ZeifeBt WAS severely injured in the
spine, and suffered dialocation OF the left an
kle Others received triding bruises, rome Of
whom being sufficiently hurt to need MEDICAL at-
tention.
The CAUSE Of the terrible accident lisa mystery,
but various theories are advanced with some
show Of p1ausibility~ It is said that the boilers
we're red-hot at the time the explosion took
place, and for this reason it is urged
that it vas from lack OF water
in them. The fireman, On returning
to consciousness, supported this view. There
are other persons who claim to have read an
article in the Scientific american, as early as last
August, in which the writer predicted that these
same boilers would explode, TOR the reason that
the safety-valves we're not large enough for the
capacity Of the boilers.
The families of tie dead and wounded men
receive the profound sympaty OF the people here,
and the officers Of the rolling mill have done
everything in their power to relieve their suffer-
ing, The loss to the Company will not reach
$4,000, and the mill will be in operation again IN
3 few days.
The shock occasioned by the explosion Of the
boiler was Visibly felt by number OF people III
the city.
A Coroner's inquest was held on the body Of
Robertson this afternoon, and q verdict rendered
in accordance with the facts. Robertson leaves
wife and two children in dependent clIcu1n-
stances.
MnwAuEEE, Wis, Nov. 29-cum5mlfng p qaa- t4I;.
line naanufactory, three or four miles from thus
city, exploded yesterday afternoon, killing four
persons and badly wounding ahfth. The names
Of the killed we're: The proprietor, Cummings,
John Schmendeck aud his son, and an unknown
man. The cause # the explosion ls not known,
except that the article manufactured 1s more e1-
plosive than nitro giycerine.
The Coroner'e jury has boan in session al the
afternoon, taking testimony in the duai1ne or
Horsely Blasting Powder Manufactory e4ploslon,
but have not vet given their verdict. As all the
inmates were killed it will probably never be
known how the accident occurred, but the high
ly combuBtible character Of the article manufac-
tured ia sufficient cause for an explosion on the
slightest proyocation. The bodies we're thrown
long distances, and present the slckenlng ap-
pearsnce of being terribly 1nang1ed. Frank
Pentley is the name OF the fourth victim.