The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-16
HORRIBLE.
Two Men Killed in Santa Fe
Round House.
Locomotive Exploded With
Frightful Results.
HEADS BLOWN OFF.
John Heustis and Nels Linden
the Victims.
Three Men Are Hurt, One
Fatally.
TERRIFIC FORCE.
Side of the Round House Is
Blown Out.
Windows Shattered and Roof
Is Damaged.
Side of the Round House Is
Blown Out.
Windows Shattered and Roof
Is Damaged.
LOCOMOTIVE CRUSHED
But Little Is Left of the
5'Midget."
Explosion Caused by Compressed
Air in the Boiler.

Two men were instantly killed and
three frightfully injured in the explos-
ion of a locomotive boiler in the Santa
Fe round house at two o'clock this af-
ternoon.
The dead are:
John Heustis, boilermaker; residence
2011 Davies street.
Nels Linden, fireman, lives near Oak
land, has a wife and three children.
The injured are:
J. L. Beardsley -
Arlie saylor of No. so Norris street
Bert Shields of Shorey.
Beardsley is the most seriously in
jured and he will probably die Both
the other men, it is believed, will re-
cover.
The explosion was caused by COM
pressed air which was to be used as the
motive power in the Midget locomo-
tive to be used as a switch engine.
The force of the explosion was such
that it forced out the stone wall which
makes up the round house and shat
tered all the windows and nearly the
entire roof of the building.
Is The Midget" was being prepared
for tests and Mechanic BearCsley was
letting the air into the boiler. w. R.
Carrie who had charge of the construc-
tion of the locomotive had gone to the
north end of the round house on an
errand and was returning to oversee
the final work on the engine. Mr.. Car
rie was about 20 feet from the locomo-
tive when the explosion occurred. He
was stunned and whirled around by it's
force but was not knocked down He
says that he heard the crash of the
breaking glass and falling wall
but did not realize what had happened
FOR some time. The noise of the exl0los-
ion and the cries of the injured brought
the workmen from all parts of the
building.
The body of Heustis with the head
blown off and frightfully mangled was
directly in front of the wrecked engine.
and between where it stood and the
wall. He was passing through the round
house with truck and, had reached
the Midget when the accident oc-
CURED. His body was partially covered
with debris.
Linden was also near the front Of the
locomotive and like Heu sits was hor-
ribiy mangled. His head was blown
from his BODY and his body was 50
mutilated that he was not identified
until an hour after the accident
"A. L. Beardsley was let ting the air in
the boiler when the explosion occurred.
He had just turned on tine pressure and
it is thought that not over 100 pounds
of air was in the boiler. Beardsley was
hurled backward and his face was bad
ly cut. He was carried To the Office of
the superintendent of mac hinery where
his injuries We're dressed before taking
him to the hospital. He was bleeding
internally and suffered from pain in his
side.
Bert Shields injuries are. not thought
to be dangerous but it is feared he will
lose the sight of an eye The side of his
face was cut and his eye probably in
jured.
Arlie Sayler is not thou ght to be
dangerously injured.
Portions Of the locomotive were scat
tered over the round hous and the
heavy boiler was thrown ba ckward off
the trucks and crushed like she'll
Cal Hays was standing at the side and
within a few feet of the eng inc at the
time of the explosion. A la rye work
bench was between him and, the boiler.
The EXPLOSION hurled the bench over
his head. but he was unharmed. II
don't know what happened,' said Hays.
THE explosion threw the bench over
my head and 1 was uuhurt'
TERRIFIC FORCE.
The force of the explosion blew the
front end of the boiler against the front
wall of the round house tearing away
the window casing and wall making a
hole u feet wide ard about 20 eeet high.
The wall fell inward on and around the
body of Heustis- The boiler was blown
| from the truck and fell 20 feet away.