The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-05
Edward NJ. FerraII Loses
Life at a Saw Mill.
BODY HURLED rs FEET
At 9:15 o. Clock Yesterday Morning
He Was Regulating the Speed of His
Engine When the Explosion Took
Place, FerraIl Being Killed
Instantly BY Conclusion.

Mr.. Edward M. Ferrall, janitor OF
the Capitol, was killed by a saw mill
boiler explosion yesterday morning at
9:15 o'clock, two and one half miles
northwest of Raleigh. He was killed
instantly, and his body was hurled a
distance of seventy-five feet by actual
measurement. Several persons We're
near the boiler at the time of the ex-
plosion, but no other one was injured,
except Mr.. John Moore, who was
struck by Mr.. Ferrall's body, and was
knocked unconscious. Several frag-
ments of iron were blown into the
face of Moore and were extracted by
the physicians. Mr.. Ferrall was
standing near the side of the boiler.
regulating the speed of the engine
when the explosion occurred.
Both the boiler and engine had been
in use a great many years, and were
of old manufacture, and it had been
remarked several times that there was
danger of explosion. It's capacity
was said to be twelve horse power,
and that of the engine eight horse
power. The boiler was carrying one
hundred pounds of steam, far above
its average and capacity, and as there
ment. Mr.. Ferrall himself, who was
thoroughly acquainted with saw mill
work and machinery, went to the en-
CINE to regulate its speed, and was
working on the governor. He had
just previously said to one of his oper-
atives that there was too much steam
pressure, and he called out to the man
running the saw to hurry up and get
the log on the carriage, as there was
nf Cfo
something should be done. Less than
five minutes afterwards there was
terrific explosion, and Ferrall was
blown by the conclusion seventy-fiVe
feet. and he fell on a pile of lumber,
his head striking first. He was doubt
less scnseless from the moment of the
explosion. He was not struck by
either iron or wood, and except from
the violence of his fall, was otherwise
uninjured. His body struck Moore,
who was thrown under a pile of logs,
and lay unconscious for several min
utes. When he recovered he said he
did not know what had hit him.
Both ends of the boiler were blown
out, and the body of the boiler and
the engine were carried fifteen feet
forward. fortunately nobody being in
the path of the mass of iron. The
boiler was fastened by iron chests to
a wooden frame, and was located in
the open, rot being in q building.
Bushes and small trees were torn
down for distance of one hundred
feet from either end of the boiler.
Drs. r. S. McGeachy and A. O..
Jones were summoned Immediately by
phone. but when they arrived on the
scene Moore had recovered. and moth
ing could be done in FerralPs case.
Moore's face was considerably
bruised and the physicians extracted
particles of iron and steel from it, and
dressed his bruises.
Ferrall was not mangled, but his
face was horribly scalded, and blood
gushed from mouth. nostrils and eyes
and dishgured him so that several of
his friends failed to recognize him.
There was a large pile of sawdust a
few feet farther from the wood on
which he struck, and it is thought
taht il the conclusion did not kill him
outright, and the contact with the
lumber was partial cause of his death
that his life might have been saved
had he fallen in the sawdust.
1t was stated that Mr. Ferrall, while
operating a saw mill last year, had a
boiler to explode, but no one was in
jured. -
Mr.. Ferrall was 38 years of age
and was unmarried His mother. Mrs
l.. E. Ferrall and three sisters SUR
vive him. His sisters are: Mrs. Robert
Rogers and Mrs. Allen Rogers, who
live five miles northwest of Raleigh.
and Mrs. Robert e. Thompson, of
near Milbrook. The body was taken
TO the home of his sister, Mrs. Robert
Rogers yesterday afternoon at $50
o'clock, and the funeral will be held
this afternoon at o'clock at his old
home, eight miles northwest of Raj
eigh, and will be conducted by Rev.
r. S. Stephenson. He was a Mason
member of Neuse Lodge, No. 81, and
a large number of Masons will prob
ably attend the funeral He was a
member of Midway Baptist church, of
Neuse River township, seven miles
northwest of Raleigh
Mr.. Ferrall has been janitor of the
Capitol since 1902, and has given uni
versal satisfaction, and was liked by
everyone who knew him. He always
discharged his duties faithfully and
we'll. and was highly esteemed by the
Council of State, who employed him.