Montgomery County, Ohio
 | The Evening News |
The following article, including headlines, appeared on the front page of "The Evening News."
BLOWN TO BITS
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Fearful Explosion at the County Infirmary.
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A Boiler Used In Supplying
Steam for the Drilling
of Wells Lets Go.
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Two Inmates of the Institution
Working Close to the Boiler
Meet Their Death in
Terrible Guise.
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One Has the Top of His Skull Crushed
While the Other Victim is Hurled
into a Wall Some Distance
Away and is Drowned.
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Contractor Johnson Blown Quite a Dis-
tance, but Not Seriously Hurt.
Well-Driller Ulmer Has a Leg
Broken--Inmate Hoolan Is
Seriously Out--Miraculous
Escape of Others.
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The Dead
PEARL RHODES, another inmate, aged 28. Injured, knocked into a well and drowned.
Injured
FREDERICK ULMER, Dayton well driver, right leg broken above knee.
WM. JOHNSON, Dayton contractor, cut and bruised.
Unprecedented in the history of local fatalities was the frightful boiler explosion and its attendant results at the County Infirmary, five miles west of the city, this morning.
In the twinkling of an eye two souls were waited into eternity and simultaneously two workmen were seriously but not necessarily fatally injured.
The accident was remarkable in its peculiarity, and all things considered, in the limitation of the number of the dead and injured. With a score or more inmates within a few paces of the scene of the explosion, it seems wonderful and truly providential that consequences wee not more startling of harrowing.
Dead and Injured
Pearl Rhodes, a young man 28 years old, who has been in the infirmary only since August 27th, and who for years past has been a resident of Madison township, was the other victim. Like Butonhorne, he was engaged about the well when the boiler let go with fatal effects.
James Hoolan, an Irish inmate, received a deep cut in the right hip, which extends into the abdomen. It is a serious injury, though it is hardly thought it will result in his death. He is a middle-aged man and was working also of his own free will.
Frederick Ulmer, a Dayton well-driller, in the employ of Contractor Wm. Johnson, received a broken right leg above the knee. He is a man of 55 years, and the injury will consequently fall heavily upon him. Ulmer resides at 46 Vine street with his wife and family, and has been employed by Mr. Johnson for years.
William Johnson, contractor, who had in charge the drilling of wells at the Infirmary, was hurled twenty-five feet and severely cut and bruised, though not even temporarily disabled. His escape was phenomenal and most fortunate.
Charles A. and Fred Johnson, sons of the contractor were in close proximity but both miraculously escaped with a single scratch or bruise.
How It Happened
Contractor Johnson had been engaged for the past fortnight at the Infirmary and in that immediate vicinity. Today he removed his derrick and engine to a well in the rear of the insane ward and the Infirmary kitchen, with the intention of lowering stone for paving purposes. However, it was discovered that there were eight feet of water in the well and it became necessary first to empty it of its contents.Preparations were in progress for a continuance of this work when the boiler--undoubtedly a defective and insecure one--exploded with terrific force. In a moment's time the north side of the brick building containing the insane wards as badly demolished, while two lives paid the forfeit.
It was as first supposed that more than a dozen were injured, and, in short, it was an hour or more before the definite situation evolved from chaos. The inmates of the insane ward became almost uncontrollable, and for a time a serious panic was feared. However, the management prevented such a contingency.
The authorities carried on the work of rescue and assistance quickly and methodically.
Rescuing The Injured
The injured were assisted at once. Hoolan and Ulmer were the most seriously hurt and ... came to them first. Both were removed to comfortable wards and the Infirmary's physician sent for.Mr. Johnson, of 16 Brady street, this city, though carried in the air a considerable distance and landed forcibly, escaped practically without material injury. He was able to assist in the rescue in a few minutes.
Butonhorne's Head Crushed
Butonhorne, the elder of the two dead persons, was found beneath a pile of debris within a few feet of the engine. His head was frightfully crushed, the entire top of the skull being mashed into a jelly. He was killed outright.Rhodes' death was especially peculiar. It is possible that he sustained a fracture of the head, while his left leg was mashed. it seems that the force of the explosion knocked him into the well, which contained eight feet of water, and he met his death directly by drowning, though it is not probable that he would have lived with such injuries.
He was dead when first discovered and all hopes of rescuing him alive were abandoned early. The body was secured, however, without delay. He was reared, when a boy, in the Children's Home in this city.
Only Twenty-One Pounds of Steam
Contractor Johnson is at a loss to explain the cause of the accident, unless it was that the boiler was defective. There were but twenty-one pounds of steam registered, and there was not sufficient steam to admit of the hoisting of the bucket. It was while arranging the preliminaries for this work that the engine gave forth the awful report that sounded the death-knell to the victims.Butonhorne and Rhodes, the two victims, had voluntarily obtained pitcher pumps and were operating them, emptying the well of its contents by this slow process at the time of the explosion. They were in reality at the very end of the death-dealing boiler and in this way received the full shock.
The engine was a portable one, and belonged to Martin Wolf. It was rented by Contractor Johnson, who disclaims any knowledge of its defectiveness. He considered it perfectly sound, and had used it for a week or more. It was of the Yaho make.
Property Loss
The property loss is not great. A good-sized hole was knocked out of the north end of the kitchen and tin pans and cooking utensils could be counted by the score. Curiously they were not displaced but hung in faultless order. The work of repair was at once begun this afternoon.
Reports in the City
As usual, reports were greatly exaggerated and it was really 12 o'clock before definite information could be obtained. Sup't. W. M. Bryant was in the city at the time.Coroner Corbin arrived at the scene this afternoon, while Dr. G. C. Meyers and the Infirmary physician arrived shortly after 2 o'clock to attend to the injured.