The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-15
IT'S GOING SKYWARD
Doy4ul NJ,
The Top Of a Steam Chest Blown
Through the Roof.
A NEVER SWEAT EXPLOSION
Nobody Was Hurt. But the Engi-
neer Was Rudely Thrown to the
FIoor-The Damage Is Slight
"A Puzzle.
A NEVER SWEAT EXPLOSION

One of the steam chests of the big
hosting engine at the Neversweat
mine exploded with terrific force about
5 o'clock yesterday afternoon and big
and little pieces of steel and cast iron
were blown in all directions. The top
of the steam chest tore a hole about
10 feet square in the roof as II shot
heavenward and IT is probably still
going up. as 1t has not been seen or
heard of since. Another flying missile
went out of a window directly across
the hosting works on the west side,
taking the sash and glass out as clean
as though they had been carefully
taken out by hand. The same thing
was done for another window just
alongside the steam chest and there
are a great MANY holes of all sizes In
the sides of the building. showing the
effects OF the fusillade of iron and,
steel fragments.
Steve Parker, the engineer, had an
escape from instant death that was of
the miraculous order. He was at the
levers, midway between the two sylin-
ders, which are about IL feet apart,
when the explosion occurred and he
was thrown fat on his back and par
TALLY stunned by the concussion.
| The strange part of 1t is that he was
1
pieces of iron which carried out the
west window opposite the cylinders
and flew all around in that direction.
| Parker undoubtedly owes his life to
| the fact that the steel cylinder on the
west side. on which he was standing.
withstood the shock without a great
deal of damage and remained almost
| In the position in which 1t belonged,
thus shielding the engineer to great
| extent from the effects of the explo-
sion. The steel Jacket on the three
other sides of the chest was blown all
to pieces and 1t is due either to some
strange freak of luck on Mr.. Parkers
part or some kind Providence that the
protecting sheet OF steel on the side
OF the steam chest racing MIN re-
| NAMED nearly intact.
| The strangest feature of the acci-
dent Is the manner in which II oc-
CURED, and engineers have made It the
occasion of a great deal of discussion
as to its probable cause. When the
accident occurred the cage in the las'
compartment was being lowered with
the brake and there was not an ounce
of steam In the steam chest, as nc
steam was being used. The Never
sweat engine is of new style and
compressed air Is used when the cage
is being dropped down with the brake
in order to furnish a resistance In the
| cylinder on the prluClplc lndl tHis it
sistance will prevent any rack1ng OF
straining of the engine and thus les
sen the wear and tear on 1t. 1t Is the
general supposition that the explosion
was caused by the gases In the com
pressed air in the steam chest becom
ing ignited in some way. but the exac'
manner In which the accident wa'
brought about is a puzzling question
The cylinder was not materially In
iured and the damage will not exceet
5000. The accident will not necessi
tate a complete shut down of thu
mine. as the west half of the engin'
was uniniured and the west compart
ment can be used while the repairs ar
being made. The partly disabled en-
CINE was made by the Dickson Manu-
featuring company of Scranton, Pa
and had been In use less than year
IN il of the Corliss valve. direct actor
type and IL of a new style so far a.
dhe use of compressed air is con
cerned.