The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-02-18
A FATAL EXPLOSION.
4 Boiler Explosion in Mcdaniel &
Wright's Mil at Franklin
Wrecks the Structure and Kills James
High, the Engineer-The Entire
City Shaken Up.

The city of Franklin, johnson County,
situated on the J., NJ. and l. Railroad,
twenty miles south of this city, was the
scene of a disastrous explosion Yesterday,
Mcdaniel & Wright's large Touring mill be-
ing wrecked and the engineer, James High,
instantly killed. The explosion occurred at
quarter before Z clock, but as no one ex-
cept the engineer was in the engine room at
the time it is impossible to state exactly the
circumstances under which it &C.
cured: 1t is supposed, however,
that the water in the boiler was very low at
the time, and that fresh supply was being
pumped in by the engineer when the ex-
/ plosion occurred. In the mill at the time
were Frank McClain and Mr.. Snith the
| head miller, and one or two other employees
| Mr.. McClain was thrown through a window
| by the force of the explosion and received
some minor injuries. The other occupants
| of the mill were thrown violently from their
| feet by the shock. but none were seriously
| bruised James High, the engineer, had the
| back OF his head crashed in and q silver
| from the boiler passed entirely through his
| body, either wound being sufficient TO pro-
duce instant death. When found he was
lying but few feet from the
L
debris from the luin which the
| ex plosion had wrought. Mr.. High
| was thirty eight years of age and leaves a
wife and four children in reduced circum.
stances, be being dependent upon his daily
| labor for support
A visit to the scene Of the explosion pre-
sented picture not soon to be forgotten.
The mill was large frame structure, stu
ated on The southwest corner OF Je fferson
and jackson streets, and within the last
few years had been enlarged by the addition
OF an elevator, and increased in value by
putting in new machinery throughout. As
il stood Wednesday evening the PROPERTY
could hardly be purchased for $50 600; as
| seen Yesterday with its machinery wrecked
and large portion of the building demol.
| ished. it is fair estimate 10 place the loss at
| $4,000 The engine-room, built of brick,
and situated on the west side Of the msi0
building. was Q total wreck, and
building itself was shattered aud par.
TALLY demolished Along Jefferson street,
from Clark's block to the Msrtinsville rail.
road, the debris was lying thick, hardly
yard OF the space but was covered with
brick and pieces OF mortar. The head OF
| the boiler, weighing 500 or 600 pounds
was thrown entirely over the elevator and
fell in the street some hundred yards east,
near the Court-house fence. The plate
glass windows in Clark's block aud the
window in the Sherif''s Office, in the west
side OF the Court house, were broken into
| smithereens. A window IN the Knights of
Pythias Hall shared the same fate Portions
of the brick work were thrown over the
buildings and struck the ground on the west
| side of the Martinsville railroad, distance
of 400 yards The residences in the imme.
date vicinity of the mill gave the appear
| aDce of having been battered with cannon
balls. the Misunderstanding being broken
and denied by the bricks hurled against
| them.
In conversation with Coroner Thompson,
he said: ~ had just entered my office, aud
was preparing to make a fire, when the ex-
plosion occurred. My first impression Was
| that there had been an earthquake, the
brick building in which my Office is located
trembling and apparently rocking under the
| force OF the conclusion. Many other of our
citizens had the same experience, and there
was not house in town but felt the shock.
OF course our citizens especially the ladies'
were very much frightened by the occur
renee, and the looks OF many indicated some
| thing of that terror which | have imagined
the people in countries subject to earth
! quakes feel under the influence of q shock
| When the real cause of the shock was
learned the people gathered in large num-
bers about the wrecked building, and much
sympathy has been expressed, not only on
account OF the disaster to the mill,
| but likewise on account of Its
fatal consequences to the engineer. 1t would
be impossible for me to depict the terrible
anguish of The widow aud ner orphan chill
| dren. as they stood around the bleeding and
mutilated remains of the husband aud
father, who had this morning left his home,
in the full strength of manhood and health,
for his days work"
In further alton with the Coroner
| he said that he would make as thorough an
| examination as possible into the clrcum-
stances OF the accident, and would secure the
services, as experts, of Mr.. Stevens, foreman
of the Sinker & Davis foundry, aud Mr.
Hadley, of the firm of HadleY Il Wright, OF
| this city. With the assistance OF these gen.
| tlemen he proposes to inspect the remaining
pieces Of the boiler before making up his YER
/ dict.
At the time of the accident Mr.. Mcdaniel,
| the senior partner, was on his way to the
New Orleans Exposition, having left home on
| Wednesday for that point.
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