The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1900-09-14
FIREMAN SGALDED TO DEATH.
Engine 557 Blows Up Near RexfOrd
Friday Evening.
Fireman Robert GoEran Dies Of seaIds
Received and Engineer J. D. Farrell L.
Blown Into the Air But Escapes
InfuFy-Were on Third e..

"A
Injury-Were on Third e..
Rock Island engine No 557 blew up
at 6.O4 O'Clock Friday evening two miles
west Of Rexford while coming vest on
third section Of freight No. 81, scalding
and injuring Fireman Robert Gowran
so severely that be died at 11:45 p. N.
Engineer J. D. Farrell was buried
through the cab window far into the
air, landing on his head and shoulders
about . feet from the track, while the
train was running 10 miles an hour.
The third section Of freight train No.
81 left PhilIipsbuFg two hours behind
the first section Friday afternoon, in
charge of Engineer J. d. Farrell, Fire
man Robert GOwran, Conductor Viii
liam Taylor and Brakemen Abe Miller
and Frank Mixer. They had not been
long on the road when the water glass
became a source of trouble to the
engine men. The glass that was in tact
on the engine when the train started
west, broke; so did a second and a third.
Then the engineer had TO run the en-
CINE without the aid Of a glass. But the
water glass is no infallible guide to the
amount of water in the boiler; and for
greater safety there are provided two
gauge cocks. These were used by the
engineer and to insure a sufficient
amount of water the right injector was
kept working.
The train had passed Rexford and
had just made the top Of the hill west
Of there. The speed was about 15miles
an hour. The engineer was in his place.
Fireman Gowran had just put a fire"
in and, leaning on the left cab window,
was talking to Engineer Farrell about
getting into GoOdland as soon as posi-
bic so that they might get out again
soon, when the explosion came. One
hundred and forty pounds Of steam
pressure to the square inch lent its
whole force. The crown sheet fell front
end first, and the greater part Of force
Of the explosion went out the front
end, hurting pieces Of iron q dozen car
lengths ahead Of the engine. The
CRATES, ETC., were blown underneath the
engine. GOwran was thrown back
against the coal gate and covered with
coal, while escaping steam and boiling
water burned his flesh. Farrell was
blown out Of the cab window to the
ground but escaped serious injury.
Conductor Taylor applied the air
brakes at the eabOOse and the train
came to q stop after a short distance,
when all went TO the assistance Of Mr.
Gowran. He was taken from the engine
to the cabOOse, which was uncOupled
from the train and run back down the
hill to RexfOrd, where DR.. Patterson
attended the injured man.
A report of the accident was tele-
graphed to GOOdland and a special
train with DR.. F. H Smith left for Rex
ford at seven o'clock. Mr.. Gowran was
so severely burned that medical atten-
ton could not save him, and he passed
away at 11:45 p. N, soon after being
put on the midnight passenger bound
for GoodIand.
The body Of the dead fireman was
brought to his home in GOOdland,
which but d hours previous he had
left IN the vigOr Of life to make trip.
Near friends Of Mrs. Gowran broke the
awful news to her and later the body
was borne into the home by brother
dremen, and the grief of the wife and
children was terrible.
The body was prepared for shipment
to Joliet, Ill, the former home Of the
deceased, where interment took place
Monday. The remains left on the Sun
day morning train for that place, &C
companied By Mrs. GoWran and child
rem, J. n McCarty, Of Roswell, Col, a
brother Of Mrs. Gowran, Mrs. Bresna-
han and Charles Hottie, a brother FIRE
man.
Robert Gowran bad only been en-
ployed as fireman about q year, com
ing to Goodfand from Roswell where
he was engine hOstler. He leaves 8
wife and three children, the oldest a
boy OF ten years. His mother, Mrs.
Anna GowraB, lives in Joliet. He
carried $1,000 insurance in the Bro
therhood Of Locomotive Firemen, OF
which he was a member, and q policy
in an accident insurance association.
On the Trail of Horse Thieves