The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-22
DEADLY BOILER EXPLOSION.
Another Accident Added to the List of
Mishaps at Terre Haute's Distillery.
A Boiler Explodes, Instantly Killing Two
Men, Fatally Injuring Two More and
Scalding Number of Others.
specia, to the Indianapolis Journal.

Specia, to the indianapolis Journal.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. Jan. 21.-The Terre
Haute distillery was to-day the scene of terri
bic disaster. Between $50 and 10 o'clock this
morning the second boiler in battery of five ex
ploded. causing the death of two men and injur
ing number of others, some fatally. The ex
plosion was heard throughout the city, shaking
buildings and rafting windows. A fire alarm
was turned in. When the firemen arrived at
the scene dense columns of smoke were coming
from the ruins, and it was almost impossible for
the men to see to work. Several thousand peo-
pie were on the ground, among them those who
had relatives working about the distillery-
wives searching for husbands, children for faith.
ers. and brothers for brothers. Men were
brought from the ruins charred and burned,
more dead than alive. The fremen turned sew
eral streams on the burning debris, and the wa
ter coming in contact with the hot bricks and
burning timbers sent clouds Of steam into the
air, which, combined with the smoke made it
almost impossible for the searchers to work.
The large smokestack on the north fell. the
brick work scattering about, and the iron por-
ton falling against the main building of the dis
tillery. knocking a portion Of the wall in and
smashing a portion Of the roof. Four of the
boilers were torn from their beds and thrown
about the ground. The boiler that exploded was
thrown down a steep embankment toward the
river, portion of it being hurled 800 yards.
In about half an hour it was found that all
the men who were employed in that part Of the
works had been got out, with the exception
of two-Geo. Otterman and Frank McNelis.
Their remains were found after an hours search
in the ruins. They both met instant death:
The casualty list is as follows:
GEO. OTTERMAN ash wheeler, killed.
FRANK MCNELIS, water gauger, killed.
FRANK BUCKINGHAM, foreman of battery No.
l, badly scalded. but thought to be not fatally.
PERRY ETHINGToN, pipe filter, slightly scalded
and bruised.
MIKE RYAN. coal shoveler. badly bruised;
blown quite a distance
FRANK BRYANT, foreman of No. battery,
slightly bruised.
DoLpH TApPESBEcK, yeast-maker foot badly
scalded
JAY CUMMINGS government storekeeper. in
lured on leg and head
ORLANDO WELKER, foreman Of battery No. l,
badly scalded; will probably die
FAT MoNELIs, engineer: slightly injured.
ROBERT SLAvEN, scalded severely.
JOHN CAMPBELL, Slgntiy bruised.
No cause is known for the explosion. The
engineer says there was plenty Of water in the
boiler. The battery to which the exploded
boiler belonged was new. and had been used only
about seven months. The distillery is owned by
stock company. of which Crawford Fairbanks
is president, and has q capacity of 1000 bushels
per day. A force OF $50 men was Immediately
put to work cleaning away the debris and it is
expected to be in running order in few days
The damage to the building is estimated at
$685. 900. There was an explosion insurance on
the boilers for So, 900, and they were inspected
only week ago.
Frank McNeliss duty was to see that the
boilers had plenty of water. At the time of the
explosion he was trying the water-gaug He
was the father of Pat McNelis, the engineer.
Otterman, Welker and Buckingham were all
near the boiler when 1t exploded. Slaven and
Ellington, it Is thought, are fatally injured.
Slaven was knocked over and one of the boilers
fell above him, the debris saving him from being
crushed. The boiler was so near him as to
cook the flesh on his back He remained in that
position fifteen minutes before being rescued.
He is also badly injured about the hips Ething-
ton is scalded until the flesh is cooked.
On New Years day. 1879 whole battery of
three boilers exploded. killing two men; on Oct
20. $780, there was another explosion. killing six
men; two years ago the dstillery buildings
burned. causing loss of 100000. The present
buildings were built last year.
LArER. - Frank Buckingham and Charles
Welker died tonight, making four deaths in all
from the explosion this morning.