The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-03-26

"a Esi 8. EslslAx IIll. 3.

canal. In reality it. was q boiler ez-
tploston. The boiler Of the engine
which supplies the, shoe factory and
the hosiery mill With power burst
and partially wrecked the building
m which these enterprises were con
sducted, killing two convicts and EN-.
tailing q cessation Of anaftefuring
within. the pepitentimy walls for the
next fortnight
/ The cause of the explosion is not
known, as the essly persons who were
about the engine at the time were in
stantly killed. These men we're Henry
Knight, the engineer, and William
Gate, both colored convicts. Knight
WIS received at the penitentiary No
venber 9th, 1879, having been sen
fenced in Marion county to impris-
onment for life for burglary. .
William Gate was % years old and
was lame in his right leg. He reach
ed thepenetentiary from Georgetown
county March 18th, 1884, having
been sentenced to two years impris-
onment for grand larceny.
Knight WAS cotupetont engineer,
and had been in charge of the en-
gine for over two years. FIe was
considered "hard case" but be
haved well in prison. Gate was
very well behaved convict. On ac-
count Of his atfliction he was employ
ell on light duty about the yard.
One OF the convicts declares that
he saw Knight i'll the engine house
just before tho explosion trying to adj
just the salty valve, and that failing
i'll this he picked up his breakfast can
and started to run, the explosion oc-
curing just as he reached the door.
Another theory is that he WAS eating
his breakfast and negligcntly turned
too much cold water on the ongine
when the supply had run down. A
third theory is that he blew up the
engine on purpose, II fellow convict
declaring that he heard him say that
he had no chance of getting out any
how and intended to blow up things
This last is doubtful surmise, as he
know that Senator Mccall was inter
esting himself lii lis case and he was
looking forward to u pardon. This
mans body was blown fifty yards and
fell on log of wood near the black
smith shop, pool of Blood marking
the spot. His body was badly man
gled. Ills tin can containing his
breakfast, half eaten, lay by his side,
and chnrred sticks from the furnace
lay around him. The body of Crate
was dug out from pile Of Grebris
close to the ruins. His skull was
broken and he was otherwise disfg-
rued. Life was extinct.
The engine was new one of so
horse power, purchased from tho Wa.
tertown Engine Company about two
years ago, when the water was let
out OF the old canal opposite the pen
itentiary. The boiler was likewise
new, and was GO horse power. The
building containing them WAS q sub
stantial one story structure Of brick.
In the yard the convicts wore par
alysed with astonishment and alarm
and made no effort to escape through
the breach in the wall. An extra
force of guards was at once put on.
The engine and boiler cost $3,2GO
and can hardly be replaced for less.
1t will cost $4,000 to rebuild tho wall
and repair the factory building. And
then there is the loss of the pay of
225 hands for two weeks at so cents
a day--a further mulct of about
1,400.
The injury is serious one at this
time when the ponitentiary authori-
tics can barely make both ends meet.
1t is proposed to purchase 25 horse
power engine at once, if credit can
be obtained, and repair the building
80 that work may be resumed ut an
early day. The stoppage is blow
to the sho and hosiery factories, both
+ OF which wero busy with spring or
ders. ....