Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-09
THE BOILER EXPLODED.
A startling Occurrence at Petit 4
Dripps' Machine shop.

l DrtppS' u8cn1ue S0Op.
A PORTION or THE BUILDING DEMOLISHED AND SEW
| EksL MN ISJuRED-THE THRILLING EXPERIENCE
| oFA NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or THE FOREMAN.
This morning at exactly one minute before Z
O'Clock the employees Of Petit & Drfpps machine
SHOP corner 14th and B streets, including about
| thirty machinists, blacksmiths, apprentices and
! iaoorers. were startled by hearing a loud noise,
| ioilowed oy crash as a portion OF the building
fel In The noise was caused by the explosion OF
the boiler, which Is a 25-hOrse- power boiler OF
the Ellis patent. Several employees were slightly
injured. and one or two badly hurt, but IL is
not thought that any Will die. Mr.. VIM ii. Berry,
oookkeeper for the firm, was standing In the
front office talking with W. II. Larman,
foreman OF the building, who was looking
az the clock waiting TO blow the 7-oclock
whistle on time. The whole building was shaken,
and almost every pane OF glass was broken. The
boiler was located about nifty feet from the front
ONCE. and was near the north wall OF the build
Ing. This wall was badly shattered, and about
joining yard. while small portiOnef the opposite
wall was thrown out upon the street parking.
The falling OF portion OF the north wall caused
the second noor to give way and let down a large
quantity OF the heavy machinery.
wATCHNAS DEANS EXPERIENCE.
Jas. Dean, the Waterman, lives on the second
floor, In the rear OF the building. He had just left
the breakfast table, and was on his way down
StrS 10 stdTL up Jne steam Wnen the explosion OC-
Cured The floor gave way from beneath him,
and had he not caught hold OF a piece OF the ma
chinery he would have gone down with the floor
Ing and machinery. and would probably have been
scalded TO death by the escaping steam. In Deans
room, where he had just left his wife, the break
fast table and stove were upset and almost every
thing In the room was broken TO pieces
THE INJURED MEN.
ii. A. Glover foreman OF the boiler shop, was
near the boiler when the explosion occurred, and
was thrown a distance OF IL or Is feet, but was
not injured beyond shakingu up. Edw'd c. Blrming-
ham. a blacksmith about fifty-nve years old; A. L.
Washburne, machinist about thirty years old
and John l. Haul, a machiniSt about forty live
years Old were injured, and were taken TO the
Emergency Hospital In The patrol wagon. Harry
Ellis, son OF Policeman Ellis, was badly injured.
He was taken to his home, No. 642 street south
east. Thomas sanders, the'engineer, had just en-
tered the building when the explosion occurred
and had not gone on duty.
FOREMAN LARMAN's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Larman, the foreman OF the shop, said to a
STAR reporter that he had just left the boiler a
minute or two before the explosion occurred The
boiler, he said, was thoroughly cleaned yesterday,
and there was nothing the matter with l. so far
as he knew. When he left it TO go into the Office
10 see IL IL was time to blow the whistle, he left
two solid guages OF water and 60 pounds OF steam.
IL was exactly one minute before O'Clock when
the explosion occurred, and had 1t been minute
later ne would have been at the boiler blowing
the whistle to call the men TO work. The loss he
thought would amount TO about $1,000.
INVESTIGATING THE EXPLOSION.
Inspector Wilkinson and the members OF the
board OF steam-bOiler examiners made an exam
inatiOn OF the premises this morning. The board
viii hold session Tomorrow evening and take
the testimony OF all the persons who can throw
any light on the occurrence. The members Of the
board were averse TO passing any opinion on 1t to
day. The boiler, Mr. Wilkinson said, had been
tested up to 16O pounds The board pro-
poses to ascertain the competency OF the
man LETT In charge OF the boiler, and all
other pertinent facts In the examination
made this morning, the inspector found no sign Of
weakness In the boiler iron. The boiler, Mr.. Lar
man, the foreman, said, was thoroughly overhauled
about fifteen months ago. The .'blow-on" or 'tes-
cape was liked at 76 pounds, though the boiler
was allowed TO carry so pounds. The boiler was
nred this morning little after O'Clock by the
watchman, the rre having been allowed to go
day. Ordinarily the fires are banked at night.
Mr. Larman could not discover any reason for the
explosion
THE SCENE OF THE WRECK
Many persons visited the scene OF the explosion
during the day. The sidewalk In front OF the shop
on 14th street was covered with fine glass from
the shattered windows. section Of the wall,
about 20 feet in width, blown out OF the north
side OF the building almost cleanly as though
the work had been done by brickmasOnS Inside
the shop there was scene OF ruin around the
boiler. Floor timbers, confused masses OF ma
chinery, and portions or the boiler and engine were
heaped together In disorder and one could look up
through great opening In the ceiling above TO
the roof OF the building. The force OF the explO-
sion appears 10 have expended itself upward. Thus
the workmen gathered In the building escaped In
jury.
THE INJURED MEN.
The four men who were so seriously injured as
10 require medical attendance were standing in
front of the boiler warming their hands. One OF
Them Ellis, the apprentice. it is stated had his
hand on one OF the gauges. He was knocked sense
less and remained unconscious for some time. He
was badly scalded and had a severe cut on his
right leg. The three men taken to the Emer-
gency hospital, after having their wounds dressed
- al a hnmP- Hl llyQ
at 1902 9Th street southwest, was scaided cut on
the right arm and bruised about the face WASH
burn VINO lives at 303 l4th street, was badly
bruised about the right arm and leg and Birming-
ham, who lives at III & street southeast, was cut
on the head and bruised about the face, left leg
and ankle.