The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-05-31
BURSTING BOILERS.

ously IOjured-The Sad Work OF Exhum'
ing the Remains of the Victims.
DUBUQUE, IA. May 20.
Last Saturday afternoon an appalling
calamity occurred at Carr, Ryder & Wheel.
er's planning mill. The three large boil.
ers in the engine-room exploded at that
hour, with terrible loss of life and great
damage to surrounding property. The
report was heard all over the city, and
the buildings surrounding the mill were
shaken by the violent conclusion. The
employees rushed in every direction, while
in the neighboring machine shops and
factories the greatest excitement pre-.
vailed. Those who were near the mil
at the time and who witnessed the ex.
plosion, say the air for blocks around was
flied with debris, consisting of heavy
rocks, timbers and portions of the boil.
ers.
At the same time the debris caught
fire, adding manifold terror to the sltua.
ton. Men, women and children rushed
to ard fro, scarcely knowing what had
occurred, AID amidst the shower OF
debris were seeking shelter under every
available cover. At this moment fire
alarm was sounded, bringing out the en-
tire fire department. Crowds of excited
people ran in all directions, and for a
time the greatest excitement prevailed.
Business was suspended the entire even
ing. The engines soon had a stream ON
the burning debris. Men and women
rushed about frantically, eager for the safe
ty of their relations employed in the mill,
while thousands locked about the ruins
inquiring anxiously about their friends.
The employees of the mill, together with
those of the surrounding mills, instituted
a search for those supposed to be under
the ruins.
The boiler-room was O stone structure
and was parttioned off from the main
building by a heavy stone wall. On the
side of the engine-room and fronting the
alley-room was a frame shaving-room.
These buildings, together with the
broken boiler, lay in one mass of ruins,
which formed q heap about twenty feet
high. The explosion spent its force to-
ward the alley way, and opened out SINH
lar to blast.
After the smoke and flames had some
what subsidized through the efforts of the
firemen, the search for the missing par
ties began. Strong and willing hands re-
moved the heavy rocks and debris. First
found was the body of Engineer Milo M.
Mellon, which was discovered about sew
enteen feet from the boiler. His body
was terribly mangled beyond recognition.
The search was continued, and about
4 $50 O'Clock the second fireman, Michael
Mclaughlin, was found. He was also
horribly mangled. At this moment sew
eral physicians were on the
Urnup6 rpndaripO assistance yharpVpr
needful. The first fireman's name
was Fritz Vildanger, and his
body was found mangled beyond recog-
milton in the door leading from the main
portion of the mill to the engine-room.
His arms and legs were shattered. The
remains of all three were speedily re-
moved to their residences. A large num-
Der of bystanders volunteered their serv-
ices in removing the dead and wounded.
Probably the saddest sight of it all was
the discovery of two little children be-
longing to Charles May, adjoining the en-
gine-room. a double brick house which
stood near the engine. room was shattered
to pieces, mortally wounding the occu-
pants, though they are still alive. The
occupants consisted of two little children,
one old lady and three others. Adjoining
this house was yard, In which were play
were killed outright and terribly scalded.
While the large crowd was at work re-
moving the debris, the I'M ured were being
cared for by women, physicians, etc.
Mrs. Margaret Walters, while pumping
water in her yard, about Ace yards from
the explosion, was struck with flying
brick and escaping steam. She was
badly burned and received d deep cut in
the head, from which it is feared she
cannot recover. Mrs. Albert Walters,
with three children, was seated in her
house near by, and though the house was
badly demolished, they escaped with
severe bruises and burns. A young lady
named Miss Lear, in the second story OF
the same building, had a leg broken and
was otherwise badly bruised. Mr.. Adam
Turget, aged siXty-tive years, was stand
ing near the englne-room, but mir
aculously escaped with severe injuries
lie will recover. A large fire brick struck
Mrs Vogles, who was on the porch OF
her house near by, on the shoulder, dis
locating it and breaking her arm.
The above constitutes the principa
portion of the wounded, although severa
others received slight bruises which are
not supposed to be serious. SeYera
passers-by had very narrow escapes, some
being thrown to the ground by the force
of the, conclusion. The number of bodies
recovered up to this writing is five. Th'
work of removing the debris has beer
discontinued until Sunday, when The
search was renewed. but no more
bodies were recovered, rain interfering
with the operation. The loss to property
is $1,000; fully insured in the Hartford
Insurance Company.