New-York tribune., 1872-06-22
ROLLER EXPLOSION IN OHIO.
DISASTER AT THE COLUMBUS pENTENTIARY
FULL DISCRETION OF THE ACCIDENT.
my rIIFaRApH 10 THR TRfBUERI

fBY TKLRGRAPH TO THB TnBUEEl
co1mtBus. Ohio, June 21.-The people OF
Columbus were startled about halfpst ak O'CLOCK tns
morning by terrific nose, which caused some frghteheo
persons 10 Gee from their houses fearing that Ah ear
ouahe was upon them Anxious inquiries traoed l's
source 10 the Penitenary, whore the fearful disaster
had occurred and where huge boiler in the shop OF inc
Ohio Brush and Wire Works had exploded tearing
large building 10 pieces and burying great number OF
convict workmen In the ruins.
The facts az near as can ascertaiDed are as follows
the custom for engineer Of this shop TO ght the
Are under his boilers while the other convets are at
breakfast so as 70 up steam when they are through
that meal This morning, engineer Harrison Smith,
convict lighted fires usual, and stayed with the en-
giue until his assistant James Cooley, also convict
came to relieve him. Smith says, that before leaving he
saw Cooley open the furnace doors TO fire up and he
went 10 tho steam-gauge and saw that they had IS
pounds Of steam on In second more the boiler ex-
ploded, carrying great destruction with It, This
boiler was tho lower story of large building In which
20 employed These men had just nmshed
prayers and separating to go to their respective
place. and TO this circumstance they no doubt owe their
lives II they had been scattered all the building
the loss Of life must have been very great AS 1t was
the boiler exploding dashed down the engnehouse
and the whole building, three stories high, above It, let
ting down men, machinery brickworB, and material into
n promiscuous heap. An old man named Rage, en-
pOyed In the attic Of the building fell four stories with
not sufficiently hurt to 90 to the hospital.
Not far from the brush shop HUFF Co. have cooper
shop and Geo. GIN has stove foundery They were fur
nished motive power from the brush shop, and suffer
accordingly The flying boiler in freeing ITSELF tore out
the side of G shop and carried destruction into Hufs
shop. tall smokestaek connected with the latter was
blown away and has not been found yet The terrible
force Of the lOosened steam sufficient TO throw heavy
pieces OF boiler $50 yards cutting through buildings and
tearing great limbs from trees in their descent The men
IN the brush shop terribly frightened when the
posion took place; Of the oonvics fell TO their
knees prayer while others sought to escape by jump
ing from windows. Others were struck by the flying
debris and fel into the general ruins below them Tim
Eewcome, convict, jumped out Of q second-story win
dow and alghted on his head he is very badly hurt
AS order could be restored the convcs and Off
did their duty like spartans. Lester Cooley and
Engineer Smith were dug from pile of debris nearly
Emothered to death, but so full Of nerve that
they at once stood up and were taken
to the hospital John Snyder, at work at the molding
room bet struck and fell under the machine; the
wall and roof timbers fel crushing the machine. but
only slightly iDiuring Snyder. Elijah Barton, who
at work in the lower story wedged between mbers
for 80 minutes, and terribly injured about the
bowels. John Ryan, at work in the combngroOm, was
blown OF a window and completely buried by bricks
and timber. He is badly burned
All about for a long distance is a Of desolatiOn
and the only wonder is that the damage not
extensive.
I1 the hospital terrible sight was presented. On rows
81 cots lay 81 men, ali more or less injured, with
broken limbs and others with backs scared and stripped
by the scading steam. One man has great sections
large mans hand, eaten ont Of his back another
has the entire skin of his face off; while Others
with closed eyes and laeerated heads, and Deep gaping
wounds, present sight ptable in the extreme. Sur
geOns and doing their utmost for them, and
most Of them are now il comfortable eopditi9n.
Among those most dangerously hurt are Harry Johnson
or sometimes known Charles Kelley, whose friends
are said 70 live in Cincinnati. His case is quite
serious He has his left arm fractured nuove
the wrist, and has wound in his head, above
4Ihe SyyS, RsS q st Y eis les, Charles H. Myers
of Hamilton County badly hurt and lies insensible on
his cot His heavy frame has been cruelty dealt with
his ribs crushed, and terrible wound scars his
head his breast bone is broken and his body torn and
bleeding. He can hardly recover Thomas Mulhaul Of
Cleveland is dangerously wounded ms back being ter
ribIe lacerated Others are also dangerously hurt and
probably several others will die.
There assigned for the accident except that
the boilers poor This same boiler blew ont head
less than ago. and it is said has leakedsome since
Nothing known Of the quantity Of water that was
fhe boiler,