NP, MAP 6/25/1863

From the Memphis Appeal
 
June 25, 1863
 
Frightful Explosion of a Boiler
   A few minutes past one o'clock yesterday, the boiler of the South Carolina railroad machine shop, Meeting street, corner of Columbus, exploded with fearful effect, instantly killing a young lad named Henry G. Randall, about fourteen years old and injuring severely three other persons. The explosion took place just as the machinery had been put in motion after dinner, and it is supposed was caused by lack of water in the boiler. The boiler, a large and heavy one, weighing several thousand pounds, was hurled far a distance of some fifty or sixty yards, demolishing in its course the brick building which inclosed it, a brick wall on the south side of Columbus street, the foundry of the machine shop, a wooden fence  on the north side of the street, and finally lodged in a wooden house on this side, showing ??? it was protruded at an angle of about forty-five degrees from its position in the boiler house. This house was occupied by Mr. Jas. Randall, and it was his little son who fell a victim. The east side of the building, through which the boiler entered, is entirely destroyed, and the whole dwelling is badly shattered. Young Randall was in the dining room, sitting at the table, his father and another member of the family having left only a few moments previous. Mrs. Lawton, the housekeeper of the family, sustained some injury, but not of a serious character. Private John Ashley, Company E, Colonel Keitt's regiment, was driving a wagon past the building at the time, and received some serious but not dangerous contusions in the head and right shoulder, from fragments of brick. He was thrown from the wagon, and was taken in the Wayside hospital, where he was attended to by Dr. Dobby. The only person injured in the machine shop was the colored fireman, who had seven of his ribs fractured. Some portions of bricks and iron bolts pierced the east end of the house next west of Mr. Randall's, but, fortunately, the room through which the missiles entered was vacant at the time.
Charleston Mercury

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