The Meriden Message
Jefferson County
Friday
July 22, 1932
Threshing Engine In Blow-Up; Kills Two.
Horrible Tragedy Follows Accident Near Meriden.
O.C. Henderson, Farmer, and Earl Butts, Engineer, Are Killed--Several Others Are Injured.
The terrific explosion of a boiler on a threshing machine last Saturday brought death and ruin on a farm a mile and a quarter east of Meriden.
Two men are dead as result of the accident. O.C. HENDERSON, 61, prominent farmer near Meriden was killed instantly when the heavy engine struck him as he stood on a bundle wagon near the separator nearly 90 feet away. The great mass of flaming iron flashed through the air like the projectile from a big gun. Earl BUTTS, 42, another farmer of the vicinity, engineer of the crew, was hurled 100 feet away to crash to the ground virtually lifeless. He died in Christ's hospital several hours later.
The explosion occurred on the farm of Frank MAURER, where Willard RODECAP had brought his threshing machine to thresh oats. It is a miracle that no more of the crew were killed or injured in the sudden blast.
Butts, the engineer, replied to Rodecap's question that pressure was 135 pounds. He then poured in cold water, and the explosion followed. Little is left of the boiler and engine.
It is evident that the boiler was dry, and that Butts thought he had plenty of water.
When the boiler blew up, flinging the engine a hundred feet away, and shooting scalding steam for yards, bundle wagons caught on fire, the straw stack back of the separator ignited, teams galloped madly in pain and fright, while the crew of men, dazed, shocked and burned, tried to collect themselves and bring order out of the chaos. Meriden business men, hastily summoned, applied what first aid was necessary, until an ambulance arrived to take Butts to the hospital.
The heavy engine which struck Henderson, miraculously cleared Lawrence McCALL, a youthful member of the crew, who stood directly in front of it. The engine went over the team on Henderson's wagon and landed on the team immediately back of his outfit. One horse was crushed, and a leg torn off the other. Both men were killed when the rescuers arrived. The driver who was on the wagon was knocked to the ground by the blast of air created by the engine.
Henderson's team ran away, but was caught' another team ran far to the east pulling a flaming bundle wagon. Four wagons were on fire and the straw blazing when help arrived. None of the crew is very coherent about the accident, because of its terrifying suddenness.
Funeral services were held for O.C. Henderson at the Methodist church Monday afternoon, a large crowd attending.
Burial was in the Meriden cemetery. He had been prominent around Meriden for many years, and is survived by his wife, a daughter, Mrs. Ross CAMPBELL, Leavenworth; two sons, George, Topeka, and Raymond, Meriden.
Services for Earl Butts were held at Shellenbarger's funeral home in Topeka, Wednesday afternoon, and burial was in Rochester cemetery.
He came to Meriden from near Topeka.
He is survived by his wife, two children, and two sisters, Mrs. Carl ABLE, Big Springs, and Miss Cornfort Butts, Meriden.
Jefferson County
Friday
July 22, 1932
Threshing Engine In Blow-Up; Kills Two.
Horrible Tragedy Follows Accident Near Meriden.
O.C. Henderson, Farmer, and Earl Butts, Engineer, Are Killed--Several Others Are Injured.
The terrific explosion of a boiler on a threshing machine last Saturday brought death and ruin on a farm a mile and a quarter east of Meriden.
Two men are dead as result of the accident. O.C. HENDERSON, 61, prominent farmer near Meriden was killed instantly when the heavy engine struck him as he stood on a bundle wagon near the separator nearly 90 feet away. The great mass of flaming iron flashed through the air like the projectile from a big gun. Earl BUTTS, 42, another farmer of the vicinity, engineer of the crew, was hurled 100 feet away to crash to the ground virtually lifeless. He died in Christ's hospital several hours later.
The explosion occurred on the farm of Frank MAURER, where Willard RODECAP had brought his threshing machine to thresh oats. It is a miracle that no more of the crew were killed or injured in the sudden blast.
