Submitted by JoAnn Beagle via FAX

Transcribed by Cathy Strickland Popp

4 December 1925, HEADLINES:

Five Meet Death in Boiler Explosion

E P Creel and four others of this city meet tragic death.

A terrific boiler explosion at the E P Creel Sawmill located on highway just west of Ponce de Leon yesterday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock took a death toll of five and wounded three others, almost completely wiped out the force of thirteen working men.  The dead are:

	E P Creel, 55, owner of the mill and a life-long resident of Bonifay.

	Walter Redman, 55, of Ponce de Leon, mechanic at the mill, survived by a wife and four children.

	William Jenkins, 35, Ponce de Leon, laborer, survived by a wife and four children.

	Wesely (DeDe) Smith, 40, fireman, survived by a wife and four children.

	Theodore Martin, of Ponce de Leon, 15 years of age, an orphan.

The injured are Elbert Whitehead of Ponce de Leon, Claude Redman of Bonifay, bruised about the head, Edgar McDonald, of Chipley, broken arm and foot.

Arthur Creel, son of E P Creel, was badly shocked but, otherwise unhurt, first reports were he was killed.

The exact cause of the explosion is not known, but it is believed that the boiler was out of water, and when the fireman turned water into the boiler it exploded.  Arthur Creel, said the indicator had shown a gage of water just a few minutes before the explosion.  But the indicator might have become clogged.  None of the men think the boiler was defective.

The explosion was heard for miles around and so terrific was the force of the combustion that hardly a trace of the plant was left.  Pieces of the boiler and parts of the machinery were found many feet from the mill.  A large piece of the boiler was hurled several yards through the air and cut the top from an oak nearby.

The mill had been in operation about ten days.  E P Creel, the owner, has been in the timber and sawmill business in this section practically all his life.  He was well known throughout West Fla.  He has a large circle of friends and business associates in Bonifay.  Left to mourn his loss is a wife and three small sons, as well as a daughter and six sons by a former marriage.  He is survived also by his aged mother, Mrs S A Creel and R W Creel, Clerk of Court.

Mr Creel was struck many times as shown by the bruises and contusions on his body.  One injury in itself fatal, was a large wound in the side.

Wesely Smith, the fireman, was instantly killed, by a blow which tore off the entire top of his head.  Redman was torn literally to pieces.  Both Jenkins and the Martin youth were killed instantly.

The remains of both Creel and Smith were brought to their home in Bonifay last yesterday afternoon, while the other victims were taken to their homes in Ponce de Leon.

The funeral of Mr Creel will take place at his home Saturday morning at 10:00 o'clock and the internment will be at the Bonifay Cemetery.

The funeral of Mr Smith will take place this afternoon, at the St John's Church south of Bonifay.