The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-04
SUDDEN DEATH FOR FIVE SLAIN By THE CHINESE
AND OTHERS ARE EXPECTED TO
DIE FROM THEIR IN
JURIES
THE EXPLOSION OF A BOILER
In Chicago s. NOrth-Western Rail
road Chicago Station Was At
tended by Terribly Fatal
Results.

CHICAGO, Dec 3.-FIve railway en-
ployes were instantly killed and twelve
people injured by the explosion of a boil
er in the power house of the Chicago &
North Western road depot this evening.
Several of the injured are hurt so badly
that they may die.
The dead
August Clamman, foreman, crushed by
falling walls while standing near power
house.
Anthony Krause. fireman at power
house, internally injured; died.
August Weiss, section hand, struck by
boiler
Joseph specht. section hand, caught un-
der boiler.
Henry schnur, eighteen years old,
clerk in auditing Office of North Western
road, neck broken by ying debris while
walking past house.
The injured
John Butterworth, chief electrician IF
power house, skull fractured, internal
injuries. will probably die.
August Beck, Milwaukee, Injured by
part Of roof of parlor car falling on him.
Mrs. August Beck, Milwaukee thrown
against seat, internally injured, may die.
VIM. Bicker, Sheboygan, Wis, severely
bruised.
Mr.. Ethel Becker, Sheboygan, VS.,
slightly bruised.
Michael McGregor, severely burned, may
die.
Joseph Kovelski severely burned.
George ellis, severely burned.
John Brown, severely burned.
Carl Peters, arm broken.
August Holtz, side and arm bruised
Eugene Gingrich, blown through door of
power house, slightly bruised.
The house was two story structure
which stood west of the passenger sta
ton and north of the tracks leading
into it. On the first floor was the boiler
room, containing a battery of four boil
ers, and the dynamo room, which held
nine dynamcs. Twelve men We're en-
ployed around the building and in addi-
ton to such of these as were present a t
the time a number of strangers was
standing around watching the dynamos.
Four of those killed were people not en-
ployed by the road and all five bodies
were taken to the morgue unidentified.
EXPLOSION A MYSTERY.
1t is not known what caused the ex-
plosion as everything in the boiler room
seemed in excellent condition accord
ing to the uninjured men who worked in
the place. At few minutes past 5
o'clock one of the boilers in the center
of the row of four burst with a detona-
ton that was plainly heard at points
a mile distant. The end of the boiler
nearest the tracks was the weak part
Of the structure and it flew toward 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
Ashland 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 with
in 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 plowed
through the one Immediately in front.
Fortunately both flew high and struck
the cars above the windows. carrying
away portions of the roof and vestibule.
Put 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 We're struck by
flying splinters or suffered from being
thrown violently to the floor.
On the train were Mr.. and Mrs Au-
gust Beck. Of Milwaukee, and Mr. and
Mrs. William Becker, of Sheboygan,
Wis. Both couples were returning from
their bridal tour and all four were in
jured. 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 dis
lance before coming to a. stop. There
traffic, however. was interrupted for sew
eral hours. The destruction of the electric
lighting plant plunged the depot into
darkness and the pile of debris which
was thrown across the tracks temporar-
lily blocked the suburban traffic of the
road.
Every attention to the wounded was
shown by the officials of the Northwest
ern 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 $100,0 The boiler house
was practically reduced to ruin, two
sides being blown completely out and
the costly electric plant was nearly torn
to pieces.
The regular trafflce of the road was de-
1ayed about four hours. it requiring
that length Of time to clear the tracks.
The cause of the explosion is a mystery,
the boilers having been inspected by the
insurance companies Sept, l and Nov. i,
and being reported in perfect order.