The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-16
nisastrons C;onlIasration.

DEsTRUCTIoN or MERRITT, ,aJ0N NEs q CO.'S COAL
OIL WORKS AT cASToY--Two LIVES LOST. ..:s \ 85
& Thursday afternoon at 'cIock an ex-
pIlosion and fire occurred at i the coal-oil
works OF Messrs. Merritt, Jones Il Co.,
Canton, which resulted in q serious loss OF
1humantlife and a heavy destruction Of prop-
erty. 5sE
/ The alarm was sounded by Officer Smith,
Of the Eastern station, from Box 80, corner
OF EIlicott and Chesapeake streets. The
Highlandtown truck company, No. i, was
promptly at the scene Of disaster, corner OF
Second street and First avenue, q few hun
dred yards beyond the city limits. 1t was
soon followed by Engines Nos. 5 and II, !,
and Hook-and-L Ladder Company, No. 3.
The companies speedily ascertained that
1t would be useless to attempt to extinguish
a fire Of such intensity and volume, and so
directed their efforts TO prevention OF the
spread OF the fire to the neighboring build
ings. The immediate cause OF the eXplo-
I sion (which was one OF the agitatofs) cannot
be satisfactorily ascertained. The agitator
was empty at the time, and the most proba-
BILE theory is that the explosion was occa-
stoned by the generation OF gases from the
coal-oil esiduum on the sides and bottom OF
the asitator. Be that as it may, the occur
renee was most disastrous and fatal in its
results, hurting two human beings suddenly
into eternity, injuring three others, and lay
ing in ruins many valuable structures.
Robert McCadden and Roger Shields
were at work on the agitator at the time OF
its explosion, making some repairs. The
former was hurled some fifteen feet into the
air, and fell into an agitator of burning oil.
Both, of course, were killed outright, and
no traces of their remains have been or are
likely ever to be found. Mr.. McCadden,
who resided at No. south Gist street, was
a man OF middle age, and leaves wife and
five children.
Roger Shields, who lived at 25 Paca
street, was twenty-siX years of age. He
was plumber by trade.
The others who were I'M ured were j. Nc
Farrau. Z. j. Codd, and Mr.. Gehrman.
The first mentioned was injured on the
head, but not seriously. Neither of the
others received dangerous injuries. Mr..
Codd was injured on the arm. He has a
large machine-shop on Caroline street. He
was merely examining machinery at the time
of the accident.
There were several buildings on the prem
ises, including agitators, large tank, still,
oil warehouse, cooper-shop, sheds, l,2OO
barrels OF oil, and a steam-house containing
500 barrels OF tar. When the explosion
took place there was brisk northeast wind
prevailing, and the flames were thus blown
towards the above structures, soon enyelop-
ing them in flames. Huge volumes OF blaze
and smoke rolled up from the burning build
ings, affording scene at once terrible and
grand. Great clouds of smoke obscured
the heavens for half mile away, and the
swelling flames lit up the landscape for hum
dreds Of yards around.
The loss on the oil is estimated at S15,-
600, and that on the machinery $4,000.
The losses are largely in excess Of the in
surances, which are as follows: In the Ger
man, Bath, $1,000; Security, Connecticut,
S1,500; Farmville, Virginia, 81 800; Royal,
Canadian, $1,000; Maiden, Connecticut,
$1,000; Manayunk, Philadelphia, S1,250;
Merchants and Mechanics, Richmond, Va,
$1,000; Bangor, Maine, $1,25O; Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, $1,000. Total, S12,550.-BaI-
ti1norc american.