Evening journal., 1898-10-18
EXPLOSION KILLS FOUR.
Giant Engine No. 10 of the w.
& N. Blown Into Fragments.
ONE BODY THROWN 200 YARDS

NELEGRAPlH WltbES CUT BY THE |
ASCENDING BOILER
DELAYED FOR SEVERAL HOURS.
The boiler Of locomotive No. 10 on
the Wilmington and Northern railroad
exploded near Bdrdsboro yesterday at
ternoon and four persons were killed:
The victims are: William Heificker5
|engineer; George Mills, fireman; Harry
|Suydan. conductor; Willis Woodward,
brakeman.
All were residents of Birdsboro. The
accident occurred at Kennys, ten miles
north Of that town.
The train left Birdsboro at 1.SO
o'clock with twenty loaded coal cars
j for Springfield, which point is at the
top of heavy grade. At Joanna, as is
customary, the tank was filled with
water. When on a level piece of the
railroad, a half mile from the water
Htank, at 2.3O o'clock, the locomotive
boiler exploded with roar that was
Hheard for more than five miles.
The accident happened near a woods
land trees several inches in diameter
S were cut off The monstrous boiler was
raised off the engine trucks and hurled
Unto a field. 1t tore down a stone fence
for fifty feet, and in its fight through
the air cut the telegraph wires. Pieces
of the engine were found quarter OF
mile from the wreck.
The body of Woodward was hurled
into a cornfield a distance of $50 yards
and he was crushed almost to a jelly.
A farmer, who saw his body coming
( into the field, says that it bounded fifty
feet after striking the earth and big
hole was ripped in the ground where
it landed. woodward was a single man
4 Aaged 26 years. A sad feature for his
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Wood.
ward, is that their son Charles wai
buried Monday.
William Heificker, the engineer, wat
found in a meadow about 200 feet from
the engine trucks. His face was crush
ed in and neck broken. Heificker ha'
been running an engine for twenty
eight years. He leaves a wife and on
son. His age was 81 years.
Harry Sliydan, conductor, was no
dead when picked up near a wire fenc'
and lived few minutes. His sku
was crushed in. He has a wife and on
child and his age was about 45 year
George Mills, the fireman, was foun
hanging on a wire fence and was fright
fully mangled. He has wife and tw
small children.
Orlando Berkeley and Benjamin Nj
Callcher, the remaining brakemel
swere not hurt.
Mr. Berkeley, in describing the acc
dent, says that after the roar he jumpC
from the train. After landing he fe
a rush of wind and was covered vii
dirt and steam. He says he could n
see the engine for the cloud of smoB
The survivors hunted several minut
before they could find Heiflicker al
woodward. The scene in Birdsbo
last night when the bodies were talk
to the local morgue was sad one.
1t took all night to clear the wreC
as the track was torn up for 100 ft
and the cars Immediately following
engine were twisted and broken. T
drivers of the locomotive did not lea
the rails.
All traffic was stopped for seve'
hours.
The Great Mogul' was the heavi
and largest locomotive east OF
Rocky mountains. 1t had been in
service of the Wilmington and Nor
ern for seven years, and weighed
tons. 1t was constructed by the Ba
win Locomotive Works on speC
model. It had six wheels on each 6
and a truck under the pilot. The .
eVll was so heavy that until seve
bridges between Birdsboro and v
minleton were strengthened it was
brought to Wilmington. 1t seldom ca
farther than the West Yard. No.
was used for heavy hauling about
Birdsboro yards and was always X
in prime condition by Engineer !
flicker.
Various theories Of the cause for
explosion have been advanced, but
men who could throw any light on
affair are all dead. and it will p
ably remain unexplained, unless an
pert examination reveals an ostens
cause. The locomotive was not III
a great strain at the time, as the
there is comparatively level.
AN oYSTERNlArN ovERBOARa
Charles Carpenter fell from an o!