The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-25

Four Out of Six MoguIs on the Iron
Mountain Road Explode.

Is there a hoodoo lowering over the
big mogul engines in use on the Iron
Mountain railroad? asks the ST. Louis
Republic.
This question is one that the engin-
GERS and firemen on that road are
quietly putting to each other as they
chat about their work and the dangers
attending 1t. Few callings there are
that do not have their superstitions.
and railroading is no exception to the
rule; but it Is few Of these supersti-
tons that are so we'll founded in fact
as Che one now so rapidly gaining be-
Hef, and which attends each trip on
enc OF these engines with a fear of
fatality to It's crew Not a man now
Climbs on one of the series Of mogul
engines, Which was added to the rolling
equipment OF the road about two years
ago, without feeling that he has added
an additional danger to those every
railroad man daily encounters
The reason for this feeling grows ont
OF series of mishaps that began soon
after this class of engines was placed
IN service, and which train crews feel
Will continue until the last engine is
demolished. Out of six engines built
and purchased at the time, but two
remain. The other four have all been
destroyed within the last eighteen
months in exactly the same way.
Iney nave all exploded, with fatal
results to both engines and the crews.
In every case there was, so the train
men say, no apparent reason for the
explosions Investigation has added
niue information to that given by the
crews. Apparently the engines are
pullt all right, complete in every detail.
yet they continue to blow up, and every
time life or two is snuffed out. So
the men have come to think that all
the engines of this series are doomed
to be destroyed in the same way-bv
an explosion of the boiler-and thew
mad almost as soon be told to jump off
the Eads bridge as to get run on one
OF the two remaining engines
Two of the engines have blown I'D
within the last week. On Dec. 10 engine
NO. 591 exploded at the little station
OF Gads Hill. Engineer Fitzgerald. of
DE Soto, was instantly killed, as was
also brakeman, whose name could
not be ascertained. James Brady, the
fireman, was terribly injured and
burned. He was brought to the Mis-
souri, Pacific hospital. in this CITY. where
ne is now lying at the point of death.
Inc brakeman was standing near the
engine when the explosion occurred. He
turned around and walked about 100
feet to the StatiOn-house, took a drink
Of water, fell over, and died almost in
stantly. No one knows why this engine
exploded.
On Monday afternoon an engine ex-
ploded near Wynne, Ark. The engi-
neer is reported killed by the mea ger
reports that have reached st. Louis.
Yesterday, o. S. Davis. Of WINNIE .
brakeman, and William Trevathan. the
fireman, whose home is at Memnhis
were brought to the Missouri Pacific
hosp1tal, suffering from injuries re-
ce1Ved in this last explosion Both were
terribly scalded, but will probably re-
cover. They are swathed in cotton and
unable to talk. Trevathan is out of
his head at times. Davis is not hurt so
padly, but he cannot give an intelligent
account Of the explosion. He SEEM
TO be still dazed from the shock.
This series Of engine had been in
use about six months when the first ac-
c1dent occurred. This was about eight
cen months ago. 1t exploded at a small
station just across in Arkansas. Two
members Of the crew were killed and
one or two more injured No great
Importance was attached to this aci
dent at the time, it being looked on
simply as one Of those things that
are 1nseparable from a railroad life.
pix months later another of the en-
glEes' NO. Boy, exploded at Tucker, Mo-
Engineer Schaefer, the fireman. and q
brakeman were killed in this accident
Nc good reason for this explosion was
ever given, and it, too, was placed on
the long list of unexplainable and un .
accountable Incidents.
But two more Of the engines going
IN the same way within the last week
with just as little apparent reason
nave set the rank and file Of the road
employees to whispering among them
selves. 1t is said that all the engines
on the road will be remembered in an
attempt to disguise the two remain
ing engines, so that the superstition
tnat has arisen will be lost in a cloud
Of doubt