Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-05-07
FROM BRADFORD COUNTY, FLA.
The Production OF Lime-DetaiIs of
the Late Terrific Boiler Explosion
at Temples MtIIs-FaIr of The Red
Men-Ehe Early Fruit and Vege-
table Business-Execra Rail.
road Sch eduIe.

TEMPLES MILLS, FLA, May 2.-Florida con
tinues to develop her untried resources, and is
again. as usual, quite successful Mr.. Geo. B.
Thompson, mentioned in a former letter as
having come from Pennsylvania to test the
capacity of our rock for producing lime, has
succeeded fully in proving that the best
quality of that material can be made of our
Florida lime stone. He has lime kiln at
Arredondo, and will shortly build one at Tenn.
pies Mills.
The explosion at Temples Mills on the 2Sth
nit short sketch of which l sent YOU was
one of the most terrible in appearance that
has ever been seen in this part of the State,
and the wreck leads one to wonder how any
person near by could have escaped alive. Mr..
Temple uses three large cylinder boilers. On
the day mentioned, at about half past one p.
m, the hands were all at their posts ready for
the mill to start, when a small escape of steam
was noticed. 1t rapidly increased in volume
and instantly, as 1t were, the largest
boiler-the one nearest the milI-ex
ploded with terrific force, one
end of the boier-nearly half-forcing its
way through an old boiler standing near,
and through the slab pit almost TO the black
smith shop, distant nearly two hundred feet.
The other end of the boiler was buried fifteen
feet among slabs and Sawdust. The boiler
house was completely demolished some Of the
timbers having been thrown several hundred
feet. The other boilers were thrown some dis
lance from their place. Among the injured
Mr. Leonard White and Mr.. McCarl received
several severe bruises, but both are now able
to be up and will soon be at work again Be-
fore the debris had ceased falling, Mr.. Hall, the
gentiemanly clerk of MIR. Temple, dispatched
a messenger for DR.. Gaskins, of Starke, to at
tend the wounded, which at that time were
supposed to be numerous. Fortunately, how
ever. the suppositfon proved TO be untounded.
Among the many miraculous escapes was
that of Mr.. Meacham, the lumber inspector.
When he came out of the wreck he was only
known by his voice, so completely was he COW
cred by smoke dust and mud.
Mr.. Temple was absent at the time at Fer
nandina, and did not get back until the next
day, when he at once went to WORK to remove
the wreck, and expects to be again at work in
a few Gays The theories as to the origin Of
the explosion are many and. different, but Mr..
Temples is that it was caused by excessive
steam.
The last fair of the Red Men of Starke proved
quite q success as usual, and the tribe have
now advertised for sealed proposals for build
ing their wigwam. Among tue many dona-
tiOnS to the fair was magnificent pair or bed
spreads from Mohr Brothers, of your city.
Our market gardeners at Kingsley are now
shipping early vegetables and realizing good
prices. Mr.. Miller, who is among the fore
most, after many set backs, caused by the late
cold spring, has succeeded well, and VIII ship
more than usual Such a man as Mr.. Miller is
a valuable acquisition to any locality. he
will soon have ripe peaches, having had some
in March that, by actual measurement were
four inches in circumference.
The Transit Railroad has now one of the
most execrable time schedules for its freight
trains that could be conceived, as far as the
convenience of the people along the line of
the road is concerned, the largest portion
of the road is passed over after night. We
hope this will soon be changed, for, no doubt,
the able executive ability of Col Maxwell will
enable him to provide for more convenient
arrangement.