Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-01
FATAE EXPLOSION.
The Engine ia the St. Paul Mill ExpIodes
and Kills the Engineer


and Kills the Engineer.
Residents in the vicinity of Hamm's brew
cry were startled at 6 o clock yesterday morn
ing by tremendous explosion, which, upon
investigation, proved to be the explosion of
the boiler IN Schaber & Passavant's Touring
and feed mill, situated on Phalen creek. near
the saltwater road, and known as the st. Paul
mills. At that early hour but few persons
were abroad, and it was some time before the
full extent OF the disaster was known. It took
but short time, however, to learn that the
boiler located IN the engine house adjoining
the mill had exploded, completely DESTROYING
the engine house. scattering its fragments over
wide extent of territory, and buryipg the en-
gineer shapeless mass beneath the ruins.
Word was at once sent to Coroner Davenport.
and at IL o'clock he empanelled a jury of in
inquest, composed of j. G. Killman, F. Knauft.
j. Kenny, L. Birge, Emanuel
Good and j. j. Lawrence. The mangled body
had been rescued from the ruins and placed in
plain box in the office of the mill, where the
inquest was held. The body was that of Jacob
Rapp, the night engineer of the mill, and the
facts disclosed by the evidence adduced were
that the deceased had been on duty as usual
during the night and was Just about to be re-
lieved from his wstch when the explosion took
place. An examination of the remnants of the
boiler showed that the explosion WAS caused by
a want of water in the boiler, portions of it
showing that the iron had been red hot, and
was burned through. Several of the Jury were
experienced boiler men either as manufacture
ers or dealers, and their own knowledge salts
fed them that the iron was of an inferior quail
itY. The following is the substance of the tes-
timony taken at the inquest:
Peter Rapp, brother of the deceased and a
teamster at the mill, testified that his brother
was from Rochester. N. Y, and was twenty
four years of age; his trade was that of wagon
maker, but for several years past he had
been engaged in engineering and had helped
put up the engine and boiler which exploded
deceased was not licensed engineer but had
had experience in running an engine.
J. j. Lawrence was the day engineer at the
mill and was relieved by Rapp on Wednesday
evening at o'clock. At the time he went off
duty the engine and boiler was all right. He
had run eng inc for the past ten years and
was machinist by trade. Both engine and
boiler were new, having been in use only
about two months. The boiler was made by
Hurlbut & Page, of Painsville, Ohio, and the
agent of the firm stated that it had been SUBJ
jected to test of $50 pounds. The safety
valve was set at 100 pounds, and they usually
carried from sixty to eighty pounds of steam.
He had known Rapp only about eight DAYS
He knew nothing about his capability as an
engineer, but ne seemed to know how to handle
the engine. lie was on the way to the mill to
relieve Rapp when the explosion took place.
The engine had been running continuously
since Monday morning. In his opinion the
explosion was caused by low water in the
boiler.
Charles Paseavant, one of the proprietors of
the mill, testified that Rapp had been in his en-
employ about two weeks; did not know
whether Rapp licensed engineer or not;
considered him competent. He had guaran-
tee for the boiler from the manufacturers for
the year. Mr.. Passavant coincided,with Mr..
Lawrence that the explosion was caused by
low water in the boiler.
Gottleib Houseker and Fred foreman, the
two millers, were IN the mill at the time of the
explosion, and they testified to nothing addi-
tional.
At the conclusion of the testimony, the jury
found that deceased came to his death from
injuries caused by the explosion of the boiler
at Schaber's mill at which he was engineer
and said explosion was due to want of water
in the boiler"
The remains we're taken in charge by Messrs.
Guthunz & Rockstr oh, undertakes at No. 155
East Seventh street, where they were prepared
for burial.
Deceased was a single man, "a years old,
and with the exception OF the brother referred
to above, all his relatives live in Rochester,
N. Y.