St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-06-15
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.
4 Barnet Steam Mil Explodes with
Fearful Efect-Tbree Men and two
Horses RilIed-0ne Man Badly ScaIded.

Horses Killed. One Man Badly ScaIded.
One of the worst accidents ever record
ed in this vicinity occurred on Monday
afternoon about hali-past four O'clock
when the boiler at Lang & Hooker's
steam mill, in Barnet some two miles
and half below the village of Passump-
sic, exploded with terrific effect, killing
three men, seriously injuring another,
and also killing two horses.
Word was received here by telephone
and several doctors swereimmediately sent
to the scene of the accident, but they
found only one man who needed their
services-the other victims having been
instantly killed and horribly mangled.
The names OF the dead are William
Fisher, engineer; Albert Greene, mark
er; and Louis Jean, vino was at work
hauling logs,
Fishers body was blown distance of
ITO feet, when, striking against the end
of log, his head and shoulders were
torn off and hurled into the bushes 80
feet farther away Greene was hit bv a
section of the boiler, or some portion of
the flying machinery, and badly
mutllated. The body Of Jean was also
terribly crushed. The main part of the
boiler landed 125 feet away. From
these facts it will be seen that the force
OF the explosion was simply terrific, in
dicating great pressure of steam,
though the effect on the body of the
engineer can be accounted for by the
tact that he was standing close bv the
boiler and so received the full force of the
blow.
Austin Fisher, a brother of the
engineer, was a sawyer at the mill, and
escaped with but slight injury. Gordon
Armstrong, who was at work cutting
slabs, received severe scalding, and it
will be some time before he fully recovers
from his injuries. Bertrand Stimson
was assisting at the log carriage, and
was thrown clear out into the mill yard,
but not severely hurt, though it took
him some time to realize what had hap
pened. Two horses, which belonged to
Jean, were killed and fell just where their
driver had halted them.
Fisher, the engineer, and Greene lived
in North Monroe, n H. Louis lean had,
with Paul Riyere, taken the contract
to draw the logs into the mill; he
leaves wife and several children.
The mill had formerly been owned by
the Steel Edge Company OF Mills Mass,
but was burned some time ago, and
subsequently Sherb Lang of Monroe and
Frank Hooker of ST. Johusbury acquired
the property.
As to the cause of the accident it is inn
possible to state with accuracy. There
are several theories advanced. 1t is
thought, on the one hand, that the boil
er was being run at too high pressure,
and that carelessness in this regard is
responsible for the explosion; the
engineer, some claim, had been advised
to keep the pressure below hundred
On the other hand, it is held that the
disaster was due to the low condition
the water in the boiler; that, as the
water was taken from the brook near
by, the high and muddy state of the
brook may have interlered with the flow
OF the water into the boiler or the
working of the gauge, and that the
trouble was not suspected, or at least
not observed, i'll season to prevent the
calamity. The boiler was portable af.
iar and it is said to have been duly in
spected some three months ago; since
that time, however, it had been through
the fire, and possibly had become defec-
tive and wholly unfit to be used The
real facts of the case will never be known,
because of the death of the engineer, the
only man whose business it was to
know the exact condition of the boiler
when in operation. Frank Hooker had
been sent for only short time before to
repair leak in the boiler, but no serious
trouble was discovered at that time.
The loss by the demolition of the mill
building itself is very small, as engine,
boiler and saw were covered only by a
shanty-llke structure; the engine was
blown into several pieces and OF course
ruined.
Quite number of people drove from
st. Johnsbury and Barnet to the scene of
the disaster and the amphitheatre in
which the mill was located presented a
Sruesome picture of death and destrue
ton, The bodies OF the victims were
removed to the undertaking rooms of
Hall & Stanley, where they were
prepared for burial Drs. Folsom,
Aldrich Hartshorn and Ross were in at.
tendance as soon us possible after the
accident.
The Convent fair at the town hall ;s
continued every evening this week 1t is