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BOILER EXPLODES IN SEABOARD SHOPS; HAMLET... 1912

Posted: Wed July 3, 2013, 9:18 am
by Bruce Osburn
News item taken from the KEOWEE COURIER, Pickens Court House, S.C. January 1, 1913.

BOILER BURSTS; NINE KILLED.
FEARFUL DISASTER IN SEABOARD AIR LINE SHOPS IN HAMLET, N.C.
Hamlet, N.C., Dec. 28. — Nine men, three white and six negroes, were killed here to-day when a stationary boiler at the Seaboard Air Line shops exploded with terrific force. The dead are Charles B. Utter, general round-house foreman; William Utter, a brother; H.G. Reynolds, electrician; Charlie Ledbetter, Jim Powers, Ed Gilchrist, Will Ballentine, John Thompson and John Morrison, negro helpers.

Charles B. and William Utter reached the round-house a few minutes before 7 o'clock to work on the injector of the boiler that had been reported in trouble. They were inspecting the boiler when the explosion took place. Both men were directly in front of the boiler, and their bodies were so badly mangled that it was necessary to use shovels in removing them. Mr. Reynolds, the electrician, was in the dynamo room and was killed by the force of the explosion and tumbling walls. All the negroes were in the wash room.

So great was the explosion that most of the machine shops were practically demolished. One section of the boiler was blown through an 18-inch wall and carried more than 500 feet. The body of Ledbetter was blown 200 feet.

Re: BOILER EXPLODES IN SEABOARD SHOPS; HAMLET... 1912

Posted: Fri July 12, 2013, 10:14 pm
by robertareier
Have a picture of the boiler explosion with my grandfather Charles B Utter and his brother William Utter.When going thru papers located it.