The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-05
EXPLODED WITH
FATAL EFFECT.
Locomotive Boiler Blows Up al
W0StbToOk, Maine.
FIREMAN INSTANTLY KILLED.
Engineer 50 Badly Injured That Il Is Not
Believed He Will Recover
FLYING GOALS START MANY FIRES.
Fire Department Called 0ui 10 eSiIngush Flames.
So Far The Cause Of The Explosion Has Not
Been Determined.
Engineer 50 Badly Injured That Il Is Not
Believed He Will Recover.
FLYING GOALS START MANY FIRES.

Westbrook, Me-, April 5.-The boiler
of the locomotive OF the train which
left Portland at 1880 o'clock this morn
ing over the Portland and Rochester
railroad for Rochester, N. H., blew up
while crossing one Of the streets in the
thickly settled part of this city, just be-
fore o'clock this morning.
William Eldredge, the fireman, was
killed instantly. Engineer James Bick-
ford was probably fatally injured and
three boys who were playing near the
scene OF the disaster were badly scald-
ed. The flying Goals from the engine
set fire 10 several houses in the vicinity
necessitating the summoning of the fire
department, which extinguished the
flames without heavy loss. Fred ST.
Pierre, the gate tender, was stunned
by the concussion which demolished the
small shanty which sheltered him at the
crossing. and he remained unconscious
for an hour but, apparently, was not
seriously injured.
T.. II. Lawrence, a travelling sales
man for a Portland grocery firm,
jumped from the train, was burned by
other injuries by falling az ne jumped
from the car step. He will recover The
engine was practically demolished and
the baggage car somewhat damaged.
Traffic was blocked for about an hour
and a half.
When the accident occurred the train
was slowing down on approaching the
Westbrook station. At the crossing
where the explosion occurred, the
houses are very thickly placed, and
near the track. Beyond the fact that
the explosion followed the action of the
engineer in shutting off steam, moth
ing is known as TO it's cause. The peo-
pie living i'm the vicinity heard a loud
report and felt the earth shake. This
was followed instantly by rain OF red
hot coal, pieces of iron and clouds of
steam and hot water. All the windows
in the vicinity were smashed either by
the force of the shock or by the flying
debris which entered the various build
ings AS the live coal struck the floors
or articles of furniture on which they
dropped quickly became ignited and the
fire department was called TO the scene.
The loss is mostly confined to articles
of household furnishings.
The cylinder head of the engine was
carried some 200 feet from the crossing.
It cut off telegraph pole in its flight,
several tree limbs and caused consider
able damage TO a house i'm its path, into
the back yard Of which ii fell.
Fireman Eldredge was found on the
footboard i'm a terrible mangled condi-
ton. He had been killed instantly. En-
gineer Bickford was able to reach the
back part of the tender, when he fell,
almost going over the end under the
wheels of the following cars. He had
strength enough 10 makS known the
fact that the water in his boiler was
all right and that he had just shut off
steam for the Westbrook station. when
he became unconscious. His most Sc
we're injuries were from scalds and
burns from the water and steam. His
condition is critical.
While attention was being given to
these persons, il was found that Arthur
and Luther Bohnson and Alphonso
Taller, three lads who were playing
marbles about dozen feet from the
track. when the explosion occurred, had
been badly scalded, and that the Taller
lad was i'm a serious condition.
l.. II. Lawrence. the travelling sales
man. was thrown TO the ground and
became unconscious. He was not seri-
ously hurt.