The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-02
NITRO.GLYCERINE.
Three Men Killed and Seven Others
Wounded by it's Explosion.
From the Troy Times, Feb. /.

hTOnl Ule Troy IGfneS, REQ. 1.
On Saturday morning at 10 o'clock loud en-
plosion suddenly alarmed the inhabitants OF the
quiet village OF South Petersburg, in this
county, and for few moments the utmost con-
sternation was depicted on every countenance.
This soon gave place TO the intensest feeling OF
horror, as the news spread from mouth to
mouth that the shock which had been eXpe-
rienced throughout the village proceeded from
a rock cutting along the track of Parks Leba-
non Springs Railroad, and resulted from the
premature explosion OF q can of nitrO-g lyCerine,
and that numbers OF the Workmen engaged
upon the road had been killed and injured.
The reality was bad enough, for three men had
in an instant been hurled into eternity, while
seven others were little better than mangled,
quiverlDg masses OF humanity; but as it was
known that thirty men were at work in the
cutting, and as the terrible effect of glycerine
was comprehended in a moment, the fears
of the populace magnided the horrors of
the accident tenfold, and rumors OF even greater
destruction of life prevailed until the sad reality
was known. shocking sight burst upon the
view OF those who, Fastening TO the reliet of
the unfortunate workmen, were the first to
arrive upon the scene. Those who had escaped
fled IN terror from the place-the cries of horror
and alarm minglipg with the shrieks OF the
wounded as they lay hopeless in an agony
utterly beyond the power OF pen TO describe or
the mind to realize. Three men-Ephram X.
Webster, the foreman of the work. John Con.
nOrs and William ClaytOn-were blown into
masses OF almost unrecognZable humanity,
while seven others, some OF them With arms and
legs WIcnCneu from Lnelr DOule5 lay Ill all ulreC-
tions-perhaps the most pitiable victims of the
horrible calamity. The names of the wounded
are John O'Neal injured beyond all possibility
OF recovery; Bryan Rigging Michael Maloney,
Patrick Riley, James Connors, Henry Breen,
and John Rush-two of the last named being
very severely hurt
The place at which the accident occurred lies
upon the outskirts of the village. rocky
LEDGE some two or three kund ed feet long,
in process of excaya ion to reduce the grade of
the road bed at that point. Mr.. Webster was in
charge of the the work, aud for the purpose Of
facilitating the blasting used nitrogl yceriue, an
explosive agent some twenty times more power.
ful than gunpowdeT. He was in the habit of
placing the cartri ]ges containing the gyCerne
in the blasting holes drill d in the rock, and on
this occasion seems to have acted with o care
lessness which cost him his life. The cartridge
consisted of 3 tin tube about an inch and half
in diameter and about three or four inches long.
In this tube the gycerne was inserted, and in
sn inner tube small quantity of powder, to
| which the fuse was attached, serVel as the
| means of exploding the fluid when placed In posi-
| ton in the rock. On Saturday night preparations
! had been made to discharge blast. Mr. Webster
had prepared a cartridge, but upon examination
| found that 1t was defective in some way. He
| picked up small hammer that lay upon the
| ground near him and began to tap the cartridge
gently upon one of the ends. In an instant 1t
| exploded. One of the men who were killed was
standing in the immediate presence of Mr..
Webster, holding in his hand q Can OF the
glycerine. The can was exploded by the force
of the explosion of the cartridge and thus the
calamity became general. Mr.. Webster was
blown into hundred pieces almost, his head
and trunk being much mangled while his limbs
were literally torn into shreds. Both Connors
and Clayton were also mangled in horrible
manner and it was with much difficulty that
the several parts could be collected and identi.
fed. ONeill, who was still alive this mo orning,
was injured internally and cannot recover.