The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-01
FIVE KILLED BY EXPLOSION.
FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT ATT A SAW
MILL AT CECIL, GA.

Men Were Going 10 WOrlS-Dead
and Injured Taken Out From I'M
der Pile of spIinters-Three or
the Injured May Die-Accident Was
Probably Caused by TamDering
with safety Valve.
Quitman, Ga. April s0.-Cecil, Ga,
saw-mill town on the Georgia Southern
and Florida Railway, seventeen miles
north of Valdosta, was the scene of ter
rible boiler explosion this morning at
o'clock. as a result of which five men are
dead and six injured. three of them fa-
tally.
The accident occurred in the large saw
and shlngle mill of ]. N. Bray g. CO.
Work had only fairly commenced for the
day and the various employees were at
their posts. when, without warning, and
with terrible roar that shook the whole
town. the two main boilers burst, throw
ing third boiler which stood beside them,
distance of more than 200 yards, whils
the roofs of three houses near by were
torn off bv flying timbers.
The mill was torn into kindiing wood
and II is "a miracle that single man es-
capped with his life. When the dust set
tAchg "a lAAtA6 NQIk was DCSuIl on the neaU
of splinters that a few minutes before
had been well-equipped saw mill In fuH
operation, and in short time five bodies
were taken out of the wreckage ana LAID
aside while every effort was being madS
to relieve the injured.
The Dead and Injured.
Here and there head or an arm was to
be seen, the rest of the body being hid
den under the timbers. After about two
hours hard work all were taken out. ana
the list of dead and wounded was found
to be as follows:
Dead Luther Player, fireman, and
Hugh Chambers. white, and Gus NichoI-
son, Jack Haslam, and VIII Houston, col
ored.
The injured are ]. c. Raines, lumber in
spector, may die; Wesley McPhaul, se-
riousiy injured, probably fatal; Jack Agec.
negro sawyer, shoulder crushed by flying
timber; Henry Gaines, negro, struck by
flying timber; f. Simms, superintendent,
struck orr the head by flying timber; ne
gro whose name could not be obtained
struck by fying timber.
Theory of the Accident.
II is said that some children playing
about the mill Sunday turned Off a valve
which cut the safety valve from the boil
ers and the steam rising rapidly was un-
able to escape.
II Is reported from auother source that
i
| get low few nights ago and burned the
boilers, for which be was discharged; but
| the damage was considered small and
may have had nothing to do with the acci-
/ dent.
Those who were in a position to know
4 claim that the boilers had plenty OF
water In them when the accident oc-
| CURED and the meddlesome play of
child is very likely responsible for the
whole thing.
This is the worst accident OF the kiad
that has occurred in this section Of the
state in q long time. SURPRISING the one
at 5ibley In 1897. At late hour this
afternoon none of the wounded men were
dead, and they are now considered to
have fighting chance for their lives.
The damage is between $4,000 and s15.-
600, on which there is no insurance. Sew
eral houses in the vicinity were seriously
injured by the explosion, and heavy pieces
OF timber were blown through the walls
Of the adjoining buildings.
Another Account of II
A special from Valdosta says:
One of the survivors of the disasters
says that young Chambers complained
that II took him a very long time to
get up the steam In the boilers this
morning, though In View of the fact that
others claim that everything was all
right with the boilers no special signih-
canoe Is attached to this remark. II ia
said that the boilers were blown out
thoroughly Saturday night, and in doing
thia valve which shuts off the steam
from the safety valve was left closed.
Mr. Smms, who Is foreman OF the mill.
says that he noticed the steam gauge
a moment before the explosion and II did
not indicate a dangerous amount OF
steam. The concensus of opinion appears
10 be that the explosion might not have
occurred If the valve cutting off the
steam from the safety valve had been
open. The valve was found some dis
tance away after the explosion, and was
turned 10 cutoff water from the safety
valve. II is not known which OF the boil
ers exploded first, but being twin boilers.
the explosion was so near simultaneous
ly in both that the difference could not
be detected.
DR.. Owens of Hahira and DIR. Gregory
OF Adel went TO assist the local physician
DR.. Paffcrd, in caring for the injured.
among the people of Cecil and a pail OF
gloom hangs over the entire section.
Large crowds have visited the place to-
day to get a view of the wreck. The mill
was literally torn to pieces and huge parts
of the boilers were hurled several hundred
yards through the air The doors of
houses two hundred yards away were
blown open by the expansion OF the air
from the explosion and the roofs OF cabins
nearby were lifted. The accident Is the
most dreadful that ever occurred in this
section. IL is understood that the mill
will be rebuilt at once.