Butts, the engineer, replied to Rodecap's question that pressure was 135 pounds. He then poured in cold water, and the explosion followed. Little is left of the boiler and engine.
It is evident that the boiler was dry, and that Butts thought he had plenty of water.
When the boiler blew up, flinging the engine a hundred feet away, and shooting scalding steam for yards, bundle wagons caught on fire, the straw stack back of the separator ignited, teams galloped madly in pain and fright, while the crew of men, dazed, shocked and burned, tried to collect themselves and bring order out of the chaos. Meriden business men, hastily summoned, applied what first aid was necessary, until an ambulance arrived to take Butts to the hospital.
The heavy engine which struck Henderson, miraculously cleared Lawrence McCALL, a youthful member of the crew, who stood directly in front of it. The engine went over the team on Henderson's wagon and landed on the team immediately back of his outfit. One horse was crushed, and a leg torn off the other. Both men were killed when the rescuers arrived. The driver who was on the wagon was knocked to the ground by the blast of air created by the engine.
Henderson's team ran away, but was caught' another team ran far to the east pulling a flaming bundle wagon. Four wagons were on fire and the straw blazing when help arrived. None of the crew is very coherent about the accident, because of its terrifying suddenness.
Funeral services were held for O.C. Henderson at the Methodist church Monday afternoon, a large crowd attending.
Burial was in the Meriden cemetery. He had been prominent around Meriden for many years, and is survived by his wife, a daughter, Mrs. Ross CAMPBELL, Leavenworth; two sons, George, Topeka, and Raymond, Meriden.
Services for Earl Butts were held at Shellenbarger's funeral home in Topeka, Wednesday afternoon, and burial was in Rochester cemetery.
He came to Meriden from near Topeka.
He is survived by his wife, two children, and two sisters, Mrs. Carl ABLE, Big Springs, and Miss Cornfort Butts, Meriden.
The Meriden Message
Jefferson County
Friday
July 22, 1932
Threshing Engine In Blow-Up; Kills Two.
Horrible Tragedy Follows Accident Near Meriden.
O.C. Henderson, Farmer, and Earl Butts, Engineer, Are Killed--Several Others Are Injured.
The terrific explosion of a boiler on a threshing machine last Saturday brought death and ruin on a farm a mile and a quarter east of Meriden.
Two men are dead as result of the accident. O.C. HENDERSON, 61, prominent farmer near Meriden was killed instantly when the heavy engine struck him as he stood on a bundle wagon near the separator nearly 90 feet away. The great mass of flaming iron flashed through the air like the projectile from a big gun. Earl BUTTS, 42, another farmer of the vicinity, engineer of the crew, was hurled 100 feet away to crash to the ground virtually lifeless. He died in Christ's hospital several hours later.
The explosion occurred on the farm of Frank MAURER, where Willard RODECAP had brought his threshing machine to thresh oats. It is a miracle that no more of the crew were killed or injured in the sudden blast.
Butts, the engineer, replied to Rodecap's question that pressure was 135 pounds. He then poured in cold water, and the explosion followed. Little is left of the boiler and engine.
It is evident that the boiler was dry, and that Butts thought he had plenty of water.
When the boiler blew up, flinging the engine a hundred feet away, and shooting scalding steam for yards, bundle wagons caught on fire, the straw stack back of the separator ignited, teams galloped madly in pain and fright, while the crew of men, dazed, shocked and burned, tried to collect themselves and bring order out of the chaos. Meriden business men, hastily summoned, applied what first aid was necessary, until an ambulance arrived to take Butts to the hospital.
The heavy engine which struck Henderson, miraculously cleared Lawrence McCALL, a youthful member of the crew, who stood directly in front of it. The engine went over the team on Henderson's wagon and landed on the team immediately back of his outfit. One horse was crushed, and a leg torn off the other. Both men were killed when the rescuers arrived. The driver who was on the wagon was knocked to the ground by the blast of air created by the engine.
