West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-10-29
THE aKNS HORROR.
An Engine Exploded Killing Four
People.
One or Them Formerly a Resident OF
Newburg. This County.

The most horrible aud fatal accident in
the history Of Elkins was that which occurr.
| cd az ago "Wednesday afternoon, when the
boiler OF locomotive No, ie. Ia the ~. Va. c.
&r. Il. X. yard blew up, killing engineer
w. III. Little. fireman Henry 4. coliett,
maehinist John Harper and Mrs. Kate N.
Rabbeu aud severely injuring Peter
Camerau, an Italian stone cutter. and Mrs.
Virginia Boyd, OF Keyser, sister of Mrs
Rabbett who was only few feet from her
al fhe time she was killed.
About ago people In all sections OF town
were surprised to hear terrific explosion
Many thought Il larger blast than usual
In making the street improvements. Hut
those living In the vicinity OF Railroad
avenue were fearfully shocked. many were
thrown from their feet by the impact OF
the explosion. and windows were broken
and buildings shook as II from an earth.
quake for several squares.
The afternoon trains for Cumberland and
Grafton were Just leaving and an unusually
large crowd was gathered at the depot.
Those who were looking North noticed a
huge volum of smoke aud steam filled with
debris suddenly shoot up. followed by the
roar OF the explosion. Two human forms
were seen to rise higher then the smoke,
ono OF whieh went fully 900 feet In the air
while the other was thrown upward not
more than zoo feet. The crowd watched
them as they assembled aud finally stop
suspended In the air aud then start on
their rush downward. as II fascinated by
the awful spectacle.
Eha x..lA
side OF the yard, nearly opposite the mouth
OF Sixth street and before the debris had
ceased falling the crowd from the depot
had reached the scene, and scores OF
people In the neighborhood were running
to the place to ascertain the extent OF the
horror.
A small portion OF the body OF engineer
Little was found lying on the ground
perhaps twenty feet from the wreck OF the
engine, The body of Henry Collect was
found on the sidewalk on Railroad avenue
while In the alley between Railroad and
Davis avenues was the rhanged and almost
unacceptable body OF John Harper. Mr.
Little was literally torn TO fragments and
pieces of his body were found on house
roofs and In dooryards for hundred yards
or more. Henry collett and John Harper
were badly mangled and crushed.
Mrs. Rabbett was killed while sitting In
her room almost 900 feet from the scene OF
the explosion. A section OF the boiler.
weighing between two and three tons
crashed through the rear OF the two houses
belonging to- Mrs. Rabbott. She seemed
to have been caught by the falling wreckage
OF her home. and was terribley manglcd.
Her death ensued within FIVE minutes after
the accident.
William II. Little was a. years old leaves
wife and one child. lie was a brother to
Frank Little who was killed by his own
engine at Parson two years ago, Henry S.
Collet was AZ. leaves wife and one child.
John i. Harper was a6, and single. He
lived with his parents MIR. and Mrs @. w.
Harper at the CobcrIy house on Senator
Elkins farm.
Mrs. Rabbett was s. years old and the
widow Of BARLEY Rabbctt. and leaves two
sons ana three married daughters, Mrs.
Geo Radciih, Mrs Seymour Wilson and
Mrs. James T.. iIanley.
Messrs Little and Harper were buried In
MapIewood cemetery yesterday afternoon.
conducted the funeral OF Mr.. Little, and
the Odd Fellows aad Knights OF Pythias
jointly conducted that Of Mr.. Harper. Rev.
j. l.. Fish conducted religious services az
the Little home. and Rev. Resseggcr con.
Quoted the services at Mr.. Harper's funeral
Mt the Presbyterian church.
MIR. Colletf was buried this afternoon az
Mapcwood. Revs Resscsger and Fish
conducted the religious services at the NJ.
4. church. aud the funeral was conducted
by the Red Men.
Mrs. Rabbett was taken yesterday to
Newburg. Preston county. where she was
buried this morning.
All the dead were we'll known in Elkins
and without exception were highly respect.
ed. The horrible catastrophe paraiyzed
everyone in town. and cast black pail OF
sadness over the community. Around the
scene OF the wreck streaming eyes and
blanched faces showed the horror with
which the terrible havoc was contemplated.
The exact cause OF the explosion will
never be known. There are theories and
theories, but most OF them are evidently
wrong. A. first II was suggested that the
water In the boiler had become exhausted
or very low and the explosion was the
result OF throwing cold water into the
boiler. But IL happens that number Of
people were on the engine but a few minutes
ceiore the explosion. and that there was
plenty OF water in the boiler. The indica.
lions about the inside works shows that
she carried plenty OF water. too, which
disproves that theory.
The theory which finds most favor with
those best acquainted with locomotives Is
that something was wrong with the steam
guagc. which prevented IL from correctly
indicating the amount OF pressure. BY
which the boiler could not stand and the
explosion resulted.
Al business places were closed yesterday
aud today from TO SIP. m. out OF respect
for the dead AID work generally was