The Portland daily press., 1895-06-15

neer Lepage has been arrested. Heahas
said that to his knowledge the boiler had
not been inspected since it has been in
use. The greatest excitement prevails in
the vicinity of the explosion, the streets
are crowded with people.
WITHO UT WARNING.
There was terrible report, followed by
shock; the roof seemed to lift and then
fall completely demolishing the whole
building. The Jalbert girl and her sister
in-law were thrown into the middle of
the road.
The former escaped uninjured, but the
latter was badly cut about the face and
arms
At 945 a. NJ. the names of the rescued
so far as learned were given out as
follows:
Alice Trembly.
Matte Deorslers.
Miss Jalbert.
Leah Horton
Adlee Dube.
Ida Lepage.
Henry J. Langley.
G. E. Doval.
Engineer Tripp
Foreman Warren.
Mr.. Langley is in critical condition
and has been removed to his home for
treatment.
The shock broke in the windows of the
Stafford mill and injured several of the
operatives.
The building is a total wreck, but the
flames are under control AT g. 90 a. m.
the badly charred remains of Robert
Murray were taken out dead.
The Star Music hall has been made
morgue, where Medical Examiner Dolan
with Drs Cummings, Cone, Synan,
Cunning, Clolett and number of other
physicians, are installed.
The engine was situated in the north
west corner of the building, and was of
fifty horse power
The man who ran the boiler escaped
alive and uninjured. His name is Lepage
He says the boiler was four and a half
years old, and was built by the Cunning
ham Iron Works. 1t was tubular boiler,
but he could not give the dimensions He
said that he filled the boiler about five
minutes before it blew up. There was
about four inches of space in the water
glass not filed with water. The fire had
been going half an hour. The boiler gave
no warning before it went up.
State Inspector Hawley, u. j. Hayes,
boiler inspector, and J. D. Dumond an
expert boiler inspector, employed by the
Hartford Insurance company, were in the
city this afternoon investigating the
cause of today's boiler explosion. 1t has
been definitely determined that the engi-
neer told the truth when he said there
was plenty of water in the boiler The
experts found the safety fusible plug in
excellent condition. The experts said the
boiler was in very good condition today,
as far as scaling was concerned There
were suspicious patches on the middle
plate, more particularly where it broke
away from the double row of rivets. 1t
may have been caused by burning or
other causes. A piece of plating twenty
by six inches was cut out by order OF the
state inspector and will be taken to Bos-
ton for further examination. The safety
valve attached to the boiler was not found
up to six O'Clock.
| A second after today's explosion
occurred pandemonium reigned in the
building adjoining. The window had
been battered by flying debris and dust
floor of the weave room Joseph INITIAL
was struck on the left arm and Annie
Hurst was cut back of the ear. A girl
named Partridge worked in the alley on
the west side of the mill, far removed
from the explosion, but piece of flying
brick struck her near the eye and she
tainted and bled freely. The operatives
| made for the nearest exits. They rushed
pell nell down the stairs and into the
street. Flying bricks and mortar crashed
through the big windows and smashed
warps, tore cloth and ripped the rowing
out Of creels and made a general mess OF
things. The mill engine ran some fou1
or five minutes, and then the operatives
began to collect their wits, Many of them
Immediately started to put out the fire in
the Langley building mill. Hose was run
out and good work was done. 1t is be-
lieved that about $1,000 worth of damage
was done the mill property.
The police report of the explosion given
out tonight shows there were seventeen
|people in the building. Ofsthis number
four were burned to death and seven
more or less injured. The others escaped
with little more than severe shock. He
Page made some statements tonight He
said he worked as engineer and fireman
at the Langley works about two years
ago When one of the boiler inspectors
looked over the plant before insuring il
he was warned never to allow the steam
pressure to go over eighty pounds. Some
time after Page was told that he was
ordered to keep steam at ninety. He sale
he would not do it, He was not at al
surprised that it was blown into the air
When asked why he left Langley's employ
he said he was discharged.