Henderson's team ran away, but was caught' another team ran far to the east pulling a flaming bundle wagon. Four wagons were on fire and the straw blazing when help arrived. None of the crew is very coherent about the accident, because of its terrifying suddenness.
Funeral services were held for O.C. Henderson at the Methodist church Monday afternoon, a large crowd attending.
Burial was in the Meriden cemetery. He had been prominent around Meriden for many years, and is survived by his wife, a daughter, Mrs. Ross CAMPBELL, Leavenworth; two sons, George, Topeka, and Raymond, Meriden.
Services for Earl Butts were held at Shellenbarger's funeral home in Topeka, Wednesday afternoon, and burial was in Rochester cemetery.
He came to Meriden from near Topeka.
He is survived by his wife, two children, and two sisters, Mrs. Carl ABLE, Big Springs, and Miss Cornfort Butts, Meriden.
Jefferson County
Friday
July 22, 1932
Threshing Engine In Blow-Up; Kills Two.
Horrible Tragedy Follows Accident Near Meriden.
O.C. Henderson, Farmer, and Earl Butts, Engineer, Are Killed--Several Others Are Injured.
The terrific explosion of a boiler on a threshing machine last Saturday brought death and ruin on a farm a mile and a quarter east of Meriden.
Two men are dead as result of the accident. O.C. HENDERSON, 61, prominent farmer near Meriden was killed instantly when the heavy engine struck him as he stood on a bundle wagon near the separator nearly 90 feet away. The great mass of flaming iron flashed through the air like the projectile from a big gun. Earl BUTTS, 42, another farmer of the vicinity, engineer of the crew, was hurled 100 feet away to crash to the ground virtually lifeless. He died in Christ's hospital several hours later.
The explosion occurred on the farm of Frank MAURER, where Willard RODECAP had brought his threshing machine to thresh oats. It is a miracle that no more of the crew were killed or injured in the sudden blast.
Butts, the engineer, replied to Rodecap's question that pressure was 135 pounds. He then poured in cold water, and the explosion followed. Little is left of the boiler and engine.
It is evident that the boiler was dry, and that Butts thought he had plenty of water.
When the boiler blew up, flinging the engine a hundred feet away, and shooting scalding steam for yards, bundle wagons caught on fire, the straw stack back of the separator ignited, teams galloped madly in pain and fright, while the crew of men, dazed, shocked and burned, tried to collect themselves and bring order out of the chaos. Meriden business men, hastily summoned, applied what first aid was necessary, until an ambulance arrived to take Butts to the hospital.
The heavy engine which struck Henderson, miraculously cleared Lawrence McCALL, a youthful member of the crew, who stood directly in front of it. The engine went over the team on Henderson's wagon and landed on the team immediately back of his outfit. One horse was crushed, and a leg torn off the other. Both men were killed when the rescuers arrived. The driver who was on the wagon was knocked to the ground by the blast of air created by the engine.
Henderson's team ran away, but was caught' another team ran far to the east pulling a flaming bundle wagon. Four wagons were on fire and the straw blazing when help arrived. None of the crew is very coherent about the accident, because of its terrifying suddenness.
Funeral services were held for O.C. Henderson at the Methodist church Monday afternoon, a large crowd attending.
Burial was in the Meriden cemetery. He had been prominent around Meriden for many years, and is survived by his wife, a daughter, Mrs. Ross CAMPBELL, Leavenworth; two sons, George, Topeka, and Raymond, Meriden.
Services for Earl Butts were held at Shellenbarger's funeral home in Topeka, Wednesday afternoon, and burial was in Rochester cemetery.
He came to Meriden from near Topeka.
He is survived by his wife, two children, and two sisters, Mrs. Carl ABLE, Big Springs, and Miss Cornfort Butts, Meriden.
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