The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-10-27
Fearful Nitro -Glycerine RI
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Fearful Nitro Glycerine RG-
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+ The Magazine at the East End OF the
| Hoosac Tunnel blown Up-Three
Lives Lost. aei-selo = .d9r.:
On Saturday morning, at ten
O'Clock, the employees at east end OF
the Hoosac tunnel were startled and
deafened by tremendous explosions
in the Cascade ravine, situated about
fifty rods from the entrance of the
tunnel. Mr.. Parker, foreman ma.
chinist, and Mr.. Ayers, superintendent
of machinery, were near the compress
sor building, and feeling the explosion
hurried toward the rayine, perceived
I, a column of debris, like cloud; circl-
ing some three hundred feet high, be-
tween the steep sides of the rayine.
Mr.. .Holven foreman of the works,
who was the mouth of the tunnel, the
instant he perceived the direction the
splinters were taking, hurried to the
spot, and found one of the blasters,
Lamontaine, lying on the ground,
mortaliy wounded and distant about
thirty feet from the spot where the
magazine had been. Lamontaire was.
bleeding from mouth, nose and breast,
but sensible, and said, "The two-oth-,
ers are in he magazine" An iron
kettle over a wood fire, gipsy fashion.
was undisturbed and full Of water.
boiling rapidly. The fire was burn
ing briskly bat not disturbed. A srea:,
ter of twenty feet diameter and fv6
feet deep was all that was left to mark
where the magazine once stood, and
the side of, the ravine was stripped Of
every particle of yerdure. On attempt
ing to move the injured man, Lamon.
taine, he said, clay me down; you
hurt me In fifteen minutes he ex-
pired .aasf.. .r iH ie
Search was made for the remains Of
the two other, men-Lamontaine;
brother of deceased, and McDuH,
brother-in-law but only the scalp and
a portion Of the skull attached of
Lamontaine, with a few fractur-
ed bones and portions Of clothing.
could be discovered, but no particle
of clothing belonging to McDuf could
be identified, The magazine was con-
verted. into rminute splinters.7 The
clothing found was torn into shreds,
but not apparently burned.
On Wednesday preceding the day
Of the explosion 513 lbs. of nitro gly-
eerine had been delivered from. the
west end into the magazine, and at
that time it was estimated there was
about two or three days consumption
on hand. The door of the powder
magazine, situated about thirty rods
from the nitro -glycerine magazine.
which had been securely fastened and
padlocked. was wrenched by the viol-
ence ofthe shock, and found wide open.
1t contained about 900 kegs of pow
der, none of (which had been disturbed.
The windows. of miners scanty, about
forty rods from the magazine, were
blown out and the door torn open.
The skylights of the boiler-houseand
steam compressors were driven out.
There not being vestige of the
magazine left, the immediate cause
of the explosion can not be ascertain
ed. The nitro -glycerine delivered ON
Wednesday was CONCEALED solid with
ice and salt, to insure safe transpor-
tation-; and it is knewn that one of
the Lamontaines had requested .
fellow miner to assist him in thawing
out the contents of the cans, for, as
he observed, "We are late, and have
to hurry up" Fortunately, or un-
fortunately. the man feeling tired, re-
fused. It is knswn that McDuf
felt not the slightest uneasiness: in
handling nitro-glycerihe, and the La
montaines : were influenced by his
views. Indeed, McDuf's efforts to
convince his fellow miners Of the per-
feet safety of nitro -glyceriue frequent.
ly elected cautionary remarks from
them. It maybe possible that being
late, hurryiiig UP, and tie nitro-glycer
inc being thoroughly frozen and d
non-conductor, fact not sufficiently
appreciated by McDuff he may have
neglected the precaution necessary In
thawing out, and has paid the penalty
of his life in consequence. The above
accident with nitrosglycerine is the
first that has occurredat the Hoosae
tunnel, where upwards of 10, 900
pounds has been used, in charges va
rying from four ounces to pound
and half EACH. Over $4,000 charg!
es have been fired without accident
and esith efficient results in removing
the cocks. Hereafter all operations
in tasskmagazine will Jbe- performed,
by aisKilled, trained hand, and no
miner will be allowed to enter the inr
ner magazine. I'D :.