Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-21

dent and carried to a wagon, in which he
WAS conveyed to the hospital. de was out
| OF his mind and it took several men to
hold him in the wagon. Although he sui
fered a severe shock, he escaped, it was re-
| ported, with only some slight scratches
on the face. He alone can tell
how the accident occurred, and as his tes-
| timony could not be obtained last night,
no light could be thrown upon it beyond
conjecture.
HOLDING THE INQUEST.
The Coroner and his jury then left the
works and proceeded TO Mrs. Adams
boarding house in Meadverville, where the
body OF VIM. O'Connor had been taken.
1t was viewed and showed numerous dis,
figurements, the skin torn of in large
patches, exposing the ~viscera, and q por-
ton OF the skull torn off. He and Eustis,
one OF the wounded men, had been fixing q
bracket in the concentrating loom next the
boiler room at the fatal moment.
The testimony OF Foreman Pickering had
been given at the scene OF the wreck. The
other witnesses examined at Mrs. Adams
boarding house were August Heimbach, the
chief engineer OF the Concentration; William
Kidney and John Corners, two employees.
Mr.. Heimbach's testimony was as to the
condition vi the boiler at the time OF the
explosion. He said it was one that had
been in use to ran thepump at the fiat. 1t
had been lately removed and put in place
where the explosion occurred. Yesterday
they fired up under it for the first
time since it had been moved. He
understood there was only '55 pounds
steam in it at the time it exploded. They
were running a pressure OF about 80 pounds
in the other boilers. There was a similar
steam gauge on ali the boilers, which were
in perfect order. He couldn't account for
the accident unless the connection with the
main pipe should lave been turned on be-
fore the pressure in the exploded boiler
reached the pressure in the others. 1t a
unsafe to connect boilers before the pressure
in them all was equal. In tho present case
if the connection should have been made
prematurely the steam rushing into the
ooiler nearly full OF water at the time
would have forced the water against either
end and caused it to burst. There has
never been any doubt as to the capacity OF
the boiler to stand a much greater pressure
than 50 pounds and it had stood much
pressure before.
William Kidney was standing about
thirty feet from the boilers almost in a d.
rect line with the one that exploded. The
portion that was blown south vent a little
east OF where he was taking q machine
apart, within about four feet OF him.
John Conners testified he was a carpenter
and was working outside at the time.
He had noticed the engineer and another
a. working on the boiler just before wit
ness left the boiler room. The engineer
seemed to be mailing a strip on top OF the
brick work
TIL evidence in fact showed nothing. 1t
only brought out Chief Engineer Helm
bach's suggestion OF how it might have oc-
cured. George Hickman, the man who was
at the valve when the accident occurred,
was at the hospital Uf the company in no
condition to give any testimany then. It
was possible he might return to his senses
to-day, and in the faint hope that he may
then be able to explain the matter, the in
quest was adjourned until 2 o'clock this
afternoon. Ii the physician attending him
he can give evidence it will be taken.
he remain deliriuus with no hope of
his recovery, the matter will remain a
mystery.
The result of the accident is: Warren T.
engineer; William O'Connor,
carpenter; Jacob Kraemer, pipeftter, and
Henry Winters, wood man, killed; Richard
Wing, machinist; George Hickman, pipe
filter, and John Eustis, carpenter, |
wounded. The wounded are in IL pre-
carious condition.
Edmunds was a member Of Butte Lodge
No. 20, A. f. and A. NJ, and will be buried
by that lodge. He leaves a wife and three
His body was brought to the
last night to be prepared for burial.