New-York tribune., 1875-11-02
HOW THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED.

used In the construction Of the second track OF the Easton
and AD,boy Railroad west OF Bound Brook The engine
mentioned Ind been employed to draw this
train during nearly the whole Of the time
Contrary custom the engine yesterday pushed the
train from behind instead Of pnllng IL in the regular
way The and another car containing altogether
~ laborers, in the OF the gravel aud
directly In front of the engine When the train reached
the Rartan siding about 2o miles OF Bound Brook
IT was switched OF upon side track III order TO allow
the eastwardbOund passenger train, which Is due at
Bound Brook at 7:0G m, TO pass. While the gravel
tram stood on the siding after m, the boiler OF
its engine suddenly and without warning exploded
wreckng the engine and bursting in the end shattering
the sides and blowing on portion Of the roof OF the
caboose and pouring hot steam into the car in front OF
IT, The laborcrs occupying the cabOose who were talk
ing laughing and smoking unconscious OF danger were
exposed to the full force Of the escaping sea and were
thrown about ike chips, some OF them being blown
through the roof and Sides and whcd 20 or 80 feet mp
into the air Those who the second ear from the
engine were likewise scalded with steam, and they
amped upon other in their efforts escape. Only
eight escaped entirely uninjured, five were killed
almost outright, two three we're burned probably
fatally, and 80 received scads and wounds more or less
severe from flying fragments The boiler WAS thrown
high in air. tearing away the end Of the caboose in Its
flight and after striking and making deep Ddentation
in the earth, it rcbounded and fell by the side Of the
track 100 feet from the spot where the explosion
occurred. The whole OF that portion OF the boiler
between the firebox and the tubes shiyered into
atoms The other portion partially stripped Of its
sheang and battered and bent like piece Of shattered
sOvepipe. One of the aborers who escaped says that
he saw the boiler turn completely twice before
striking the ground The truck Of the engine thrown
sideways from the railroad track several rods and broken
TO pieces. The wheels fell near the track
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
The engineer Thomas g. Copie Of PhllipsinIrg y. j.
was instantly killed. lie leaves family COpo was ID
years OF age and had been in the employment Of the
Company about three months.
Allen King brakeman 80 years of age, living in som
eryle, was also instantly killed. lie leaves family.
Henry Ncolai an Italian laborer residence not known
was killed instantly.
Patrick Feeny. laborer, died about an hour aer De-
ing taken from the wreck
COi. Palmer p. Thompson, the foreman OF the labor
gang was burned the legs, and injured internally.
lie died about p after being taken TO his home In
Bound Brook. Col Thompson formerly In command
Of giment Of the PeDnsy lyanla State militia. lie had
resided only short time in Bound Brook. but was
highly esteemed, and had numerous friends. lie leaves
"a wife-who wa, lying sick at the time OF the accident
and one child. When he was approached by Dr. Field
after explosion he sald attend TO the Others
first. sm not hurt badly they are" Before he
died described the way in which the explosion had
thrown him through the roof Of the caboose and 30 feet
meath him. and thought of clutching them 10 stay his fall
but instantly concluded that t would be useless, and
Trained lie struck railroad tie, which broke his
ribs and rupurcd OF his lungs, producing fatal in
ternal hemorrhage.
II reported that man named MCGEE had died
while being carried TO his home n Newark. but the re-
port appears have untrue. rumor that another
unknown man had been killed could not be verified.
About two minutes after the explosion the eastward
bound passenger tran which the fated construction
train had been waiting arrived nj the scene Of the disaster
The employees Of train lent all the assistance in their
power and the dead and wounded carried to Bound
Brook Twelve OF the wounded sent to the Newark
Hospital and medical assistance elegraphed for by
the agent OF the railroad at Bound Brook Mr. Toomey
Dr. Field OF Bound Brook and Dr. stillman Of Painield
attended the wounded at Bound Brook The former said
last night that two three Of the injured would
probably die.
The attending physician, Dr. Field. ascertained the
names OF nearly quite all Of the wounded but when
asked give them for publication refused to do so,
alleging that while he not directly in the employ
men Of the railroad company, yet his relations with it
were such that he did not feel ut liberty to
give any information which the officers might
possibly desire to suppress. This polite sur
geon also intimated that he had an opinion
worth giving OF the disaster but for fear
Of offending the railroad company he would not give IT,
Not satisfied with this exhibition of sefnterest and
physician who disposed to speak his mind more fear
lessly. The railroad employees declined to give any
assistance in ascertainng the names Of the wounded
CAUSE OF TIE DISASTER
The boiler was an ordinary tubular locomotive boiler.
built by William Mason Of Taunton, Mass IL is said about
eight nine years There was rimor yesterday
that it had been constructed OF old iron, and that had
been condemned II also said that the former cngi
neer Of the Cenra had warned Cope the engineer that
la .1shar nf
it, that the boiler was unsafe. All sorts Of stories we're
told TO account for the accident among which the
that seemed TO obtain the most belief WAS that at
the of the disaster the water in the boiler had run
very low the who had charge of the engine for
the engineer when il was lying ut Bound Brook, said
that the boiler had been filled Saturday night One of
the Isborers who the eaboose at the time Of the
explosion said that Just before the boiler burst he
the engineer forcing cold water into II with the injector
This was considered a very hazardous operation The
boier Was also said by many have been in very rot
ten condition
Coroner Bush, and the jurymen who were summoned
immediately after the accident to view the dead bodies
and the wreck declined to give any opinion IA to the
cause OF the accident but hnted that they had made up
their minds in regard to it, Witnesses have been sub
penaed for the inquest which will take place at
10 n IN ON Thursday. Coroner Bush yesterday picked
ND near the piece Of an iron holt and nut, which
looked 1t had been partially dccomposed with risi
Ihs may however have been effect Of the explosion.
Mr. Packer Superintendent Of the Easton and Amboy
Railroad visited the Of the accident soon after it
occurred Dut went away early in The day. and the rail
road officials at Bound Brook retcent in regard to
the explosion. The value OF the engine probably
about 10000 or $4,000 The caboo.e. which was par
TALLY destroyed, was old passenger OF no great
value.
SCENES AFTER THE EXPLOSION.
The excitement in the village Of Bound Brook was very
great The noe Of the explosion heard there very
dstnetiy and woodmen at work in the hills several
miles distant were startled by the reyerberations and
hnstened 10 the scene OF the disaster The