The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-01
EXPLOSION OF A sTEAM-ROYaER
AT THE TREDEGAR wORKs,
ONE NAN K7LLED.
Machinery Destroyed.
CoRoNER's INQUEST.

Yesterday morning about O'Clock a large
boiler used in the dying-kiln of the Trede-
gar Works exploded, killing instantly Samuel
! III. Saunders, the fireman In charge. The
explosion was terrific, and was heard by
many persons in the heart Of the CITY. who
thought it was the gun OF some steamer en-.
| tering port. ~
The drying-kiln was brick house, about
forty feetsquare, Immediately adjoining the
southern portion of the blacksmith shop.
which Is large brick structure upon the
river bank and parallel with it. Two boil.
ers, Of seVenty-fve (75) horsepower each.
generate steam for the kiln, aud only one Of
these was in use at the time of the accident.
The kiln was entirely demolished. the strong
walls having been Knocked down, together
with the southern wall of the blacksmith
shop, the whole presenting one confused
mass OF broken bricks, timbers, slate, &c.
The boiler that exploded, weighing about
twenty-five thousand pounds. was forced
through the partition wall of the blacksmith
shop, carrying everything with it in its
course, including tiye-ton steam hammer,
and stopped about fifty feet in the shop.
Had it not have struck the steam-hammer
the damage to other machinery would have
been very great. One of the heavy anyis,
about three hundred pounds, was lifted up
by the conclusion and thrown some distance
into coal-boX. The fire-boX of the boiler
was found some forty yards up the river
bank; the cylinder equally as far in another
direction, while another portion was blown
into the river.
The body of the fireman, horribly man.
gled, was found about seventy-five yards
from the building. in the road, not twenty
yards from the river, and fifty yards nearer
what was the drying-kiln lay the head and
one arm, which had struck against stone
wall and spattered it with brains. The win
dows Of the car-shop, opposite the black.
smith shop, were broken out by the fyiDg
bricks, and it is said large number were
thrown on an island in the river some two
hundred yards distant. Had the accident
happened one hour later the loss Of life must
have been fearful, for at 7 O'Clock about
eighty hands are at work in the blacksmith
shop, and on the outside there are quite a
number more. As it happened. there was
no one near but the unfortunate fireman.
Mr.. Saunders was about tifty-three wears
of age, a married man with two children,
and resided near the corner of Broad and
Second streets. He had been employed as
laborer for some time at the works, but only
for short time as Il fireman. .
The boiler next the one which exploded
was lifted from its bed and thrown o. dis.
tance OF about six feet, where it rested d early
perpendicular with one end against part oi
the wall. I'LL.
The boiler was made in England, and has
been in use by the Tredegar Company only
about six months. 1t was purchased from the
Buckingham Gold-Mine Company. ~
Yesterday evening at % O'Clock Coroner
Taylor held an inquest upon the body of the
dead fireman. The jury viewed the body,
and number of witnesses were examined
who testified substantially that the boiler
was considered safe one for the pressure oi
steam carrieG-siXty pounds of steam in the
day time, and forty pounds at night The de.
ceased had said short time before the eX
plosion that it was leaking. The day fireman
stated that the leak was Immediately on tor
OF the boiler in front of dome, and considered
it trifling. Had left the boiler and everything
connected with them in perfect order Satslr
day night. The deceased was thought per
fectly competent Us a fireman. No callse car
be assigned for the explosion.
After hearing all the evidence, the jury
rendered the following verdict:
The said Samuel FL. Saunders came to hi:
death by the explosion of a steam-boiler, al
the Tredegar Iron-W Works, on the 30th day
of June, 1873; and they are further o.
opinion that the Tredegar Company are cen
surabe for keeping the said boiler in use
it being an old boiler when it came into thei
posSession-without having subjected it t
an appropriate examination and test as tt
strength