The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1892-03-10
BLOWN THROUGH THE AIR,
| be ! errible Result of a
Boiler / xplosion in
Wake County,


Wake County,
JOHN NSTEPHENSONKILLED
1ae Son Of a WeHK Kuoaon Citizen
the Vaetims Of a Sad Disaster.
Ute Story Of the accident.
About | o'clock yesterday a mes
senger rode into the city and
brought the news of a terrible dis.
aster at the well-known home of
Col. l.. d. Stephenson, eight miles
south of here. The messenger
came af.era physician, who at once
went to the scene of the accident.
Quite a number of persons also
went out. these being personal
friends of the family, who wished
to render any service possible at
such a time Of distress. The first
news which was received was hap
pity exaggerated, and was that a
boiler of a mill had exploded, kill
ing one Of Col. Stephenson's sons,
blowing another away so that he
could not be found, terribly iniur-
ing a Mr.. Jones and wounaing a
colored man.
l he facts in the case are as fol-
lows: Last year the dam Of grist
mill near Col. Stephenson's s house
broke, and some months ago the en-
CINE used at a sa mill was removed
there and used to run the grist mill.
The boiler was bought eight months
ago of parties in Raleigh. 1t was
secondhand, but had been put in
order and it is said had been tested
at l60 pounds pressure. It stood
in rear of the mill, at a distance of
about 40 feet. Wednesday was
''mill day" and quite a number of
persons were there with corn. The
boiler had been ''fired up' as usual
and apparently was in good shape.
John McC. Stephenson, :a,l5 year
old son of Col. Stephenson, was
fireman. and was at 1l:l5 o'clock
standing in frcnt of the boiler, with
his face towards the mill. At one
side of the engine was Nat. Stephen
son, Johns brother, who was cutting
wood for use in the engine. Near
by was Eurman Jones, the young
son Of a neighbor, who had brought
grain to the mill.
Suddenly there was a frightfu]
explosion, the noise of which was
heard a great distance, and a
cloud of smoke and steam
rose into the air. There we're other
noises, sounds as of something strik.
ing the mill and of the fall of heavy
masses near it. The noise was
heard at the house Of Col. Stephenson
, a quarter of a mile away. The
people who were In the mill rushed
} out. The explosion blew John
Stephenson, who was, as stated,
standing in front Of the fre-box
through the air, distance of 100
feet. His body passed through the
tops Of the trees which stand thick
) in rear of the mill, anG
among the limbs were seen frag
ments of his clothing. The body Of
the unfortunate lad was found lying
on the ground, without a vestige OF
clothing save a wristband Though
every bone in the body was broken
yet there were hardly any exterior
J, bruises and remarkably little mutt
? lation. None Of the parts Of the
body were missing. Fifty feet be-
yond the body a shoe was fount
/ and also sticks of wood, pieces o
$ machinery, &c. The appear
$ ance along the line be
tween the body and the plac'
t where the boiler had stood "as as i
r a heavy cannon had been fired. /
? -as CHASTITY sight. The body wa
t taken to the house, AS soon as i
was found; which was not until afte
!? some search.
Nat. Stephenson was not at al
hurt. Furman Jones was severel
stunned, but presently got uE