The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-03
ROUNDHOUSE HORROR
THREE DEAD AND TWO FATALLY
INJURED AT MACON.
FREIGHT ENGINE EXPLODED.
OLD EMPLOYEES OF CENTRAL
AMONG VICTIMS.

Explosion shook the Entire City
and Report Was Heard Seven
Miles ANny-Engine Was just Out
of Repair Shop-CareIessness OF
Negro Helper. Who Is Among the
Killed, Supposed to Have Caused
the Accident-ProbabIy Injected
Cold Winter on Red Hot Crown
Sheet.
Macon, Jan. "A freight engine,
just out of the repair shop, and fired
up in the round-house of the Central
of Georgia Railroad exploded without
warning at 1880 o'clock this morning,
shaking the entire city. The report
was heard seven miles away. and
houses three miles distant felt the
shock. The news instantly spread that
many were killed, and in a few mo-
ments there had gathered at the gates
hundreds of people, including wives
and children of shop employees, weeping
and clamoring for information. The
dead are:
f. w. Hodges, machinist.
j. M. Mcdonald machinist.
Uriah Cornelius, colored helped.
The injured are:
j. j. o'Neal. machinist, comminuted
fracture. will die.
Henry Fox, machinist, comminuted
fracture. will die.
r. L. Willis. blacksmith, severely
scalded.
e. d. Hambrick carpenter. head
lacerated.
w. M. Wilson, carpenter, fractured
ribs.
j.. M. Meadows. carpenter. general
bruises.
Peter Hammock, colored, scalp
wound.
Wesley johnson, colored, face cut.
Peter Adams, colored, confused
shoulder
Mr.. Hodges was the brother of the
late Hon. Robert Hodges and Mr.. viii
lis is a recently elected alderman.
Henry Fox was the Oldest emplova
ia the shops. Mr.. Mcdonald had rela-
tions in Knoxville, Tenn.
Inc negro Cornelius was in the caH
assisting the inspector, John McDon-
ald' who was on top of the engine.
ihey We're blown to atoms.
Inc others were at some distance
ACCIDENT Is not known, the coroner's
jury railing to ascertain It. 1t is sup
posed, however, that the negro had
Iouno the water in the boiler too low.
ana mad suddenly injected a stream Of
cold water on the red-hot crownsheet.
me engine was reduced to fragments.
parts being hurled through the build.
ing two or three hundred yards Ons
piece weighing 1900 pounds was throw,
150 yards
Macon. Ga, Jan. 2.-Late tonight the
three men supposed to be mortally
wounded are in an unchanged condi-
ton The funerals will occur to-mor-
row and next day. Each OF the men
killed and injured has a family. Mr..
Wilson had just arrived from Jones
county and accepted a position as car
Penter This was his second day in the
employ of the company Mr. Hodges is
a brother ex-Soiicitor General Robert
Hodges, and had been working as an
engineer for thirty-five years. MFR.
FOX said when taken up at the scene
OF the explosion that he had no hone
or recovery. and he wanted the doc
tors to give their attention to more
needy sufferers. The exploded engine
narrowly escaped an accident on the
day before when it was found that tho
pop valve was defective The general
impression among railroad men, who
are not afraid to speak about the mat
ter, is that the boiler must have been
cooked a good while ago. and that
Ihe negro had been in the habit of let
ting In water on the sly when il would
run 100 low, and to-day happened tn
10 this once too often However. this
is mere gossip.