The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-04
BOILER BLOWN
SIXTY FEET BY
AIN EXPLOSION.
Four Men and Boy Instantly Killed.
Thirteen Others Seriously Injur-
ed-Several Will Die. 8
OCCURRED IN THEPOWER HOUSE
OF the Chicago & Northwestern Rail-
road-cause Of tho Explosion
Not Known.

CHICAGO, Dec. ,3.-F'our men and a
boy were instantly killed and thirteen
people injured by the explosion OF n,
boiler in the power house of the Chi
,cago g. Northwestern road this evening.
Several of the injured are hurt SO bad
ly that they may die.
The dead:
August Claman, section foreman. kill
ed by falling debris.
Unidentified man, about forty years
OF age. blown through roof OF building
and fearfully mangled.
Unidentified man about thirty years
OF age, blown through roof of building,
one leg torn OF and otherwise mangled.
Unidentified man, name supposed to
be Shrlner, covered with falling debris.
Unidentified boy, twelve years of age,
killed by flying bricks and debris.
The iniured:
John Butterworth. chief electrician Of
power house, skull fractured, internal
injuries. will probably die.
Anthony kraus. badly scalded, chest
crushed. both elbows dislocated, Will
probably die
August Beck. Milwaukee, injured by
part Of roof parlor cur 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.
John Brown, severely burned.
George Glllis. severely burned,
Carl Peters, arm broken.
August Hotz, side and arm bruised.
Eugene Glngrch. blown through the
door of the power house: slightly bruis.
a Two Story Structure.
The power house was two-story
structure, which stood west OF the pas
scnger station. and north Of the tracks
leading into II. On the first fiooT was
the boiler room, Containing Il battery OF
four boilers and the dynamo room.
which held nine dynamos. Twelve men
were employed around the building AMI
In addition TO such Of these as were
present ut the time. number of stran-
gers wcrA standing around watching
the dynamos -Four OF those killed were
people not employed by the road and all
four bodies were taken to the mOrGue
unidentified.
l, Is not known what caused the ex-
plosion. as everything In the boiler
room seemed In excellent condition, ac-
rnrli0rr n tho II nj mi iprnl yybn
worked In the place. At n few minutes
past o'cloci, one of the boilers In the
center row Of four burst With detona-
t!on that was plainly heard at points Il
mile distant. The end OF the boiler
nearest the tracks was the weak part
OF the structure. and II few toward the
depot tracks and landed fully seventy
Ave feet away from Its starting point.
The boiler itself which weighed Ten
tons. lies tonight sixty feet from the
boiler house.
Struck Moving Train.
Just as the explosion occurred the
Ashland limited train was pulling out
OF the station. The greater part OF the
train hnd passed and although the cars
were all heavily battered with falling
bricks and debris, none OF them was
badly damaged and tho passengers
within them escaped unhurt. AT least
two cars, II Pullman sleeper and q
drawing room car, were not so fortu-
nate and the boiler head and the boiler
itself caught them. The boiler struck
the car In the rear, while the boiler head
ploughcd through the one Immediately
In front Fortunately both flew high
and struck the cars above the windows.
carrying away portions OF the roof and
vcstibulc. 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 rs were hurt were
struck by dying splinters. or suffered
from being thrown violently TO the
floor.
Bridal Couples Injured.
On the train were Mr.. and Mrs.
August Beck. OF milwaukee,, and Mr..
and Mrs. William Becker, OF Shcboy-
gan, Wis. Both couples were returning
from their bridal tour and all were In
jured Mrs. Beck was dashed against Il
seat In the car and sustained internal
injuries which may prove fatal. NGlth-
cr of the cars was thrown from the
track and the engine drew them quite
distance before coming t0Sa stop.
lpN CNNl' "uH ioi
several hours The destruction OF the
electric lighting plant plunged the de-
pot into darkness and the pile of de-
brls which was thrown across the
tracks, temporarily blocking the sub
urban traffic OF the road.
Every attention to the wounded was
shown by the officials Of the Northwest
crn road. All were conveyed MS quick
ly MS possible to hospitals. where their
wounds were dressed
The property loss to the road VIII not
be far from 100000 The boiler house
was practically reduced to ruins, two
sides being blown completely out aad
the costly electric plant was nearly torn
to pieces.
The regular traffic OF the rond was
delayed about four hours. It requiring
thnt length OF time to clear the tracks.
The cause OF the, explosion Is n mys-
terry. the boilers having been insppc,ed
by the Insurance companies September
and November |, md being reported
In perfect order.