Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-05-06
A STARTLING AND TERRIBLE AFFAIR

The boiler Of toe portable engine do.
ing service at Messrs. Bohlen & Huse's
ice house, at the foot of Adams street,
on the river front, exploded this morning
at 6:45 o'clock, instantly killing the en-.
gineer, Thomas Hoist, and fatally burn.
ing and wounding six others. Pat Ken.
nedy had bis leg brokea and was injured
internally he was seut to the hospital
sRd his recovery is doubtful. James
Zoneno, the night Waterman, had his
arm broken. aud was bruised and scalded
about the head and body. Barney Burns
had his hip dislocsted, and was injured
about the body. He was blown from
the alley, q distance of forty feet, down
10 the edge of The river. John K.
OBrlen was slightly hurt by falling tim
bers. Friday Gillard, a colored man,
was scalded on the face and body, and
hurt internally. Another colored man,
name unknown, was blown some dis
lance, and bruised severely about the
bidy.
The engine and boiler we're stationed
in the alley, alongside of the ios-house.
The main portion of the boiler was
blown over the ice.honse and Archie
Karr's building, aud, striking on the avn
ing of the store next to him, landed on
the bank close to the river, inside Of
the piling.
The fireman, Thomas Stein, had a
miraculous escape, as be was standing
close to the boiler almost in the act Of
putting a piece Of wood in the fre-door
The conclusion hurled him some dis
lance, but he escaped with a few slight
bruises.
Several gentlemen standing by, in.
GLIDING Mr.. Karr, who was in front of
his store, made narrow escapes. For
tunately there was no one under the
awning when it crushed through. The
conclusion aud the explosion was felt
along the levee and Front row, and all
the window psnes in the buildings near
by we're shattered and broken. Another
piece of the boiler was blown irto Mr..
Peter Lawless' shop, crushing through a
window but doing little damage in its
course The smoke-stack was blown
through one of the windows Of the
Bradley block Toe boiler is a perfect
wreck, being blown all to pieces.
The cause of the accident is attributed
to there being a scarcity Of water in the
boilers. The night watchman raised
steam in the boilers a little before five
o'clock, aud a short time before the &c.
cideut the gauge indicated forty pounds
of steam and everything working right.
The engineer had taken charge a lew
moments before the explosion, had
turned on water and was conversing
with one of the workmen near the boiler
when it exploded. His uutimely end
and sad fate is doplored by every one.
He was a single man, Of good habits,
and classed as an experienced engineer.
he served as second engineer on the
Mark Twain last hummer aud was we'll
liked by all. His uncle was engineer
for some time on the tug 0riele.
The portable engine and boiler be
longed to Captain Keho and was recent.
ly repaired by the boilermakers, aud
stood a test of 1870 pounds of steam, out
a general thing they never carried
over ITO pounds, and Captain Keno,
when he stationed the boiler where
it exploded, took extra precautions aud
made attachments Of pipes sufficient to
furnish plenty OF water.
AS soon as Mr.. Graves, OF the firm Of
MessrS. Bohlen, Huso & Co., learned of
the explosion. he repaired to the scene Of
the accident, and bad the wounded pro.
perly taken care of, and the body Of the
engineer, Thomas Holst, also taken in
charge. Mr.. Nick Coleman, the super.
inteudent Of the river department Of the
firm, rendered all assistance in his power
to the wounded, and did much to %allevi-
their pains and suferings by having
medical and other assistance promptly
furnished. No blame can be attached
to any person but those who suffered by
it. The damage to the ice house was
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