Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-24
THE MEADERVILLE DISASTER.

TEE
Conclusion of the Inquest on the Victims
of the Boiler Explosion-Another Dies
Tuesday Making Five Deaths From
Heterogeneous for the Funeral.
Tuesday afternoon, the Coroner's jury
on the victims OF the disaster at the Old
Colusa Concentration at Meaderyille re.
sumed the inquest adjourned from Monday
evening. The adjournment had been made
in the hope hat George Hickman, the pipe
filter who was assisting Engineer Edmonds
at the time OF the explosion, might recover
sufficiently from the condition OF delirium
in which he was Monday evening to throw
some light on the cause OF the accident.
All hope of Information from this source
was forever cut off by his death at half
past Syesterday morning. This makes the
fifth death by the accident. The other two
wounded men are only slightly hurt and
will 500 be about again.
When the jury convened a. 2 O'Clock at
DR.. Amsden's office, it was decided to pay
another visit to the scene of the disasterto
find in what condition the valve on the
UOlbCE tutbO DuI5U "db ~ IL o'Lho u
~plosion. 1t was also expected that some
light would be thrown on the subject by al
inspection OF the remains OF the boiler In
the daylight.
Accompanied by Coroner Amsden they
repaired to Meaderville, and proceeded az
once to the Boston and Montana works. A
large crowd of people went down at the
same time to view the wreck, and all day
the Meaderville motor line took full loads
down from town OF those actuated by cur
iosity to witness the scene OF this awful
calamity.
The scene by daylight showed the extent
of the disaster. OF the boilers, the two
that originally belonged te the eeneentra-
tor were unmoved and uDipjured by the
explosion. They stood at right angles with
the one that exploded. 1t aud another along
side of it had been set north and south
and the exploded one had been next to the
two still 10 place. The fourth boiler was
blown a few feet west of its former position
and was apparently in sound condition.,
sustaining only some minor injuries.
Workingmen had already cleared away
much OF the debris, but a great deal still
remained to be move south OF the
boilers and covering the machinery and
floor of the portion of the building in the
neighborhood of the explosion. The roof
and sides here are entirely gone leaving the
wrecked interior open to the light OF the
day. The belts hang loose aud
motionless and the machinery wore
a Rip Van Wrinkle covering OF dust that
might have been mistaken for the accumu-
lations of ages. Large beams vert smashed
and twisted out of place. But it was not
to remain 80 long. Already the work OF
clearing away the rubbish was being ener-
getically pusheI and in two weeks more
H.. ,.,,, IS ejaculation, .t;ll Ln h,+
q memory.
The first thing the members of the jury
did was to examine the remains Of the
bursted boiler. The part where it was torn
in two was narrowly examined. 1t was
found that the plate underneath the boiler
was comparatively new, and conse-
quently thicker than that on top.
The opinion of several experts who
were present at the time. differed
as to the condition OF the plates but all
were agreed it ought to be able to stand
the pressure OF rs pounds. After further
examination of the premises when nothing
new was elected, the jury with DR.. Amsden
adjourned to the office of the company
where Chief Engineer Heimbach and Fore
man Pickering were again examined.
The valve had been discovered by Fore
man Pickering and was inspected. 1t was
| lOuuu " UG Opcu SullCiCEGly 10 udNe dl-
mitted the passage of steam from the main
pipe into the boiler. Mr.. H~eimbach's
theory was that the pressure OF steam
from the main pipe at rs or 80 pounds
pressure into the boiler where there was
only So pounds OF steam in it would de-
| press the water in the boiler and
drive it to each end, and that the momen.
tum Of the water thus driven to each end
was a force sufficient to cause the boiler to
burst. He illustrated his position with
| other instances hat had come under his
observation in the course of his experience.
He said the boiler had been made practi,
callv q new one about year ago by renew.
ing the plates underneath it as well as the
steam pipes, and that it had then been
tested.
Foreman Pickering testified that the
boiler was about eight years old and that
he bad run it himself in the fiat when he
had carried as high us 115 pounds of steam
in it. 1t had always been run at a pressure
| OF from 80 to so pounds OF steam. 1t had
only been out OF use during the three weeks
occupied in removing it from the pump in
the flat to its late position. He was of the
opinion that the valve was sufficiently
open to have admitted enough steam of a
greater pressure than that in the boiler to
have caused the explosion.
Nothing further OF importance a elici-
ted and the jury and Coroner returned to
town. The jury vent to Undertaken
Kirby's establishment, where the body OF
George Hickman, who had died that morn
ing, had been carried, viewed his remains
and returned to the office of Dr.. Amsden,
where they went into consultation.
The result OF their deliberations was to
return a verdict that the five men who died
in consequence Of the explosion came to
their death "by the explosion of a boiler at
the Old COlusa Concentration caused by the
sudden Introduction OF steam at so pounds
pressure into the boiler when it was regis
tering 55 pounds pressure"
Superintendent Couch telephoned last
evening to Undertaken Kirby to have linn
take charge of the funeral of four OF the
men thus killed, who will be buried to-day.
ibis was to preventconfusion, and SO that
the friends OF each would have no doubt
about their place in the sad procession. In
consequence Mr.. Kirby prepared the fol-
lowing order in which the funeral will
march:
The Boston and Montana Band in the
lead.
First the hearse containing the remains
Of Warren D. Edmonds followed by the
Masonic society; mourners and pall.bear-
erS carriages.
Second, hearse containing the body of
Jacob Kramer; mourners aud one carriage.
Third, hearse containing the lody of
Henry Winters; mourners and one car
riage.
Fourth, hearse containing the body of
George Hickman; mourners and one car
riage.
The friends of the deceased will form in
procession Immediately following the re-
mains of their respective friends.
The funeral will form on West Park
street at 2 o'clock to-day.
At Mount Moriah Cemetery the hearse
containing the body OF Jacob Kraemer will
proceed to the Catholic Cemetery.
Friends will please take notice.
JOHN KIRBY, Undertaken.
The body of William O'Connor will be
nla..- 4 q L L. IL