The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-17
THE BOILER WAS DRY
FATAL EXPLOSION AT PHOENIX,
=. ARIZONA
Two Men Killed and Others Wounded
and the Santa Fe Roundhouse
Completely Wrecked

PRESCOTT, Arts, Aug. 10-A terfinc
explosion occurred at two O'Clock this
afternoon at the round house Of the Santa
Fe. Prescott Phoenix Railroad, result
Ing In the fatal injury Of two men and the
wountiing Of two or three Others Machin-
lists were at work on engine No. In the
round house, when its boiler exploded with
tremendous force. Jos. Brown was on top
Of the engine ad justing tha pop valve when
the explosion occurred, and was badly
crushed about the head, dying In few
minutes. e. M. Seaman's left arm was
blown fifty feet away, his left leg blown
off and he was badly bruised and cut about
the head; he cannot live. Chas. Chambers
was also quite seriously injured. The
round house Is a complete wreck. Another
engine In the round house ON the adjoining
track was badly wrecked. The town for
three blocks was etreved with wreckagu
of pipes and pieces Of warped, twmted
steel.
The scene of this afternoons wreck Of
the railroad round house was visited BY
hundreds Of people today. E. IA. Seaman
the day hostler Of the railroad yards, died
an hour after the explosion. He was con-
scious to the lHst, and though in terrible
agony conversed with friends.
Little can be learned as to the caurs OF
the explosion. Machinist Joseph Brown
one of tho victims, was fixing the safety
valve on a boiler at the time OF the ex-
plosion He said the valve refused to
work The general opinion is that the water
In the boiler was too low and the injector
started. causing an explosion. Those who
escaped were in other parts Of the building,
hence know nothing of what Brown was
doing.
C. c. Chambers had Just been called to go
out on another engine and happened by
mere chance to be in the round house at the
time. A large piece of iron was thrown to
Whipple barracks. mile distant, striking
the house occupied by Colonel McCord of
the volunteer regiment in rendezvous there.
Mrs. Joseph Gales had an almost mirac-
ulous escape from serious injury and prob
able death. Her custom is to take a nap
on a lounge every afternoon. but at the
hour the explosion occurred she was called
to neighbours house. and large piece
Of steel from the engine crashed through
the roof Of her house. striking the lounge.
passing clear through il and through the
floor beneath, burying itself In the ground.
Parties on the street in the vicinity Of the
explosion say the air vas filled with flying
missiles and within a radius Of two or three
blocks a veritable hailstorm Of steel fell.
Captain Donaldson and NJ n. Dodge were
standing in the middle Of the street tn front
Of the Catholic church, the latter facing the
railroad. when tho explosion occurred.
Dodge says that before the sound Of the ex-
plosion reached him he saw an immense
piece Of steel rise in the afr and start direct
ly toward them, followed Immediately by a
deafening sound. The mass OF warped steel
struck about fifty fe4 from where they
stood. THIS was fully 1900 feet from the
scene of the explosion, and the huge mass
proved to be the exterior Of the boiler and
steam chest. weighing from four to five
tons. The wreckage of the round house
could almost be gathered up In baskets, so
completely was 1t shattered. That there
was no greater loss Of life seems almost
miraculous. Four men In the building at
the time escaped unframed.