The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-12-17


Preston, the two men killed by the boiler
explosion at the Colorado iron foundry,
Friday afternoon, took place yesterday
at half-past three o'clock p. M. from the
residence of Mr.. Jones, adjoining the
scene of
THE TERRIBLE DISASTER.
Perhaps for the first time in the history
of Austin, we're two hearses seen in the
same funeral procession. The front one
contained the remains of Mr.. Jones, who,
being member of John B. Hood Camp.
Confederate veterans, was buried by that
body, the following old soldiers being
THE PAIL BEARERS:
W. M. Brown, Joe II. Stewart John M.
Brown, L. Shackleford, G. W. Byles and
Chas. 81. Powell.
Mr.. Jones was also member of the
Texas British society, and from that body
his widow will receive one dollar burial
fund from each member.
Having gone down together in the sud
den calamity which called them hence, it
was fitting thought that they should lie
side by side in the
SILENT CITY OF THE DEAD.
1t is learned that Judge Purnell, Henry
Purnell and number of others interested
| themselves yesterday in behalf of Mrs.
Preston, and raised about $54 so far. The
subscription list is still open, and The
STATESMAN will gladly receive any contri-
buttons for the distressed widow, who is
in very INDECENT circumstances.
Following is the testimony taken before
the
CoRONER's JURY OF INQUEST
who received the bodies Friday eve
ming, and yesterday continued their inves-
tigation.
Bill Wright being duly sworn on oath,
says: I was present when the explosion
took place; I was within s or 10 feet
of the boiler when it occurred; I was in
the engine room a few minutes before the
explosion; there was about 80 or IS pounds
Of steam on then; this was, I judge, not
over three minutes of the time of the ex-
plosion; heard Mr. say something
to Preston, who was with him; what it was
I did not distinctly hear; then the explo-
sion took place; think Preston was in
stantly killed; as Mr.. Jones was under the
roof which had fallen on him, and I, with
others, lifted the roof up; he was then
breathing very hard and moaning, and in
| ten minutes Doctor Burts came in time to
see him die; there were two ways that the
explosion could have occurred either if
the safety valve,was stuck and the steam
gauge was untrue or weak; there might
have been two or three times as much
steam as the gauge recorded, or if the
water was low and the top fues were red
hot, the water coming in contact with hot
iron would produce hydrogen gas, which is
very explosive. This is my opinion, alb
stractly speaking; there was this indicated,
either, viz: What was the condition of the
engine? thought it was all right at the
time the explosion occurred; my opinion is
that Mr.. Jones was killed by the explo-
sion. w. f. WRIGHT.
K.J, Gustafson being sworn. states as
follows: was in the machine shop when
the explosion occurred; [ was employed
there as a workman; Mr.. Jones came into
the machine shop and asked Mr.. Preston
what was the matter with the pump; they
went twice to look at the pump; there
seemed to be something the matter with
the pump; the last time that Mr.. Jones
came to Mr.. Preston and said that he did
not think that it was working; in about
one minute the explosion occurred; some
times the pump works good and some
times not at all; was machinist at the
foundry; / came Immediately to the bodies
and helped to get them out; Mr.. Preston
was killed instantly, and Mr.. Jones lived
about fifteen minutes. K. j. GUsTAFsoN.
James McCarty being duly sworn on
his oath says: I was employed in the
foundry as a moulder; was in the stone
house at the time of the explosion; I had
been near the engine one hour aud half
before; noticed that the water was run
ming out of the guages; there was but
little water in the boiler at the time; that
was before there was any steam at all;
there was no fire then at all; then went
out and went to work in the moulding
room, and was there when the explosion
took place. JAMES MoCARTY.
James Duff being duly sworn says thus:
1 was employed in the foundry as
moulder; I was within about four feet
of the cubelo, and this was twenty feet
from the boiler; Mr.. Jones came to the
cubelo to open it; II will go in" he said,
''and see what is the matter with the en-
gine;" and then he went to the engine
room, and, as near as I could Judge the
time, the explosion occurred I then went
out to the engine room, and heard Mr..
Jones murmur, and helped to get him out.
JAMES DUFF.
Charles Nuttall being duly sworn on his
oath says l was employed in the ma
chine shop as machinist; few minutes
before the explosion I heard Mr.. Jones
say to Preston there was something the
matter with the pump; Preston then went
in to see what was the matter; this was
two or three minutes before the explosion;
when it occurred went and helped to get
Mr.. Jones out; Mr.. Preston was dead and
Mr.. Jones lived about fifteen minutes.
CHARLES NUTTALL.
S. Allison being duly sworn on his oath
says: I was going to the foundry when
the explosion took place, and when within
seventy-fve feet of the foundry 1 heard
and saw the explosion, and helped to get
the bodies out; I had known before that
the boiler was not safe; had known the
boiler between twelve and thirteen years;
when the boiler was hauled up from Lock
hart it was thought not to be worth put
ting up; but Mr.. Jones bought and did
fix it up; tested the boiler, and by my
own Judgment it was not safe; 1 am an
engineer, and thought it not safe with
over fifty pounds of steam, but the acct
dent occurred on account of the pump
giving out. S. ALLISON.
Il