Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-10-22
A FRIGHTFUL EXPERIMENT


Was tried with gunpowder at Bevdere, in
Warren County, n. J. on Friday afternoon,
which threatened the most fatal consequences
to several individuals. The case as stated by
the Journal shows remarkable temerity on the
part of the persons concerned and the result
is traught with profitable warning:
1t appears that a large hollow iron shaft for
a water wheel was cast some months since at
the foundry of David P. Kenyon, in Belvidere
which proving defective, was removed to
hollow about quarter Oft mile from the vii
lage for the purpose Of being burs. to pieces
with powder, in order that the fragments might
be melted down and cas-. over. This was at
tempted on Friday afternoon-Mr. X and
some of his workmen charged it with several
pounds OF powder and forced in an iron bail
weighing - lbs, by the side OF which
they drove in large iron wedge, supposing
that when the powder should be exploded the
ball would be forced along the wedge, until be-
coming obstructcd, the expansive force of the
powder would burst the shaft asunder. Having
no idea that the ball could possibly escape, they
were careless, and in the opinion of most per-
sons, bameably careless, of the direction in
which the cylindrical shaft was pointed. As it
happened, it was aimed towards the village.
The match was applied; an explosion follow
ed.-But instead of bursting the shaft, the ball
and wedge were forced out with irresistible vi.
olencc, the ball being hurled in the direction
of Mr.. Craig's Hotel In It's route it passed
near the head of one of the persons who had
been concerned in loading the shaft struck
the earth in the street south o. the Court
House, near were some boys were playing
thence glanced upward, passed through the
roof of the shed in the rear of Mr.. Craig's pre-
misses; dashed through window in the second
story of the house, through the partition which
separates the back and front rooms, forced its
way out through the front of the house, and tell
to the ground a few rods distant Near where
1t fell some persons were passing, and some
children were playing, but none of them was
injured. In the front room through which the
ball passed, George w. Smyth, Esq, his lady,
and a young lady, were sitting at the time
The ball went little to the from, of Mr. Smyth
and directly over the head OF Mrs Smyrh
missing her by only few inches. She had
just resumed her seat, having the minute before
been standing in point blank range of the shot
which would certainly have dashed her to pec-
es. AS it was, her head was covered with dust
and fragments of the shattered wall, aud she
was stunned with the concusson of the air
which was so great to force out severa
panes of glass from the window near her. Or
the whole, however, she sustained no serious
injury; most providential circumstance.
The conduct of Mrs. Smyth ON this trying
occasion was cool, calm and collected, a lord
! ing an example worthy Of imitation by her sex
She neither screamed, tainted, nor went int,
! hystericks, but seemed less anxious for her owl
| personal safety than for that of her husband
! The first word she uttered was to enquire whe
| ther he was hurt, even before she could deter
mine whether or not she was hene'f seriously
injured