Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-12
In DREADFUL PERIL
A Marrow Escape from Steam.
ing to Death.
AWFUL SITUATION o. FOUR MEN

Caught - the Embrace of Frightful
Fate, They Are Barely Delivered in
Time-One of the Unfortunates Terri
bly, and Fatally scaided-Result OF the
bursting of a Steampipe-Saved by One
Mans Goodness and Nerve.
MILWAUKEE, Wis, Dec. 12.-Enveloped in
a scalding cloud of steam four men escaped
death by only miracle yesterday at the
new station of the Chicago and Northwest
ern railway A defective steam pipe six
inches in diameter burst under enormous
PRESSURE imprisoning the victims in small
room with the temperature 50 hot that hui
man life could not be preserved for a second.
The new station is just completed, with the
electric lighting apparatus and other ma
chinery TO be yet placed. At O'Clock yes
terday afternoon four men stood in the en-
gine-room One was L. A. Carr, superin-
tendent for Leonard & lard. the Others
were his assistants, c. W. Case, Mike Win
tiers, the engineer, and Herman Boetcher,
an employe of the E. p. Allis foundry.
Boetcher Is an expert, and as the Allis COM
pany had placed the steam machinery and
engine in the building, he was there to assist
in its adjustment.
Fatal Flaw in the Pipe.
1t had been noticed that the great steam
pipe leading from the boiler was leaking.
From all outward appearances the pipe was
firm and substantial but there was a fatal
flaw in the iron Just where the threads were
cut. The men were standing near each other,
and one of them had spoken of the defective
pipe. He was pointing with his finger toward
the massive iron tube that Kissed and sput-
tered as jet of vapor forced IFS way through
the closely cut threads. Suddenly there was
a loud report, and the room was filled with
scalding steam. The pipe had burst and,
forced from the great boiler. the Kissing va
por was being poured into the narrow room.
Successful struggle for Life.
One breath of the whitening heat meant
instant death, and the men knew it. BY in
stinct they dropped PROSTATE on the stone
floor, while the room became of the same
temperature as a steam boiler. They were
in a scalding sea of heat that must soon
cook their flesh until it fell from their bones.
The vapor was so dense that it was absolute
ly impenetrable to the vision, and to find the
door seemed an impossibility, but Superin-
tendent Carr was brave man in great dan
ger. His thoughts were quick as the
lightning he manipulates. With his face on
from entering his lungs and crawled TO the
wall Immediately his hand touched the
door-post, and the next instant he sprang
into the clear air, shouting TO his compan-
ions with the first breath he drew.
Boetcher's Horrible Condition.
Unable Ia stand after the terrible expert.
ences of a single moment of time Superin-
tendent Carr fell unconscious Just outside OF
the door A volume of white vapor envel-
oped him as it burst from the little room
through the doorway. His companions had
heard his voice, and fell upon his PROSTATE
body as they staggered from the engine
room. One of the men was more unfortunate
than the others Herman Boetcher had
stood nearest TO the steampipe and was the
last to leave the room His flesh was cooked
until il fell in ribbons from his body His
fngernails dropped off before the physicians
could reach him. Boetcher is at the Elmer.
gency hospital and cannot live. Superin-
tendent Carr escaped injury, but C. W. Case
was badly scalded His hands and face pre-
sent horrible appearance, the cooked flesh
falling of while the surgeons were dressing
his wounds Engineer Winters is also badly
scalded, but will recover