The Locomotive - Lighthouse Survival Blog

3 THE LOCOMOTIVE. [Januahy,
been employed as cook on the boat for some time. He was accustomed to have some
friends with him to pass the night. Tlie three men were seen preparing for bed by a
watchman aboard an adjoining vessel at 11 p.m. It is thought that they left the furnace
door closed, and so much steam was made that the boiler exploded, as the safety-valve
did not work. The escaping steam surrounded the men in their bunks, and they were
overpowered and scalded in sleep before they could awake. ^
Shingle Mill (188). At noon, on Nov. 1st, while the men were away at dinner, H.
McQuarrie's .saw and shingle mill in Buysville, Out., was blown up. It is a total wreck.
The larger portion of the boiler crossed the river and ])assed through James Smith's
dwelling-house. The inmates escaped without injury.
Saw Mill (189). On Nov. 1st two boilers exploded in Strader's saw and grist mill,
on Ben Creek, in Logan Co., near Parkersburgh, W. Va., tearing part of the mill to
pieces and killing and injuring several workmen. Elijah Jackson was struck by a piece
of one of the boilers and instantly killed, and Julius Robinson, another workman, was
struck on the head and fatally injured. Hiram Tyrrell had both legs broken, and Jerry
Kness was seriou.sly injured. Several other employes were also injured, but none of
them seriously.
Thresher (190). A threshing machine boiler exploded on Nov. 3d, on the farm of
Andrew Bowers, two miles from the town of Bath, near Aberdeen, S. D. For nearly
two days the engine had been undergoing repairs, and no threshing had been done. On
the day of the explosion it was steamed up "for the purpose of ascertaining whether
the break had been fully repaired." The owner of the engine, a Mr. Johnson, was act-
ing as engineer, and at the time of the exjilosion was on top of the boiler oiling the machinery.
He was not hurt in the least, nor was Frank Murphy, who was standing on
the front wheel of the engine; but Ed. Murphy, Peter Winger, and Ed. Hickey, who
were standing several feet from the front end of the boiler, were blown to atoms. The
fireman, Hans J. Hansen, had his shoulder broken, and was badly cut and scalded about
the face and body. At the time of the explosion the steam gauge registered 130 pounds.
"This was not thought to be more than the boiler could stand," says the account, "as
the engineer had been in the habit of carrying fully that much when the machine was at
work." This is the second boiler explosion that lias occurred in that vicinity within
two weeks. The previous one was briefly described in the December issue of The Lo-
comotive.
Brick Block (191). An explosion — presumably a boiler explosion — occurred on
Nov. 3d in the boiler room beneath the four-story brick block at the corner of Sheriff and
Huron .streets, Cleveland, O. It was followed by a slight fire, which was readily extinguished.
The damage from fire was about $100, but the stock of Weiner Bros., commission
merchants, on the first floor, was damaged by water to the extent of about
$1,400.
Thkesiier (192). On Nov. 5th the boiler of a threshing machine exploded on the
farm of Thomas Bowers, ten miles south of Waseca, Minn. Frank Western, the engi-
neer, was stooping down, coupling the engine, and was instantly killed. A Mr. Presnall
was struck on the forehead, and his scalp was torn off. Both of his eyes were injured,
but the attending physician is hopeful of saving one of them. James Henshaw was in-
jured also, though not seriously.
Hat Factory (193). The D. J. Larned building, corner of Ship and Riclimoud
streets, Providence, R. I., was the scene of a terrific explosion on Nov. 8tli. Tlie wreck.