Harrodsburg, IN Steam Boiler Explosion, July 1884

THE DEADLY STEAM BOILER.

THREE MEN KILLED BY A BOILER EXPLOSION AND FOUR OTHERS MORTALLY INJURED.

Bloomington (Ind.) dispatch.
A terrible boiler explosion occurred near Harrodsburg, this county, causing the instant death of three persons, and perhaps fatally injuring four others. The shock could be heard for miles. Soon after the noise neighbors began gathering from every direction. When they reached the place a fearful spectacle presented itself. For yards about heavy timbers were thrown, and pieces of the boiler were scattered for hundreds of feet. It seems that a new inspirator had recently been placed on the engine, which would not work, and it exploded while experimenting.
WESLEY CARTER, head engineer, was instantly killed. When found he was lying under a pile of rubbish. He had been thrown over thirty feet. His head had been almost blown from his body, and both arms were broken. He was a single man.
Near him lay his son, dead, his breast terribly lacerated, the skull broken, and one leg almost blown off. He died instantly.
The most pitiful sight of all was old BILLY GRAVES, who had only a few minutes before come over to the mill. He was standing near the boiler watching CARTER'S experiment when the explosion occurred. He lay fifty feet away, his head almost torn from his body, his legs broken, and pieces of the metal had pierced through his breast. When found he was alive, but soon died. He was one of the best citizens of the neighborhood.
BILLY GRAVES, his son, an employe of the mill, was also badly injured about the shoulder. His head was bruised terribly, and it is feared he cannot recover.
JOHN REED, another employe, was injured in the same way, though not seriously. He was thrown in the air twenty feet while working at the saws.
A MR. COLLINS, a stranger employed in the mill only a few days, was injured so that he can hardly recover. His arm is broken and pieces of the metal entered his abdomen.
Another fatally injured is JOHN FODDRILL, an old man employed in the mill. He is injured about the head and breast, and, at this writing, is resting easily, but there are fears that he is internally injured.
A workman named CALAHAM is seriously hurt about the back, though the physicians say not necessarily fatal.
All the injured were carried to a house near by and a number of physicians lent the best aid possible. Three only of the men employed were injured, being in the rear of the mill.

Carroll Sentinel Iowa 1884-07-25
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!