, 1874-11-29
BLOWN UP.


OF they wouldn't always be a-bustin'. Tain't
once. nor twice, nor now and then, for it's d
thing as is always A-happening; aud though I've
never had more than q scald or two myself, I've
seen some strange sights: men all blown to
pieces. 50 that they vere picked up afterwards
IN baskets; men taken to the hospital with
their dehh hanging to them in rags,
and there they'd Lie writhinS and tearing
At the wrappings in such agony, tbat-the1e, I
amt above owning Tive cried like child to
see my poor mates euf1erinEs. And there they'd
be. d4y after day, till sort Of calm camo over
them, and the pain went, when they'd quito
smile it you spoke to EN-, they seemed so easy;
aud it would ba because gentle hand was laid
upon 'em, and they 1ars going into tho long
sleep.
Some gets better, but not when they're scald~
cd badly; for it's strange stuff. is steam.
Well, no; I'm not afraid, and never do feel
afraid. What's the good2 Ones got it to
do, and there's the mouths ut homo to
feed, so one can't afford it.; aud then the odds
are precious long ones against it being one Own
bustin'. But now SO many more steam engines
are coming into use. day By daJ, it seans al If
something ought to be done in the nay Of max
ing bilers stronger. Cheapnesa is cheapness:
but then, a things dea1 at any price that makes
ouch ruin as Two seen sometimes; 80 why don't
they trv soma tougher metal than iron p
though, certainly. steam's strong enough to tear
up anything. But there aoems to me to bc some
fresh p1ao wanted for making blers.
didn't work there hut went and had n look
d'rockly after that horrible accident 1t the
Big Works last autumn. Well. there was about
an acre OF buildngs-Hbeds and setrer-swept
away as il you'd batter'd 'em all down great
Ero. mir uanht1u hunHfn1 and hair.
pitched here and there like chatf; sheets Of lead
aent flying hundred yards tall chimneTs DOW
dered down; and the big busted biler itself
iumped right out Of its place while as to the
middle of 1t, that Was torn of, aud crumpled up,
and blown. like 4 sheet Of paper. to distance.
Plenty OF life lost there, aud plenty OF escapes;
but what took most notice of was the plates
tom OF the biler-torn on, as said before, like
go much paper while these sheeta or plates,
looked for all the world like torn-of postage
stamrs,-to1n of, Of course, along the perfo1at-
"Eow, then" SAYS to myself, "that's q
thing as wants altering. You perforate the
takes half their strength on,-p'r'aps more;
then you puts, perhaps. hot rivets in,. and: they
p'raps crystallzes tho iron, only p't'aps. mind.
/ don't say 10. on!y the raw edges OF the bler
looked crystay and brittle swell. then, Home
day comes hextry pressure o steam. and up
and death, and misery around"
"Then how are to fasten onr biler plates"
SAYS you, ".f we don't rivet 'em?" How should
1 know I amt scientific man.-I only stokes.
amt a-gong to tell me. are you, that you
scientific men and biler-makers can't find no
other way to maize bilets only by risetln6 them
Say you bends the rlates edges over. and hooks
one into the other, like tin 6arspan makers does
their tin Thev'd stand come strain that way,
,,,j .vopfpt waHEen DlntGa. l Amt
. bier maker, OF I should try that dodge,
think but there, that's only one way out Of
many as could be found b. experiment.
Seems to me, air, as If We English people hates
our fathers and grandfathers had before us.
They went along and made thesr footma1ks, and
ne 20 along after 'sIn, putting oar foots in just
the same spots, thinking it must be right, come
what will Of it.
Had to do with engiues many years. Stocked
locomotives and stat,oparles, aericultura1s and
manufactures, and p1iutlog-ottic and been
down in the engine-rooms OF steamers; and tnat
last'e about the hottest and worst OF all hllllhg
uork, 5ou know, for ANYBODY. spee'a!!iy it N nos
down to you is already roasted, Is it "ere, and
don't do you no good
Dustins7 We'll, no, only one. and that Was
quite enough; for though it didn't hurt my
body, it did burt my heart, ana i y9u happen
It Was dinner-time at our works,-a great
place. where the engine used to be going to pump
water Dight and dav. 81 that there we're two Of
liz and Que week I'd be on daywo next week
nghtwork. and 50 on. Now it so happened
that our water in that part was terribly hard
water that would cover the inside Of q b1ler
VITA thick fur In no time. But whether it
WAS that or no. can't cay; all l know is that
one d,oner-t!me I went out into the yard
I heard = strange, wild. rushing nolfe, and
felt something hit me on the back OF the
head aud then. turning round. l stood
fixed to the spot, for the air was black with
tiles, and bricks. and laths, and rafters while
the whole place seemed to be crumbllng up to-
ee.ner, Just like as if you'd built up tall card
hou-c. aud then tapped 1t that it fell, one card
On TOP OF another, till there WAS little heap all
ly1pg close and snug; SO that out OF q tall
building there vas nothing left but some s1nok-
I kuow it WAS not mv fault, for had looked
at The gauge just before. and the pressure OF
steam wasn't heavy. knew there Was plenty o.
water in the bile1, and tho safety valve was a.!
right: go that all / could do Was to be thankful
ior tho accident happening at dlnner.tlme: and
also for nv own wonderful escape. And then,
though wasn't burt something seemed tocome
over me like flash, and struck me othe ground
in an Instant.
When came to, I felt horribly sick and deathly
like. and Looked about from face to face. Won
deriug what was the matter; for couldn't make
it out why should be lying on my back, with
noople round me in the yard-one holding up my
head, and another sprloklin5 my face with
water.
Then il all camc back at once, and ehuddered
as / turned my head and looked at the ruined
works: for knew what it was struck me down
to tue earth. said before it was like flash,
and 1t vast WAS one quick thought which came
across my brain, for l knew that, being dlnner-
time, nv little golden-haired gal would have
brought my 'lowance tied up. in basin; and
something told me that she had gone into the
stokc-hols to find mo when had gone into the
yard
the ruins, and began tearing away at the heap OF
brick rubbish, while the crowd now gathered
together, hearing that there was some one IN
de2neath, began tearing away at the rubbish Like
fury.
By and by the police camo and some gentle,
men. and something like order WAS got 1t, and
people worked well to get down to where the
etoke-h hole had been. I had said that there WAS
some one there, but couldn't shape, my mouth
to saw who it was and somo said it was une
man. and some another but whoever they named
seemed to come directly back from Ills dinner
or because he had heard the explosion. So, by
aud py, people began to look from one to an
other, aud ask who it was.
.Ask Wllun," says sumo one; he Was here
- +ba tin,a ~ ann snma one asked me. But