The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-04
TWO BRIDAL COUPLES HURT
WE'RE RETURNING TO WISCONSIN
FROM WEDDING TRIPS.
Boiler, Which Weighed Ten Tons,
Blown Sixty Feet from Its Bed
Property Loss, 100000.

injured by the explosion of a boiler in the
power house of the Chicago e. Northwest
ern road this evening. Several of the in
jured are hurt so badly they may die.
list of casualties follows:
Killed-August Clamman, section fore
man. crushed by falling walls while stand
ing near power house: Antony krause, fire.
man at power house. internally injured,
died on way to hospital; August Weiss, sec
tion hand, struck by boiler; Joseph Specht.
section hand, caught under boiler; Henry
Schnur, eighteen years old. clerk in audit
ing office of Northwestern road, neck
broken by flying debris while walking past
power house.
Injured-John Butterworth, chief cleo
trician of the power-house. skull fractured.
internal injuries, will probably die;
August Beck, Milwaukee, injured by part
of the roof of parlor car falling on him;
Mrs. August Beck, Milwaukee, thrown
against seat, internally injured, may die;
William Becker, Sheboygan, Wis, severely
bruised: Mrs. Ethel Becker, Sheboygan.
Wis, slightly bruised; Michael McGregor,
severely burned. may die; Joseph Kovelski,
severely burned; George Gillis, severely
burned; John Brown, severely burned;
Carl Peters arm broken; August Holtz,
side and arm bruised; Eugene Gingrich.
blown through door of power house, slight
ly bruised.
The power house was a two-story struc-
ture which stood west of the passenger
station and north of the tracks leading into
it. On the first floor was the boiler room,
containing battery OF four boilers and the
dynamo room, which held nine dynamos.
Twelve men were employed around the
building and in addition to such of these
as were present at the time, number of
strangers were standing around watching
the dynamos.
1t is not known what caused the explos-
ion as everything in the boiler room seemed
in excellent condition, according to the un-
injured men who worked in the place. AT
a few minutes past o'clock one of the
boilers in the center of the row of four
burst with detonation that was plain
ly heard at points mile distant The end
OF the boiler nearest the tracks was the
weak part of the structure and it flew to-
ward the depot tracks and landed fully
seventy feet away from its starting point.
The boiler itself, which weighed ten tons,
lies tonight sixty feet from the boiler
house.
Just as the explosion occurred the Ash
land limited train was pulling out of the
station. The greater part of the train had
passed and although the cars were all
heavily battered with falling bricks and
debris none of them was badly damaged
and the passengers within them escaped
unhurt. The last two cars, a Pullman
sleeper and drawing room car, were not
so fortunate and the boiler head and the
boiler itself caught them. The boiler struck
the car in the rear. while the boiler head
ploughed through the one Immediately in
front. Fortunately both flew high and
ctr. ha oh ha xx,ip
ing away portions of the roof and vestibule.
But few Of the passengers happened at the
time to be in the ends of the two cars hit
by the flying metal and such of them as
were hurt were struck by flying splinters
or suffered from being thrown violently to
the floor.
On the train were Mr.. and Mrs. August
Beck, of Milwaukee, and Mr. and Mrs. Will
liam Becker. of Sheboygan, Wis. Both
couples were returning from their bridal
tour and all four were injured. Mrs Beck
was dashed against seat in the car and
sustained internal injuries which may prove
fatal Neither of the cars was thrown
from the track and the engine drew them
quite a distance before coming to a stop.
Traffic however, was interrupted for sew
eral hours. The destruction of the electric
lighting plant plunged the depot into dark
ness and the pile OF debris which was
thrown across the tracks temporarily
blocked the suburban traffic of the road.
Every attention TO the wounded was shown
by the officials of the Northwestern road.
All were conveyed as quickly as possible to
hospitals, where their wounds were dressed.
The property loss to the road will not be
far from 100000. The boiler house was
practically reduced 10 a ruin, two sides be-
ing blown completely out and the costly
electric plant was nearly torn to pieces.
The regular traffic of the road was delayed
about four hours, it requiring that length
OF time to clear the tracks. The cause of
the explosion is a mystery, the boilers hav-
ing been inspected by the insurance COM
pany Sept and Nov. /. and being reported
in perfect order.