Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-11-08
To Learn
Cause of
Explosion

An investigation that promises to
be a long and tedious one, was begun
yesterday in the coroner's office in
reference to the explosion that took
place in the basement Of the Sleeves
building over a week ago. Attorney
John II. McNary conducted the lnvevs.
tigation into the cause of the horrible
catastrophe, which resulted in the
death Of three persons. Those who
lost their lives are W.. G. East, Harry
Ahlers and Isaac b., Muchmore,
Doctors Fairchlid and Robertson
were the first 10 testify, and their tes-
timony went to show that all three Of
the men came to their death as a re-
suit of injuries received in the explo-
sion, Questions were asked the physi-
clan as to the time that elapsed be-
tween the time Of the accident and the
deaths of the victims.
There were a number of heating
engineers and dealers in fixtures for
the purpose of heating buildings
summoned to testify before the jury,
among them being p. A, Williams, Of
the Pacific Heating Ventilating Co.,
and A, b. Strang, Of the asylum force.
The testimony of these two gentle
men, while II was not alike in all re-
spects, tended to prove that a boiler
such as the one used in this building
could not withstand such a shock as
would be received from turning cold
water into a heated, empty boiler.
Mrs. |. b. Muchmore, whose husband
was a victim Of the explosion, was
present and gave her testimony,
which, in all probability, is the most
valuable of any that will come before
the jury. The witness was almost
overcome by the heat of the room and
the great loss she has recently sus-
tanned, but finally settled down to
giving her testimony, which was, in
substance, as follows:
"At the time just preceding the ex-
plosion Mr., East, Mr.. Harry Ahlers
and Mr., Muchmore were in the boiler
room. Mr.. East seemed very excited,
and seemed not to know what he was
about. I saw a man about 60 years
old, should Judge, around the boiler.
He was a stranger to me. Later, when
Mr.. Muchmore was in the hospital he
said to me; The man told me that
he had no business in the boiler room,
but also told me he had just turned a
valve
at appeared that just before the
noon hour Mr.. East smelled smoke in
the bank office, and the same was mo-
ticeable in the printing office where
| was at the time, The smoke didn't
smell like that coming from burning
wood, but 1t had a peculiar odor. At
first 1t was a light haze, but grew
denser. What brought Mr.. Muchmore
into the boiler room in the first place
was to turn on the current to supply
the power to the press.
81 was in the boiler room, but went
through the door just before the ex-
plosion. I was about nine feet from
the door when the boiler burst. As
was going through the doorway, some
body opened the firebox of the heater,
but | didn't notice whether there was
an unusually large fire there or not.
Previously Mr.. East had stepped up to
the door Of the press room, and said
that he had never seen such a fire be-
fore.
He said that the flrebox was piled
full Of boxes clear to the top. Mr..
Muchmore also said whoever turned
that valve Indicating a valve) shut
off the water was practically UNI
Injured by the accident. Small pieces
of plaster fell on me, but did no harm.
I saw the partition between the two
rooms fall in when the explosion oc-
Cured"
The Inquest and investigation con-
sumed almost the entire afternoon, and
at 5 o'clock adjournment was had UNI
til 1 o'clock this afternoon, at which
time the investigation was resumed.
This forenoon the jury inspected the
premises where the explosion occur.
red, and also made a trip to the asy-
lum, where an exact duplicate Of the
heater Is in operation. It will prob.
ably require all this afternoon and
some Of tomorrow to complete the
work Of the investigation.