Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-11-17

furnace where the miller and fire.
man were standing talking. Just
then / heard the report and in all in
slant the whole engine room wai
blown into the air. The tin was tori
off in great sheets and as the debris
came down two or three rafters lodg.
ed on the side of the mill just over
my head and held up the heavy tin
although the fragments fell all around
me and buried my hat and bucket.
was struck Oh the head and slightly
hurt BY a brick or something.
jumped out and gave the names Of
those under the wreck and the crowd
began to get out the bodies" -,
REscUING THE BoLIEs. u
The first brought out was Nelson
Metcalfe, the colored fireman. The
whole top of his head, from his eye
brows up, was blown off and his legs
and arms broken. lie was covered
with scalding steam and was SO hot
that he could scarcely be handled
with bare hands.
The next body recovered was that
of J. z. Brining, the miller. lie was
alive but unconscious. lie was TAX
ell TO the Office and DIR. j. M. Dennis
and DIR. Geo. N. Campbell cut of his
clothing and bathed his blackened,
mutilated face, but the poor fellow
lived but forty minutes. His left
leg was broken in two places, a great
hole was crushed in across his brow,
another on top of his head and both
eyes were out. He was covered with
scalding water and his hands and
arms were literally cooked and the
flesh peeled off almost his entire body
when his clothing was removed. The
SCOT and dirt was blown into his
flesh and could not be washed out.
He was man of powerful physique
and wonderful vitality or he could
not have lived for an instant in the
condition in which he was found,
George Werling was the last taken
out. He was mangled even worse
than the Others. Both arms and legs
were broken and his body was cut
nearly in two at the middle. Both
eyes were out and his flesh was scald-
cd and blackened almost beyond rec
ognition. i"a
THE VICTIMS. as.ti
j.. p. BRINING, the miller, came to
this city last May from Ypsilanti,
Mich, and was employed by Mr..
Brownell to operate his mill. He
was about 40 years of age and was a
genial, companionable gentleman.
He was widower and had no fami-
ly excepting a daughter about l6
years old, living in Ypsilanti. Mr..
Brownell had the corpse tenderly
cared for and shipped in handsome
metallic casket TO the Knight Tenn
plars of Detroit, of which order the
dead man was a member. The re-
mains were started to Detroit at A AS
Friday evening. Only few minutes
before the explosion the deceased
stopped to inquire about the death of
young acquaintance, little dream
ing how soon his mangled corpse
would be sent to his far away north
ern home. He died among strangers,
but sympathizing friends stood by
as be breathed his last and his re-
mains were looked after as tenderly
as though lie had been brother.
Every effort was made to communi-
cate with his daughter, but up to the
time the casket left the melancholy
news had not been broken to her, as
her address was not known.
GEORGE WERLING, was a pupil
In the Public Schools of this city and
was IA years of age. He was bright
lad and the horrible fate that befell
him was a severe shock to his parents
His funeral was preached at the
Catholic church by Father Feehan,
at 10 80 o'clock Sunday morning and
the remains inferred in the City Gem
etery. adilit A'i' =" ~
NELSON METCALFE, the fire
man, was an industrious colored maj
about 80 years of age. He leaves {
wife and three children who depend
ed upon his labor for their support
ff- THE WRECK AND LOSS. 2h
The building is total wreck, moth
ing remaining but the smoke-stack
The outside boiler was throw
through the roof, reversed and land
ed outside the west end of the build
ing and broken in two in the middle
The inside boiler was turned owe
and left near its place. The drum OIL
top, connecting the two, was throw
up against the corner Of the three
story building, over a freight car, AM
landed between the tracks of th
railroad. Some workmen shinglinI
house near by say that il went u
as high as the smoke-stack. All tn
windows ON the south side Of the mi
are knocked out and a frame build
, ing across the street was also dan
aged to some extent. Mr.. Browne
estimates his loss at from $1,000 I
$4,000, which is insured for s., 800 ]
the Millers' Mutuals. olaafl
i Iasst 81 THE. CAUSE. l'8c
The cause of the explosion is
mystery. An inquest held over Br