Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-03-11
SAD ACCIDENT-ExPLosIoN OF AN OLD


SHELL AT HART & BA1nEY's FOUNDRY
THREE PERSONS DANGEROUSLY INJURED. D.
About % O'clock yesterday afternoon, an
accident occurred in this city, most mel
ancholy in its results and affordiDg an
other evidence of the dangerous carelessnes
with which old unexploded bonbshell are
too often handled. It occurred at the foun-
dry of Messrs. Hart & Bailey, located IN
almost the very centre of the business
haunts. For the uses of the foundry old
iron is purchased by the proprietors ID
large quantities. Many old and unexpiod-
ed shell picked up on the beach where they
have lain buried since the bombardment
of our forts, naturally came into their
hands among other waste iron. But the
proprietors have been particular always TO
purchase DO shells until they have been
broken, thus serving to deter parties from
bringing other than exploded fragments
for sale, though at the foundry is the ap'
paratus for breaking them.
Yesterday afternoon three negroes from
Orion brought cart load of shell picked
up on the beach at Fort Anderson to the
foundry for sale. They arrived in this city
about o'clock, and after eating dinner
| endeavored to effect sale of their shell
most or all of which we're unexploded.-
According to their custom, Messrs. Hart
& Bailey refused to purchase or permit the
shell to be placed upon their scales until
all had been broken, and with the appara-
tus furnished at the foundry, this the par
ties proceeded to do.
| THE APPARATUS
consisted of a large sledge-hammer, a steel
wedge and long pair Of rounded tongs.
The wedge is inserted in the mouth of the
shell, held in proper position by some
person with the long tongs, while a second
party yields the sledge-hammer. Several
shell had been successfully broken, with
out the usual precaution Of inserting water
into the cavity, when 32-pounder conical
shell, about II inches in length and
inches in diameter, was selected from the
pile. A considerable amount of powder
lay concealed in the cavity, which was
soon to make itself known with fearful
effect. The three negroes were all near.
| One Of them, a man, Edgar Brown, welded
| the hammer, the two others, boys, John
FIedger and Elias Pierce, stood by, the
former STOPPING down oveE the shell
holding the tongs and the latter
looking on with his back half turned
Near by stood the Waterman of the yard,
Isaac Belts. At the first blow of the ham
mer upon this shell, the conclusion pro-
duced caused an
EXPLOSION.
Brown was hurled back with stunning
force. A fragment of shell had made a
complete fracture of his left leg just
above the ankle, crushing it horribly.
| Another fragment struck across the abdo-
men with terrible violence, and third
inflicted superficial wound on the cheek,
while his whole system sustained an awful
shock. He was picked mp in an almost
dying condition.
Fledger, who was stopping over the
shell, had his face terribly scorched with
powder, the large grains buryiLg them
selves deep in the flesh. His right leg
sustained fracture of the shin bone, and
piece about inches long, with q frag-
ment Of shell Weighing about 2 ounces,
was subsequently extracted from the wound.
Pierces wounds are On the mates which are
literally torn to pieces by five or six
different fragments of shell. Fortunately
Isaac Belts escaped unhnrt. Other frag-
ments of she'll flew in all directions. One
piece shattered an entire window of the
foundry; o second went through the win
dow of the Office and passed in uncom-
Portable proximity to the head of MIR.
Hart; a third, this being the entire butt of
the shell, flew into the store of Mr.. G. A.
Peck, opening upon the foundry yard
Other fragments were hurled through the
air, over housetops, for one or two hundred
yards, one piece falling in front of the
store Of Messrs. G. & G. Bradley, on Narket
street, another near Mr.. j. Williams
store on North Front street.
THE SUFFERERS
were at once afforded surgical attention.
Brown was conveyed to the upper story of
the foundry where he was attended by DR..
W. 81. Bethany, and his wounds exam
incd. He was found too near death to
his leg will be inevitable and must be done
so soon as he rallies sufficiently. The boys
Fledger and Pierce were attended in the
yard only few feet from the spot of the
explosion, where operations were perform
ed with admirable skill and effect by
Dr. Thos F. Wood. The wound of Fled
ger was probed and dressed, after frag-
ments of bone and shell had been extract
ed. Pierce's wounds were also probed and
dressed. Under these operations, which
we're exceedingly painful, the boys dis
played a heroism, endurance and nerre
which attracted admiration from all who
saw them. Not a eroan Or nurmur es-
capped them and they undinchingly bore
all. DR.. J. E. Winants arrived in time
to lend DR.. Wood some assistance, and af
ter the wounds were dressed caused all