The Indianapolis journal., 1885-10-03
4 DISASTROUS EXPLOSION.
The Mud-Drum of Battery OF Boilers
EXplOdes with Terrible Effect.
Three Men Fatally Scalded and Fourteen Men
and Boys Fatally Injured-The Grief
of Wives and Children.

Solar iron works, of Clarke & Co., on Thirty
sixth street, exploded with disastrous effect.
The night turn had just been relieved by the
day force, when loud explosion startled the
workmen, and that portion of the works in the
vicinity of the boilers was filled with cloud of
death-dealing steam Through the dense mist
came shrieks and groans, which notified the
employees beyond harms reach that calamity
had overtaken a portion of their fellow
workmen. AS the steam settled
down, rush was made for the spoy where the
explosion occurred, when it was ascertained that
the mud-drum of the boiler had exploded, and
that the escaping steam had scalded seventeen
men, Closer investigation showed that of this
number fourteen were badly burned, and three
fatally scalded. The names of the injured are:
Frank Martin, badly scalded about the face
and arms; will not live.
James Cattoe, fatally scalded; the top of his
head was almost severed by piece of flying iron.
Frank Murray, boy, terribly burned; injuries
fatal
Thomas Stein, a boy. badly scalded; VIM.
Daniels, boy, scalded and injured by flying
debris; David Richards boy scalded and an
arm broken; William Orth. roller, badly scalded
Frank Good, boy. badly cut on the head; Pat
rick Henderson, shearsman seriously scalded and
injured by flying debris; David Smith, shears
man, badly scalded; Joseph Getz, a boy, scalded,
but not seriously; William Simpson, boy,
scalded and injured by debris Chas Haywood,
puddler, seriously hurt by flying debris; Joseph
Steiner, assistant engineer, badly bruised and
slightly cut Joseph Neff a boy, badly scalded;
Frank Neff, a boy badly scalded Bart Henderson,
gauger, terribly burned, and probably will not
recover.
Scarcely had the hills beetling along the Allie
gheny ceased to reverberate the tones of the ex-
plosion when frenzied frightened wives,
mothers and children began to rush upon the
scene and peer anxiousy into the faces of the
gasplng, dying men. seeking to identify their
loved ones, or inquire in agonized tones If thew
had escaped. Women half dressed. others put
ting on their clothes as they ran, children al
most nude and screaming at the top of their
voices crowded and jostled each other in the
mad rush for the mill. Arriving there, there
was stiffness for a moment then woman's
wall was heard, and another and another, till
there was nothing but discordant chorus of
feminine shrieks and means ard cries of
anguish. The cries and groans of the parboiled
men would occasionally rise above the shrieks
of the women. 1t was an awful scene and the
physicians who arrived said they were almost un
nerved at the sight, and in the presence of so
much human suffering physical and mental.
lHe IN JuFeU were IOunQ lying In all POSITIONS.
Some of them were so far away from the bat
terry that it seemed impossible that they could
have been injured by the explosion. The large
| number of boys hurt is accounted for by the
fact that they were employed to handle the hoop
iron, which was rolled in the mills nearest the
boilers. 1t was fully twenty minutes after the
explosion before the boy Frank Murray was
taken out from under the truck where he was
thrown. In addition to being scalded, he was
terribly crushed by the weight of iron piled on
top of him. James Cattoe and Frank Martin
suffered most from the escaping steam, but no
hopes are entertained for the recovery of either
of the three named. The others are expected
to recover, but the ajority will carry marks to
remind them of their experience as long as they
live Those most seriously injured were taken
to the West Pennsylvania Hospital. while the
| others were removed to their homes.
The interior of the finishing mill presented a
terrible sight of desolation after the accident
Things were badly wrecked The boilers, six in
number, form battery, which sits in the ex-
treme southwest corner of the mill. The mud
drum runs lengthwse under all six boilers 1t
was the end of this which blew out With such
fearful force did it explode rs to scatter destruc
tiOn on all Sides All the boilers were unseated,
and two of them tilted back Oh their ends In
the rear the whole wall of masonry was moved
outward. very remarkable feature was the
jamming of the mud-drums head against one of
the engines. This engine was sitting a few
yards north of the boilers. The burst iron was
blown directly against the cylinderhead Of the
the whole head inwarls. From this steam
rushed out with loud, kissing sound. Large
stacks OF hoop-iron were blown all over the MILL
machines were upset, rolls rolled all over the
floor, and In one instance a wheelbarrow was
trundled through door The iron machines
and benches were all thrown together in mex
tricable masses of debris, under which several
of the men were buried.
Mr. Powers. the chief engineer of the MILL
says the boilers and mud-drum were inspected
by the Hartford Boiler Insurance Company two
months ago, and were then pronounced safe. He
was certain they were all right when he left last
evening, and could only account for the ex-
plosion on the ground that the iron in the mud
drum was too weak to stand the pressure to
which it was subjected
Twice before have accidents of this nature
occurred in this mill. The first occurred FIVE
years ago, and was unproductive of death. The
second occurred only eighteen months ago. and
although several men were scalded, no one was
fatally hurt. On the last occasion, two men
were arrested for tampering with the boilers but
were not convicted, because of lack of proof of
the crime.
Two of the victims, Thomas Cattoe and John
Murray. died at the West Pennsylvania Hos
pitai, this morning Three or four others are
not expected to recover. The explosion was
caused by the mud eating through the coating
of the mud-drum. Pieces of the drum picked
up were not more than a thirty second part of
an inch in thickness.
LATER-No more deaths have resulted from
WIG uouor oApioSlon ab Tue solar iron works tthlS
morning. Five of the victims, however, are
pronounced fatally injured by the attending
physicians and their deaths are hourly expected
Their names are Chas. Haywood, Jos. Getze,
Patrick Henderson, Thos Stein and VIM
Daniels The others are resting easily and will,
no doubt, recover. The coroner adjourned his
investigation until tomorrow.
Senator Hoar's Respects TO the President.
From Speech at Springfield Convention.
~ Il