The Locomotive - Lighthouse Survival Blog

38 'i^il^ LOCOMOTl V i:. [Makcu,
(14.) — Ou the morning of January 13th, a boiler exploded in Stoddard & Moslander"s
mill in Evanston, Wyoming, but fortunately nobody was injured. The loss was
heavy on account of the large orders that were waiting to be filled.
(15.) — The boiler in the Tower manufacturing works at Mendota, near Pawpaw,
111., exploded on January 14th. The engineer, James Maxwell, was killed, and two
other men were seriously hurt. The building was wrecked, and Mr. Tower estimates
liis loss at f15,000. A portion of the boiler is said to have torn through a heavy ly-iek
wall and landed a quarter of a mile away.
(16.) — A Mr. Mears w^as painfully injured in Aurora, 111., on January 14th, by the
blowing out of a plug in a boiler in Corbett & Stadler's shop.
(17.) — On January IGtli, a boiler exploded in the Kelley mill in Muncic, lud. Nobody
was hurt, because the ex^^losion took place in the night. Tlie mill was damaged
to the extent of some $3,000. It is supposed that the natural gas which was used for
fuel was turned on in some way during the night, perhaps by tramps who wished to
warm themselves.
(18.) — A boiler exploded in Des Moines, Iowa, on January lljtli, in a building
standing on the corner of Fourth and Vine Streets. The main drive belt had broken,
and engineer W. C. Lippencott had shut down the engine and left it in charge of an
assistant while he mended the break. A few minutes later the explosion occurred. The
dome of one of the boilers was blown southwest to a distance of 100 feet. It passed up
through the roof, and after going over another building struck tlie ground near the Des
Moines Union tracks. The roof of the boiler-house was entirely blown away, and the
lieavy brick walls were shattered and a great deal of debris thrown about.
(19.) — A small boiler exploded in John Daley's saloon on North Second Street,
J-hiladelphia, on January 17th. Damage slight. Xolwdy hurt.
(20.) — On January 17th, a boiler exploded in Fort Dodge. Iowa, blowing the engi-
neer twenty-iive feet into the air and lauding him in a snow-bank, unlun-t. The boiler
Avas blown to fragments, and wrecked everything in its path.
(21.) —A boiler explosion occurred in a factory in Hamburgh, X. Y., on January 17th.
The setting was blown down, but otherwise little damage was done. Nobody hurt.
(22.) — Hills, McLean & Williams's big establishment in Binghamton, N. Y., was
the scene of an ex])losion on January 20th. The property loss was about $1,000, and no
person was injured.
(23.) — The steamer Charles Me Will ia/ns Mt Bridgeport, Conn., on January 2()th,
with a small tow bound for New Haven. She had hardly reached tlie outer harbor when
lier boiler exploded. She was taken l)ack to Bridgeport for repairs.
(24.) — A portable boiler exploded on January 21st, a short distance from Leeds,
near Kansas City, Mo. Fragments of tlie boiler and of the shed in which it stood flew
in every direction. Engineer Frank E. Hunt was struck by tlie head of the boiler and
instantly killed. His skull was fractured. Timothy Dwyer also had liis skull fractured
and died shortly afterwards. George Ileiuy and C. F. ]\Iillcr were hit In' flying timbers
and severely but not fatally injured.
(25.) — On January 21st, a boiler exploded in Dean it Burt's mill, in Owego. near
Binghamton, N. Y. The mill was somewhat damaged, but fortunately nol)ody wa-< in
it at the time, and there were no injuries to person.