Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-10-03

HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.
Boiler Explosion in a Pittsburg Mill
Scalds Seventeen WoTkmeu, Two
Fatally.
PlTrsBURG, Oct. 2

PlTrsBURG, Oct. 2.
Shortly after three o'clock this morning
the battery of the boiler at the Solar Iron
Works OF Clarke & Co., 36th street, exploded
with d disastrous effect. The night crew had
just been relie. Ell by the day force when the
explosion occurred, and that portion of the
works IN the viclniry of the boiler was filled
with cloud of steam. Through the dense
mist came the shrIeks and groans which told
the employees oat OF reach of danger that
frightful calamity had overtaken a number
OF their fellow workmen. As soon the
steam cleared away a rush was made for the
spot where the explosion occurred, when it
was ascertained that the mud drum of the
boilers had exploded and that the escaping
steam had scaldei seventeen men.
Closer Investigation showed that of this
number fourteen were badly burned and
that three were iatally injured. The news
OF the terrible disaster quickly spread, and
soon there WAS wild rush OF frightened
wives, mothers and children to the scene.
There was silence for moment and then a
woman's wall was heard, aad another and
another until nothing but discordant chorus
OF feminine shrieks and means and cries of
anguish. The cries and groans of the par
boiled men would occasionally rise above the
women's voices. 1t was an awful scene. The
injured men were found lying in all positions.
Some of them were found 50 far away from
the battery that it seemed impossible that
they could have been injured by the ex-
| plosiOn Ii was fully twenty minutes after
the explosion before boy, Frank Murray,
was taken out from truck where he had been
thrown. In addition to being scalded he was
terribly crushed by the weight of iron that
was pied on him. James Cattoe and Frank
! Martin sutf.rpI from
No hopes are entertained for the recovery OF
any one OF the three named. The others are
| expected to recover, but the majority will
carry the marks OF distgurement as long AS
| they live. / he interior of the finishing mill
| presented terrible scene of desolation after
the accident. The boilers, SIX IN number,
form a battery which is located in the ex-
trene southwest corner of the mills. The
mud drum runs lengthwise under all six
| boilers. 1t was the end of this which blew
| out wlth such force as to scatter destruction
on all sides. Ali the boilers were unseated
two of them tilted back and some of them are
on end. In the rear the whole wall of masonry
WAS moved outward The head of the mud
drum was blown directly against the head of
the cylinder head of one OF the engines
smashing it into pieces, and blowing the head
| inward. From this the steam rushed out
hoop iron were blown all over the mill.
Machines were upset, rulls burned over and
the iron machines and benches were ali
thrown together in inextricsble masses under
which several men were buried. Mr.. Powers,
| chief engineer, says the boilers and mud
drums were inspected by the Hartford Boiler
Insurance Co. two months ago, and were then
pronounced safe. He is certain they were
all right when he left last evening and can
only account for the explosion on the ground
that the iron in the mud drum was too weak
to stand the pressure to which it was sub
jected.
| LArER-Two of the victims, Cauoe and
Murray, have died. Three OF four others
are not expected to recover. The explosion
was caused by mud eating through the coat
ing of the mud drum.
LATEsr-No more deaths have resulted
from the boiler explosion this morning. Tne
| death of five victims is momentar'ly expect
ed. The rest are resting easily and will no
recover.