The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-09-23
FIFTH EDITION.
THE CLAYTON EXPLOSION.

Two Mon Die from the Results Several
Persons scaided-Cause of the Ex-
plosion-Inquest ON the Dead Men
Owner of tho Boiler Ccnsured.
The following are the additional
explosion at Clayton, Del, yesterday.
The explosion occurred In the veRe-
table and fruit canning factory of J.W.
Carson and Co., on the road leading
from Clayton up to Smyrna. The
boiler, rs stated yesterday, was an up.
right one. and the explosion occurred
about T30 o'clock q. IN. Tho force Of
the explosion was downward, blowing
out the fire, but the upper section
went up through the building and fell
In an adjoining field.
Besides the fatal injuries thatresult-
Cd to Oliver Brown, engineer, and w.
j: keithley, j. O. Garner was scalded
about face and arms, aud Mrs. Thomas
Timms, Mrs. j. w. Ennis, Miss Clark
and Mr.. j. W. Carson were slightly
soalded. Mrs. Henry Collins, an en-.
ployee. standing behind the boiler and
within two feet OF 1t when 1t exploded,
escaped uninjured.
There were from 80 to 100 persons,
mostly women and children, at work
In the building peellng tomatoes, and
The explosion Is supposed to have re,
suited from q sudden generation OF
steam from cold water turned into an
overheated boiler In which the water
had become very low.
Oliver Brown, as stated in yester
days REPUBLICAN. died soon after he
was brought to this city. and Keithley
was taken TO the Delaware Hospital.
He was SO terribly sealded on hla
legs arms and back that the flesh peel.
ed of, and both legs were broken In
two places. He fingered on until $50
O'Clock this morning, when he expired,
He was 53 wears OF age. lived near
Churchville, Hartford county, Md, was
q widower and leaves three children.
Mrs Charles Wood, residing at Second
and Shipley streets, Ia daughter, and
police officer Thomas J. Gainor, over
Third street bridge, is n brother-in.law
OF the deceased. After an inquest 10
held by Coroner. Sparks the body will
DO taken to Aberdeen, Md, for inter.
ment.
An Inquest was held over the body
Of oliver Brown last evening. The
first witness called was John w. Car
son. owner OF the factory, who testi-
fled as follows:
81 was In the factory when the OK.
plosion occurred. 1t was about 7.90
o'clock and was shortly after Brown
had gotten stenm up. have no idea
! what caused the explosion. / do not
know whether Brown was licensed
engineer, but employed him on re-
commentator from man for whom
he formerly worked. We have had the
boiler about years and IL was tested
last year by man who came to Fix the
place uD before we started business.
and do not know whether he was a
licensed inspector or not. do not
believe there were more than sixty.
1--WE pounds OF steam on at the time.
Brown was at the pump at the time
the explosion occurred"
Lewis Wilson testified that he was In
the building at the time OF the explo-
sion and was thrown about sixteen
feet by the forco. lie did not know
how much steam or how much water
was in the boiler. Wilson also stated
that there were about fifty people in
the building when The accident co.
CURED.
James Poplar testified that he was
employed at the factory, and when he
heard the noise of the explosion he
ran out. He did not know how much
steam or water were in the boiler when
the explosion occurred.
After hearing the evidence the Jury
returned the following verdict:
Resolved, Tint Oliver Brown came
to his death by the explosion OF boil
or in the canning factory OF John ".
Carson Il Co., at Clayton, Del, ON
Thursday, September22, 1892, and from
the evidence this jury censures the
firm FOR not employing practical In
spect or to inspect the boiler"
Deputy Coroner Giles this forenoon
took the body of Oliver Brown, the
engineer, down to Havre de Grace. Nd,
at the request of Mrs. Lottie Pettls, q
sister Of the deceased, residing there.
Brown was single man.
The body of Keithley was brought
this morning from the Delaware Hos.
pltal, to the morgue and an inquest
will BIO held over it this evening, at q
O'clock provided the witnesses from
Clayton can get here.