New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-03
SCALDED TO DEATH.
AWFUL HAVOC IN A ROLLING MILL
MUD DRUM BURSTS, KILLING TWO PERSONS Ana
woUNDISG MANY.

woUNDISG MANY
PITTsBURG, Oct. (SpecidD.-A mud drum.
or thin iron reservoir cylindrical in shape and paccd
under boilers to catch the mud settings from tho
water used in making steam exploded this afternoon in
the Solar Iron Works, CT william Clark Co.. IN Thirty,
thst causing the almost instant death of two boys
and scalding or otherwise injurlng some twenty work.
men. The explosion occurred in what is known as the
finishing department Of the hoop mills in which there
were about $50 men and boys employed. Soon after
o'clock the night workers in act OF going on
duty the last hoop had beon through the rolls the
rollers had dropped their tongs and the smaller boys
were donnng their coats when without warning, the
end OF the drum blew out. Thousands OF bricks were
thrown to the extreme end Of the works, is
many passing through the walls OF tho building
and landing in tho waters Of the Allegheny othek
the bricks and other missiles struck posts por.
ons Of machinery with such force to break In many
pieces and spread like bird shot the panic stricken
wOrkmeD. For time the building was flied with
clouds OF steam. Every light extinguishei Many
who escaped being hit by flying missiles caught by
the scalding water Others suffered from nhains the
hot steam they groped their way out.
Tie noice OF the explosion not heard than q
square away yet rapidly did tie spread that
friends and relatives Of tho workmen and hundreds Of
idle persons congregated at the mill For more than
hour the scene was ptful to witness.
There the fronzed wife. terror-strcken parents
aud brothers and sisters peerng into the faces OF the
word spoken Naught but the agonizng screams OF
the wives and mothers disturbed stiffness the ia-
jured were carried ont Sorrow depicted tho
ceuntenanccs OF the hundreds who pressed around each
entrance 10 the works. which guarded by police
men employers, and only occasionally, as the door
was thrown open, could the populace get glimpse OK
the scene OF destruction.
Inside dozens Of men were busy cleaning
up the wreck and obllteratng quickly possible
all traces the catastrophe In the southwest
OF the mill stood tho battery OF four boilers The mud
drum stood with end toward the river and pointing
the direction of the ponderous engiGc and the train Of
finishing rolls which about twenty feet distant
The bursting out OF this end pointing rs it It'd directly
toward workmen may be kcned to the discharge Ol
a monstr0s motar loaded with brick. The steam &C.
companyng the discharge dea ath-doalng than
powder would nave been
Ate o'clock two deaths had occurred-Thomas Cato,
age fifteen. and John Murray age sixteen Cato in
the putting his coat and had succeeded in plac
ing one in tho sleeve when tho explosion occurred.
IN addition being seaded from head TO foot his head
was split from forehead 10 crown, evidently by brick
He fingered in agony until death relieved his suf
erngs The boy Murray was scalded and bruised, and
died at the West Pennsylvania Hospital Andre Stein,
son Jacob Ssen also employed at the hoop rolls,
and at the time OF the explosion was not more than
twenty feet from the boilers and almost in a direct
line OF the discharge from the mud drum He received
Ioa1 70 foot ard he will probably die After cropping
his way out OF the mill in the hot binding steam hs
walked to his home. lie never thought OF Dcing ia
d by the steam and only realized his dangerous cont
lion when workman IN another mill followed him saying
Andy you're hurt Let me carry you" The boy re-
piled that only frightened and wished TO get In
bed ant sleep. The man picked him up IN his afmi;
when for tho first tmc he felt bs injuries and cried
aloUd with pain, His skin all over his body cooked
by ;he scailng steam, aud almost ready IN places
to slough or But lie begged To be allowed 10 walk as he
suffered less pain than when being carried When within
sight OF his home. and he his father husrcly aP
proaching him he fell the pavement exhausted, AMI
was carried tendcrly the bed he rst thought of rcs
Ing n After time he returned 10 consciousness, b'd
this evening his herOisn began to I hin. and all hope
was abandoned.
The cause OF the explosion is believed %
have been the mul eating away the coating Of tue drum
Pieces of the latter picked up were not moro than
thirty.sccond part OF an iEch thick while the thickness
OF the iron when more than n quarter OF an
inch 4 thorough Investigation will take immedi
ateiy The proretOrs Of the mill are unwlingto 10 talk
ubJ the matter but sag that they assign no
for the accident give any estimate To the damage
thry have suffered About month ago. n tsun0ersOOd.
tbe cont OF the Hartford steam Boiler Insurance Com
nauy inspected tie boilers and they reported IN
arod condition The accidents the sole topic Of convcr
satiou Lawreuccyc and there Is considerable ex-
citcment among the wOrkiugWen. IL has settled u
gloom over all part OF the city Tho scenes at the
homes Uf those who were killed or injured are heart
rcnding.