Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1901 — FATAL EXPLOSION. [ARTICLE]

FATAL EXPLOSION.

Sheldon Electrric Light Plant Demolished and One of the Managers Killed. On Wednesday evening of last ■week the boiler in the electric plant at Sheldon, 111., blew up and C. E. Pawley, one of the proprietors, was instantly killed and L. D. Snow, cashier of the Sheldon bank, and Frank Slavik of Chicago, agent fpr the Traders’ insurance company, were seriously injured, the latter probably fatally. Snow and Slavik had just gone to the plant to look it over for the purpose of writing some insurance on it, and were standing ontside the door when the explosion occured. The force of the explosion was terrible, pieces of the debris being carried over 1,000 feet, while the boiler dome weighing several hundred pounds, was carried (500 feet and buried itself in the park, stripping the trees of their branches in its flight. Those who saw it flying through the air, “claim that it was up nearly 200 feet. The building, which was of brick, was completely wrecked, and Pawley's bcdy is said to have been perforated with some of the flying pieces. His body was terribly mutilated, being reduced to a pulp, while the arms and legs were broken and the back of the head blown otf. Snow was badly hurt about the head and face by flying brick and presented a pitiable sight, but will recover. Slavin was horribly bruised about the head and badly scalded, and it was not thought that he could recover at last accounts. The boiler is supposed to have been defective.