New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-07
EXPLOSION IN A FACTORY.
ONE MAN KILLED AND THE ENGINE
ROOM WRECKED.
PECULIAR ACCIDENT IN wEsTcHEsTER-Nc Nc
APPARENT CAUSE FOR IT-GREAT ALARM
IN THE VILLAGE ~ THE EARLY
MORNING


4 boiler in the coda factory Of Alexander J.
Howell & Sons. in the former village Of West
Chester. exploded carly yesterday morning Frank
Thorn. forty-sevcn years old. the night engineer.
who was in charge # the engine-room when the
explosion occurred was instantly killed and the
brick walls and roof Of the engne-room were de-
mollshed
There was a loud report following the explosion
Hundreds Of the reridents sprang from their beds
and opened their windows ard. to add to the ex-
element the old village bell began TO ring rapidly.
This meant the calling Out OF the Fire Depart
mcnt. Despite the fact that West Chester mas
been portion ~ the city f some months ii stll
retains the volunteer fire service. Twenty-Five
volunteer fremen responded to the call AS did
two members Of the city Fire department VINO are
detailed to duty in the annexed district. The VOL
untcers brought the trucks Of the Columbia foae
Company. of Unionport and the Empire Hose
Company of West Chester TLoy were guided ny
the police 10 the scene Of the accident where they
found a mass %; Il sencd bricks and twisted sieel
all that remained If the boiler-room and the III l.
chinery which it had previously contained The
flames which had started between the piles OF
debris were easily extingushed
Isaac Fitzgerald was working in the chemica
room at the opposite side of the factory when the
boiler exploded. and ne rushed to the police sta
tion and sent out the alarm. He returned to the
factory before the fremen arrived. Fitzseraiu
had seen Thorn in the engine-room about half an
hour before the accident happened. and had talked
with him. Thus he suspc, ted that the engineer =
body was beneath the ruins. and when the iireinen
came hc Immediately told them to search lor
Thorn body.
The volunteers quickly removed the debris and
found the dead engineer lying under heap or
bricks and iron directly in front Of the boilers
rf, hr. .l- had
and burned 10y steam. Despite the early hour a
large crowd, many of whom were women col
lcrtcd at the rUirH.
The boiler which exploded stood at the eastern
end II a row OF three comparatively new tubular
boilers. each having capacity or lW hnrse
mower Two were under steam. while the third
was not In use Each had a diameter ~ I'VE l"et
and length OF sixteen feet. and contained eighty
four threc-inch tubes. They were not running
over - horsepower each The explosion de-
stroyed two large columns In the rear OF the
boilers and hurled large blocks OF brick from the
walls OF the eneine-room and nuge pieces OF steei
over three hundred feet away. The boiler when
exploded was shattered, while the tHo atjoining
b. Hers were forced off their setting and oadly
broken.
Mr.. Mollett said yesterday afternoon: Il can
not account for the cause Of the accident we
use very fine coal, and the engineers have L. at
tend to their fires AT least every fifteen minutes
at~ht and day Thcre is every indication tnat
there WAS plenty If wafer IN the Dli'er wheA II
cxrln9ol and the safety valves were - Gp'h
working order The boilers We're all Inspected by
the Hartford steam Boiler Insurance Company
three weeks ago. and found 10 be In perfect ordrr
They were thoroughly tested as tc their resist
ance ana capacity before they were put IN hel'
two wears ago. Every sheet Of steel was made -
stand Co. 900 pounds tensile pressure Tne lact
tbat Fiizgcrald saw Thorn half hour before
the accident happened and that our engineers
have to attend 10 their fires 50 frequently lead
me TO think that the engineer was not asleep
Whatever il was that caused the accident, il was
Spontaneous. and the engineer evidently had no
warning Our total loss financially Is ABOUT
S. 000'
Thorn the encineer who was killed by the accl-
dent. leaves widow and ten children.