The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-23
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION
OF A STEAM BOILER AT PORTLAND.
Herman Lewis Instantly KILLED and the Engineer
Badly Hurt-E,sry Building 10 the Village
shaken As By an Earthquake. andths
Boiler House BlOWntO AtOnL

terribly shaken yesterday morning by the
explosion OF the boiler in the Eagle FIGURING
Mill Of R. W. Hodgens, by which lad Of
about fifteen year,, named Herman Lewis,
lost his life, and his brother, Ellsworth Lewis,
the engineer, was slightly wounded. The
full particulars OF the accident are as fol-
lows:
Yesterday morning steam was raised at the
usual hour, but the mill was not started
owing to supply OF wheat not having been
provided on the previous Saturday. The
pipe leading from the supply tank 10 the
creek was found to be frozen, and the engi
neer, Ellsworth Lewis, had gone to The creek
with bucket OF hot water to thaw 1t out
leaving his brother Herman, aged fifteen
years, In the engine house. Mr..
Lewis had, previous TO leaving fol
the creek, let steam into the water
tank for the purpose OF thawing Il, and had
turned on the pump TO ill the boiler. Al
that time he had tested the gauges aud found
the boiler TO be well filled. The steam gauge
indicated pressure OF ITO pounds. Thomas
Stringer, packer, Edward Grower, the miller,
anu W GhSStSh1J1 OhV Vi bhC pat
In the firm running the mill, were In the
engine house few moments before the ex-
plosion, and had Just returned to the Office
when the explosion occurred. Wiley Hold.
gems, the owner OF the mill, had been in the
engine room only few moments previous,
but had gone to DR.. Kelly's house, where be
was at the time OF the explosion. This left
only the lad in the engine house at the time.
The explosion occurred at or near half.past
seven, and made terrific report shaking
every building In the village, and scattering
bricks and fragments OF wood for many
yards around The boiler-house a small
brick structure outside OF the mill building,
was shattered 10 atoms by the explosion.
The boiler parted, the larger hall being
hurled across both arms OF Q horseshoe curve
In the creek, distance OF at least 800 yards.
It's course could be traced clearly by n wide
furrow cut in the weeds close to the ground
In It's course the boiler struck against the top
OF the bank OF the creek, making q big gap
in It, and seems to have been turned half way
round, as It fell twenty or thirty feet further
on. at right angles with the track 1t made.
The other portion OF the boiler divided,
one fragment falling few feet away from
the boiler house; while Il portion OF the head
plowed Its way through the side OF the G. 4
T. railroad station, striking the roof on the
inside cutting the telegraph lines on Its way,
and falling upon the noor. Smaller trag.
ments OF boiler iron were found beyond the
depot, but no other buildings were struck.
Pieces OF pipe were found several hundred
feet away.
The side OF the station was riddled by steam
and pieces OF brick thrown against 1t, aud
wide swath Of shingles torn ffem the roof.
The telegraph instruments in the office were
wrenched from their places and the chin
ney totally wrecked. The boiler house was
leyeled almost TO the ground, and the stack
"a large one built OF brick-totally destroy.
ed. Alongside the engine hole about four
feet In diameter was blown IN the stone
foundation OF the mill, but no further in.
Jury was done 10 the large building, except
that the large double doors fronting the sta
ton, were blown against the depot, by the
force OF the conclusion, q distance OF about
fifty feet.
As soon as the large volume OF steam sub.
sided, which It soon did under the influence
OF the frosty air, the people thronged about
the mill to learn the extent OF the damage.
Tho body Of the lad, Herman Lewis was
found near the door leading into the mill
from the boiler house, partly covered with
rubbish. He was dead when found, but as
no bruises were found upon any vital part,
1t is copjectured that he was sutiocated by
s,eag. 'Hia phirt was blown of, and bis hair
had been partially burned away. His head
was slightly bruised, and one leg vas broken,
the latter evidently from portion OF the
brick wall falling upon It. He was taken
home Immediately. His brother. Ellsworth
Lewis, the engineer, YRs struck on the head
by piece Of brick, but the wound is only a
DliRht one.
Had the telegraph operator been at work
in his Office at the station be would undoubt.
edly have had close call for bis life, aS the
office was filed with debris from the e4
plosion, and the place filled with soalding
steam.
The mill is brand new one, having only
been finished last fall, and everything about
1t was new, The boiler was an extra heavy
one, made by Duvall 4 Co., OF GAINESVILLE, OF
u inch iron, and weighed about ! 900 pounds.
Il had never been inspected since it'was put
in the mill, but az 1t bad carried 129 pounds
OF steam safely 1t was thought to be perfect,
The usual head OF steam was about 90 pounds.
The boiler had been cleaned last Monday.
The damage to the mill will amount to
about 81 200 or $3.50. The mill Is insured
In the German, Of Wheeling, $780, Royal,
OF Liverpool, 81, 000, and Cooper's, at Dayton,
81 SCOUT as these risks are against Are it
is doubtful whether the loss Is covered by
the insurance.
Only two theories as to the causeot the ex-
plogion arc advanced, Mr., =. w, Hodgens
thinks there must have been defect In the
boiler, as he claims that when he left the
boiler house, which was about ten or fifteen
minutes before the explosion took place,
there was plenty Of water in the boiler. 9th
ers who were In the engine house afterward,
are not 90 sure there was plentiful
supply OF water, aud are inclined to ettrib'
ute the explosion To lack OF water In the
boiler.
The boy was not an employe OF the mill at
Kelly's the steam gauge indicated l15 pounds
Later, when Messrs. McCleary, Stringer and
Grower left, the gauge showed that the
steam had run down to s. or90 pounds. Mr..
McCleary, however, 10 OF opinion that tho
boy had fired up again, as he heard q noise
as OF some one handling the implements in
the engine room, and at that time the boy
wGs the only person there.
The heavy force necessary to throw a
boiler q distance OF three hundred yards
would indicate that there was powerful
pressure OF steam, and as boilers do not usu-
ally explode when they are filled with water,
tbs theory OF lack Of water In the boiler
seems to be the correct one. The pump at
the creek refused TO work on account OF be-
ing iroIsn, as did also the pipes leading
from the supply tank, for the same reason.
1t Is also stated that the tank was empty,
but no one could say positively whether this
was tho case,
The place was visited by many people dur
ing the day, curious to see what effect boil
or explosion has upon It's surroundings.
The telegraph wires were repaired during
the afternoon, aud Portland Is once more In
with the outer world,
UNIVERSITY REGENTS
by Ihe Governor and Con,