The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-10
WENT OFF LIKE A MORTAR.
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION OFF A LOCOMO-
TIVE AT OYSTER BlT.

II Reared Itseir ON One End and Fired Tons
of Iron, burning Goals. and ~ Clo0d OF
steam Over the Trnin--Thrse Men Kiiied.
Three men were hurled TO death by the ex-
posion of locomotive lI3 on the Long Island
Railroad at tho Oyster Bny depot yesterday
mornins. Tons OF iron wee shot skyward.
and the shock shook the ground for miles.
Tn. engine was attached TO train q. which IL
schedul, d t, leave Oyster Bay ut 7:0S o'clock.
1t was In charge OF Conductor Alfred Jones.
On the locomotive were Engne Jan es Don
adson AMI 1'iieman Townsen Dickinson.
The train had Just been made ap al d had
pulled up to the depot. The locomotive stood
about thirty feet beyond the depot. A score
or more Of persons b. urded he train. Con-
ductor Jones stood on platform near he for
ward part Of tho tran with his watch in his
hand W.; IT, To- CIV 9 tho siIunl to start. Brake
MAJ NJ chuel Manoney who hal borrowed
too Oh the LOGON two sTung himself The
isnfsr to r sna It, pSsr Mas was
parnG his hres iol tn. run. Steam was roar
Ing ou: he safety valve. and EN- and engine
Without wa nlng Of any mi the o rlosIon
came. TIE rear Of the locomotive ssemel 70
pieces OF iron Al 4 ihrec human bodies we're
shot high In !he air en- elored in cloud OF fire
and steam. The EXPLOSION lei. .hs IoS!9,motiye e
had sunk into TIE ground. The driving wheels
on both sides were shattered and one OF tho
other was tn sted up like n co. OF rome. The
IRE b x and Gao were gone. Inc end q the
al sine me
Insssncer- on the train and reople abnat the
der.t were o;mnmbeh by the shock The , Tor
turned locomotive told the story: Near by lay
SON rsSoyered. brakeman Manonsy was
found dead in the, rear Of the traits. He was
Cars ' Sired " ohnS os
from his ,ody. which vas r!ddled rs II by n
DISCHARGE from Calling gun. Enrineer Don.
about 100 lee, ION the north -ide Of the loco.
motive. li,s. an icktl s"n was found ashort
Tho IRE box, which, weighs several tons. Was
found with the cab 100 feet away from tho
son,h dc Of the wres Cd oeo~o iye It . was
They jnciud.J number Of til" tubes out Of
The boi er The sha,eres crown sheet Of ,h he
BODY Year ' by iag g' The IRON S MSntle Of The
boiler which was turned insi lie cut.
as ss. aenc sds ts snd
to hay. Been ure S' was Edward II. Swan. Jr
ssnsins blow %1 t and q aa s little i u q
badly bruised He was taken to his home In
Locust Nallev in a carrnge.
The two front windows In Car 1875. which
stood neXt to the tender. were shattered. No
other damage was done to tho train This is
accnunte! for partly BY the tact that the rear
of the locomotive WAS lifted high In the air at
the time OF the explosion. aud the storm of
iron and fire was thrown over the roofs o. the
cars.
4 wreckng train soon arrived. aud by noon
bushes. on the road was resumed rs usu al
Tho real cause OF tho ace dent is unknown. and
viii III obably never be learned The +, ilroad
people say loo motive 113 WAS wei built ard
in thorough repair. 1t was a power 'ul loco
motive. and was run on express trains only
Master Mechanic Thompson OF tho railroad
says the engine was thoroughly repaired In
the companys shors at Morris Park six mon this
ago. II was washed out In the shop Tuesday
aud he tiuss cieaned. From the nature Of the
explosion 1t ia thought to have been caused by
the water running low in the boiler.
Engineer Donaldson lived at Oyster Bay
with his wife and two infant children. He was
81 years old. He WAS considered one If the
best engineers in tho employ Of tho ompany.
liieman Dickinson was widower with two
children. He WIS 80 years old and lived in
Oyster Bay Several months ago he was firing
on the locomotive OF which Harry Combs was
engineer. One night, while on 9 run from
Locust alley to Oyster Bay. the engine was
wrecked by O horse which had wandered on
The track. The locomotive turned over on its
s!ic, and Dickinson escaoed By jumping of.
Engineer Combs and friend. Simeon Davis,
who Was In the cab with him. wore bot b killed.
brakeman Mahensy was not married. He
lived in kosyn.