Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-02-24
A CALIFORNIA HORROR.
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION OF A PORTABLE
ENGINE AT STOCKTON.
Sixteen Persons Instantly Killed and
Twenty-six Wounded, Several
FataIIy-BOdies Blown Dis
tance of One Hun
dred Feet.

SAN Francisco, February "a
Stockton dispatch says terrific explo-
sion occurred at half-past two o'clock to-
day, at the head OF Stockton slough, on
EldOrado street. A crowd of more than
two hundred people assembled to wit
ness the trial OF new propeller pump,
set in the slough and run by thresh-
ing engine. Those who stood near were
prostrated. The body Of the engine was
blown a distance of 80 feet through the
crowd. The dead lay PROSTATE in every
direction, some falling into the slough,
from the bridge. Ten or twelve dead
bodies lay in one heap at the northwest
corner OF the bridge. Others lay strewn
dead and dying on the spot,
blown from 80 to 100 ieetd. The
heads of some were blown to
pieces, and others were blown TO the
ground with such force as to break every
bone in their bodies. Faces, hands and
whole persons were strewn in the dirt,
smoke and cinders. The wounded were
promptly cared for and the dead LETT un-
disturbed until the excitement had sub
sided, when they were removed To the
coroner's office. The explosion was the
result OF rccklcssness on the part Of the
engineer. The steam gauge refused To
work, and after the engineer had at
tempted To fix il and failed, he screwed
down the safety valve and went on with
the work. The explosion occurred fiji
teen minutes aiterward. The killed are
J. NJ. kirkpatrick, merchant; John
Wiel and Joseph Curry, blacksmiths;
George W. Faltz, carpenter; Mlllard
Folsom and VIM. Allen, sporting men;
NJ. Crowel and IL. Bishop, Jr,, students;
Robert johnson, Joseph Cosgrave,
labOrers; Charles Creamer, W. {
Sailor, B. ). CLOVIS, farmers; Fife, China
man; Thomas Sedgowick; j. +. Avery,
Engineer-in-Charge. The number OF
wounded is twenty-siX, three or four OF
whom are not likely to recover. Many
were blown considerable distance and
escaped uninjured The body OF the
engine, weighing :, 800 lbs, was blown
ovcrthe telegraph wires and landed on the
plaza. Men are still engaged IN dragging
the slough in the hopes oI recovering
the bodies supposed to be hlownintuthe
slough by the explosion.
SAN Francisco, February 23.-Thc
following are additional particulars Of
Nhc boiler explosion at stockton, yester-
day: At the time OF the explosion the
steam Indicator showed forty pounds of
t,r., in ~
ends Ol the engine were blown out and
the tly-wheel blown to atoms. Five
minutes before the accident the engineer
warned Avery that hc could never
work the engine in such Il con
dition, and Avery answered, "Sh" will
either work or burst" Practical engineers
aud boiler makers, after examining the
boiler this morning, declare it WAS III
pood order and safe Charles Harris
hal his skull fractured badly and is not
expected To live Thomas ;. Edgwick
l., not dead, Al, reported, and will re-
cover. Frank Andrews, very badly in
jurcd, recovery doubtful; Arthur Tink-
ham, Jr., very badly hurt, recovery
doubtful; lot Bliss, very badly hurt,
not expected To- live; Milton Hart, badly
sraldcd, died this evening. No further
deaths or wounded reported, nor bodies
found in the slough. Men are still
dragging the slough, and the balance ol
the wounded are doing as we'll As was
expected Avery, Uricl and Cosgrovc,
were buried to-day, the rest will be
buried tomorrow, except Folsom, whose
remains will br forwarded To- his family
in Maine. The parties and balls an
nounccd tur the week have been post
puncd on account Of the explosion.