Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-04-10
From the N. Y. jour. Of Commerce, Mar. rs.
HORRIBLE CATASTROPHE.

Gle. The accident occurred at the
black and white smith shop of Edward
Duvall, No. l02 Charlton street.
Itappears that Mr.. Duvall, young
man III the prime of his life, being a
bout 33 years old, has been doing a
considerable work for the light house
at Sandy Hook, and while engaged in
the performance of it, he employed the
fishermen resident in the neighborhood,
to collect the cannon balls and bomb
shells which are frequently found burr
ed in the sand or rolled up by the surf,
which he agreed to purchase as old
iron. During yesterday, load Of the
above articles were brought to Mr..
DuyalI's shop, and on examination the
latter found that some ofthe shells We're
yet loaded, and before taking them in
to the house, he proceeded 10 empty
them Of the composition. This was
about 8 O'Clock IN the afternoon. Mr..
DuvaIl proceeding to empty the shells,
took one, said to be Of the shape of an
egg, about "a inches long, upon his
lap, sitting on seat which he procu-
red on the side walk, and with stick
loosened the composition, he shook
on upon the walk between his feet
While thus engaged, the shell, which
was made of cast iron, exploded with
tremendous report, killing Mr.. Du-
yal and two others instantly, and Sc
verely wounding several others. Mr..
DuvaIl's arms were both entirely blown
off, his right leg was taken off at the
knee, a horrible hole was blown through
his abdomen, and the whole body was
more or less injured. He lived in the
upper part Of the house wherein was
has shop, and has left wife and one
child to mourn his loss, as also a large
circle Of friends.
Mr.. Aaron Q. Price, builder, Of No.
rs Thompson street, aged about 50,
and who is now engaged iii building
the Grace churcil's new house Of wor-
ship in Broadway, was passing shortly
before the accident, il a one-horse
Rockaway wagon, On his way to the
North r.ver, where he was expecting a
cargo Of stone from Sing Sing, and 10
sing a Iinchpin from his wagan, stop
ped at Mr.. Duvall's, and while the wag-
on was being repaired, he was engaged
in conversation with the unfortunate
proprietor when the explosion took
place. He received blow on the back
of his head from piece Of the shell,
breaking in the entire back of his skull,
causing instant death. When found
he laid on the sidewalk with his hands
in his side pockets entirely llfeless.-
HIS horse, a valuable one, was stand
ing in front of the door,a a piece Of
the shell struck him on the side Of his
head, taking it entirely off; the same
fraction Of the shell passed across the
street, took large piece out Of the
cave gutter Of the house, and glancing
off the singled peak fell at some dis
lance beyond, Mr.. Price has left a
wife and two children to mourn the I'M
timely death ofthe husband and father.
Richard Broderick, lad about II,
residing at the corner of King and
Hudson streets, was passing at the
time, with young associate by the
name of Be nnett, and stopped mo-
ment, picked up some of the compost
lion, and was arrested by death, being
instantly killed by piece of the shell,
which struck him on the right side of
the neck, Just on the edge Of the cheek,
making a wound about two inches in
diameter, severing the jugular vein,
which killed him also instantly. His
cloths were much burned, and his 5o-
dy dreadfully mangled.
Robert Bennett, step-son Of Abra-
ham Noses, No. $50 Hudson street,
was in company with Broderick, and
was thrown into the air several feet,
falling in such a manner as to severe
ly cut his lip. Both his legs were bro
ken above the knee, and dreadfully
n1anpled, SO that one must be amputa-
ted; ne o1her may be saved. II NOR
LITIGATION does nat set in, his life may
be saved. He is perfectly conscious,
and has been SO all the time since the
disaster. These are all that we can
hear of with any degree of certainty
It is said that cartman who was pas
sing at the time, had an arm blown
off, and another young man was much
injured. The report ofthe explosion
was heard at the distance at eight
squares. The glass in the windows
on goth sides Of the street is more or
less broken from Hudson street to the
River. A piece of the iron weighing
two pounds, is said to have fallen on
the corner of Varick and Carmine
street; another piece weighing about
10 pounds few towards the River,
and entering the Office of George La
land, pork and provision packet, cor
ner Of Washington and Charlton streets,