Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-02-04
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.
Four Boilers Explode Simultaneously,
killing Several and Wound
a Large Number Of
WOrkmen.
Full Particulars OF One Of the Most
Fearful Disasters on Record.

PITrsBURG, February 3.-Four boilers
in the American Iron Works
of Jones & Laughlin, in the
Twenty-fourth ward, exploded about
ten O'Clock this morning. The eX-
plosion was so tremendous that three
sections of the building, ofsome fifteen
feet each, were completely shattered,
the roof being carried entirely away,
and scattered in all directions. There
were about three thousand labOrers em-
ploved in the mill at the time of the ex-
plosion, and for sO4ne time it seemed as
though a very large number had been
either killed or wounded by steam or by
fragments of the boilers that were sent
fiying in all directions. The greatest
excitement prevailed, and the most ex-
traordinary rumors were at once set
afioat. Immediate steps were taken to
relieve the injured who were still alive,
and to recover the bodies of the dead.
Up to the present time the following
killed have been extricated from the
debris: Patrick Hawley, Michael Rey-
uolds, Fea, Thomas Mccarthy, Barney
MeAnley and Antony Biekers. Some
thirty were wounded, but few of that
number seriously.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
The accident at the American Iron
Works this morning surpassed in fatal
ity anything that has occurred in the
city for some time. AT ten o'clock this
morning battery of four boilers, situ-
ated at the upper OF. south side of what is
called the new mill of the American Iron
Works, exploded with terrific report.
and resulted in the death of several men
and great destruction of property.
The boilers, which had been in place
about a year, although they had been
some five years in use, were located
about midway between the ends of the
new mill, and were placed between the
spike and nail factories, about three
hundred feet from the river. They lay
facing the south, and this seemed to be
the direction in which the force of the
explosion principally expended itself.
Although the batteries were completely
annihilated. and the destruction was
complete in the rear and on all
sides. as well as in the front.
The ends of the spike and nall factories
were blown down to the extent Of about
TWENTY-FIVE feet, and the walls and roof
of the new mill were blown away. "A
portion of the boilers, bricks and tim
bers from the ruined buildings were
thrown in all directions and to great dis
tances-some of the fragments being
thrown a distance of three and four
squares. The cause of the explosion is a
mystery. The engineer had examined
the boiler and gauges only five minutes
before the explosion, and found the
stage of water satisfactory.
Following the explosion the most
intense excitement prevailed. Crowds
Immediately gathered at the scene OF
destruction, and set to work to remove
the debris and recover the bodies of the
killed. Seven dead bodies have been
extricated from the ruins, all of which
were more or less mutilated, some OF
them to frightful extent. The bodies
were also blackened to such degree that
they seemed as though they were
burned. Two of the killed were found
many feet away from the acci-
dent, in an adjoining mill.
They had been employed there,
and were struck by flying missiles. One
man was bringing load of coal to the
furnace of the battery on the elevated
railway which laid over the boilers.
When the explosion occurred he was
lust over the battery, and was blown up
ward q considerable distance. The
lower Jaw of one Of the work
men was found lying a consid.
erable distance from the body. Five
bodies were partially buried under the
ruins, and were removed with hard Ia
Dor. The killed were borne away On
stretchers as fast as recovered, and the
scene which followed their recognition
by friends was painful in the extreme,
The following is q complete list of the
killed: Charles Offee, Pat. Howley,
Barney McAuley, Thomas Mccarthy
Mike Reynolds, Anton Beckers and
John Thehan.
The following is a partial list of the
wounded: Adam Yound, struck by Q
niece of the boiler, and had bis legs aDC
an arm broken; Charles and James G.
Ward, struck by splinter and severely
! injured about the head; John Corb, hur
shout the head; - Dalzell, head anC
legs, slightly; ]. Kinker, legs, slightly
1 r. MabOney, legs crushed; J. Br0beck
spine injured and burned about the back
( Robert Nelson, hand, face and bod,
burned seriously injured; Thoma
Bowie, head and breast; Robert Blatch
4 ford, internally; Nicholas Long, LEI
crushed and eye injured; Mrs. Keyser
arm broken By a fragment Of iron
Henry Grant (boy), ear split and seriou
injury apprehended.
/ The nail feeders were on strike at tn
/ time of the explosion. Had they beel
at work the loss Of life must have beel
\ very great. The iron-works are tn
most extensive of the kind in the coun
try, covering some seven acres in area
and employing thirty-three hundre
j workmen.