The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-03-23

Then he and his brother left the house
| and ran down to the mill, desiring to be
| there at 12 o'clock when the engine-whis-
| tle-a new one, Just bought-whistled for
the hands to stop for dinner.
MR.. HALL-HIs ACCOUNT.
| Mr.. Hall was injured at the mill so badly
| that he had to 60 to bed. The representa-
tive OF this paper was introduced to him by
| DR.. Magruder. The ashes from the engine
| fire-box bad been blown into his skin on
the right side OF the face, blackening it, no
doubt permanently. He had some scald-
wounds on his hands and body, but bis face
was worst. Heaopeared to be about thirty
five years OF age. His face was kindly and
intelligent, and Notwithstanding his physi-
cal suferings and distress Of mind, he readily
consented to tell all that he knew about the
explosion.
AN INTELLIGIBLE ACCOUNT.
Mr.. Hall said: About 1880 O'Clock had
just assisted the sawyer (Mr. Thorp) in fix
! ing the guides to the saw, and I had turned
my back upon the engine to replace one OF
the tools where it belonge6swhen the eX-
plosion occurred. My back was towards
the engine, and something was swept past
me so closely that it nearly tore the coat
from my back, and Knocked hole in the
chain. was somewhat shocked, and was
scalded on the face and ON one hand. I felt
no soreness at the Time. Realizing that some
thing dreadful had happened, and knowing
that my wife would be greatly alarmed, I
started in run to the house to tell her that
II was safe, and had not gotten great many
steps when, to my horror, came across the
maugled body of my little Josie, and soon
afterwards Edgar was found. I did not
know the boys were at the mill. They had
been down there earlier in the day, I knew,
and had returned to the house for snack,
and had no idea that they had come back
to the mill.
Mr.. Hall was deeply affected when he
spoke OF his children. With sobs and tears
he said: 81 suppose they went down to
the mill TO bear the whistle. They were
bright and sweet children, and were always
together. Wherever you found one you
would find the other. They had most low
able dispositions, and never quarrelled and
fought as many brothers do. Oh, tho dear
little boys. My poor boys!"
TIE ENGINE.
In response to questions about the engine
Mr.. Hall said: The engine was built by P.
Fl. Rahm. 1t was somewhat old, but had
been overhauled and repaired at the shop OF
H. NJ. Miller, in Richmond. 1t was twenty
tive-horse-power, and was regarded rs
strong and in good condition. am salts
fed that there was not over forty pounds of
steam on when the boiler exploded. l
know that there was not enough power to
drive The saw. It wasn't sufficient to run
the saw through an oak log which was on
the carriage, and we backed the log off the
saw. I think that they were pumping at
~, 10 f1on II hol rio a
rule not to carry more than eighty pounds
of steam on any occasion, and had always
been careful to instruct the men always to
keep plenty Of water in the boiler.
THOSE KILLED.
The following is list Of the killed:
John C. Thorp, aged ffty-one; sawyer
by trade. He received q punctured wound
in the skull and fatal internal injuries. He
fell very near the boiler, and lived two or
three hours after being removed to Mr..
Franklin's house. He was citizen OF
Henrico, and leaves wife and eight chill
dren in very dependent circumstances.
Josie Hall, aged seven, and Edgar, aged
eleven, sons OF the proprietor OF the mill,
W. NJ. Hull, who was formerly Of Buckins-
ham county.
Binxy Thomas (colored); aged twenty.
He came to the mill from Fluvanna. He
had no family. Was lumber-bearer Oh
common laborer. He was the man thrown
into the tree.
Gordon Rollins ,(colored) was also lum-
ber-bearer. He was about twenty-one or
twenty-five years OF age. He was the man
who fell in the creek. -.s.
THE WOUNDED MEN.
George Lowry, the engineer, is about
TWENTY-FIVE years of age. He has been mar
ried about one month. He is badly scalded
on the legs and on the abdomen, and sus-
tanned fracture Of the skull. His condI-
ton is decidedly unfavorable. DR.. Magru-
der would not say that Lowry would not
recover, but last night he did not think he
was in a promising condition.
Charles Yancev (white) came to the mill
from Fluvanna. He was very badly (proba-
bly fatality wounded. He has deep cut in
the skull. 1t is likely one eye is put out.
Last night he was in a comatose condition.
John Stokes (white) was another Fluyan-
ma man. He was engaged near the mill IN
making laths from the refuse lumber OF the
saw-mill. He received severe lick upon
knee Joint. Hewas otherwise unlnlured.,
Mr.. Halps injuries are chiefly about the
face, and are painful but not serious.
Jim Smith (colored) was slightly injured
on the face by scalding, and on the head Dy
some sort of blow. He was employed as
screw-turner.
Tom Glenn (white) was very slightly hurt.
A Young man named Edwards was driving
a team to the mill. The horses, upon hear
ing the explosion, ran away, and he was
thereby trifingly injured.
PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
From the statements OF Mr.. Hall and
others the following seems the cause OF the
accident: The mill was working on oak
lumber at the time, and owing to some dis
arrangement of the machinery the engine
had been stopped. The steam-gauges in
dicated at the time forty pounds pressure.
The engineer (said one many told the sur
yeyor to sshurry up and get things right,
as his water was very low" The engine
was started at that time and the explosion
Immediately followed.
The boiler was Of the locomotlye-build,
with the engine-frame bolted on the top,
and had the appearance OF being ten or
twelve years old. The conclusion that a
person Of experience would naturally ar
rive at would be that the water in the
boiler was below the crown-sheet, and that
the crown.sheet was. red-hot. On starting
the engine and pump, the water coming IN
contact with the over-heated iron gene
rated steam so rapid as to cause the bursting
Of the boiler. From the distance that the
pieces were thrown and the condition that
they were in it would seem that the pres
sure must at that moment have been I'M
mense. The breaks in the iron indicate
that the material used in the construction
OF the boiler had been first-class.
PERSONALITIES FUNERAL OF THE BOYS.