Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-12-10
BOILER EXPLOSION.

The Boiler of an Engine on the Con- |
solidated Road Blows Up at Wall |
HngfOrd-Several Injured Though |
Not Seriously.
Wallingford was the scene of tremen-
dous explosion yesterday morning at $50
O'Clock. The boiler of the locomotive
drawing the north bound way freight ex-
ploded with tremendous force almost in
front of the depot.
The great plates of iron sheathing were
rent asunder and heavy pieces were blown
for distances varying from $50 to 800 feet;
the sand box weighing over 100 pounds
was raised into the air many feet, and fell
upon the roof of Patrick McNulty's house,
which stands about fifty feet from the
track, crushing through into the garrett;
one of the big driving wheels was blown
completely off, and the strong iron pipes
inside the boiler were bent and twisted.
One side of the cab was utterly wrecked,
and Engineer John J. Kennedy of "a
Rosette street, this city, who was standing
on that side, was thrown out on to the
ground. Fireman William Carroll of IA
Alton street, Fair Haven, who was ON the
other side, was thrown violently against
out. A brakeman who was upon the ten
der was thrown by the force of the con-
cussion Ion to the ground several feet
away, but was not injured.
The explosion was a very loud one and
was heal d. for many miles, as far north as
Meriden and south as North Haven. Ow
| ing to the frozen condition of the ground
| and the clearness of the air the conclusion
was unusually severe.
Il, oil - o,,I
a great deal Of damage was done in that
way. a large plate glass window in ). W;
| Lanes place on Hall avenue was smashed
and several large panes in J. D. Lynch's
store met the same fate. Many windows
| in private dwellings on Colony street,
about 500 feet east of the track were
| broken.
Two large pieces of sheeting were blown
| from the locomotive over large two-story
building on Hall avenue, just north OF the
Wallingford depot into the railway. Anoth-
or piece weighing fully $50 pounds was
thrown 200 feet north of the engine. A
long length of board fence alongside the
track was blown down.
| The injured men, both Of whom were
badly injured about the head were brought
| to this city on the 1858 train.
Carroll was taken off at the Cedar hill
station and was taken at once in a carriage
to his home. Engineer Kennedy left the
train at the union depot and was taken in
| close carriage to his home on Rosette
street.
Superintendent G. S. Dawson was tele-
graphed for and arrived from Hartford on
the first train. He superintendent the work
of clearing away the wreck and returned
to Hartford by the 1913 train from Wal
lingford. The wrecking train and gang in
charge of J .Henney went up from this city
| about o'clock and the work of removing
the wreck was begun. Only two trains
were delayed at all on account Of the wrecl
| and these were held back only about iftee1
minutes each. The damage done to the 10
connective by the explosion is in the neigh
| locomotives and has been in use for man,
years.
DR.. F. III. Whittemore attended both o
the injured men at their home in thi
| city. Of the two-Firemen Carroll-wa
very much more severely injured. On hi
face was a very severe cut which ha,
| goughed out big piece of flesh, and on hi
head was very severe wound. Their
7 was also very severe wound on the RICH
, | side of the chest, which barely escape
Q | being very dangerous one. The poin
, | of some sharp object, probably piece @
t steel, had penetrated through his heav
| overcoat and other clothing into his chest
t | His head was also badly scaleded on til
right side of the face and his back wa
seriously wrenched.
Kennedy's face was very badly cut an
+ his left eye was badly injured, but d.
t Whittemore believes he can save it.
The cause of the explosion is myster
> which has not as yet been satisfactorily e,
y planned. It was at first thought that
was due to lack of water-in the boiler br
Station Agent Edmunds at Wallingford r.
flutes this theory. Probably the most plaus
"a BILE theory is that on account of the engine
, age it was not able to stand the strai
Of drawing the long, heavy freight.
q Vioe-President Reed believes that IL
is | cause of the explosion was low water
the boiler, although he could not say pos
:; | lively. The matter would be fully invest
:. gated. These explosions were becomin
= less frequent and in fact did not occI
:. often nowadays. Injectors were used c
! | nearly all the engines the road for fiji
ing the boilers This invention w,
= brought out many years ago by Frencl
man, but of late years the invention hs
been improved upon to great extent.
was very perfect attachment ar
worked perfectly. Before the use
y injectors, pumps were used in flliI
y, the boilers. There were perhaps eigl
II of these old engines on the road tn,
y equipped.
II DIR. Whittemore said last night that Il
n condition of both patients was favorab
~ as could be expected and that he h,
w no anticipation of serious results in eth
"A case.