Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1870-11-17
kitro-GlyceriHe,


The most appalling accident that
ever occurred in Northern Ohio was
the explosion of eight tons of nitro
glycerine at Fairport, on Tuesday
evening, Nov. s.
THE MAGAZINES,
Two in number, for the storage of
nitro-glycerine when ready for
market and awaiting shipment, were
located on the west bank of the riv-
er, four or five hundred feet from
the waters edge, and twice that dis
tance from the lake. These two
magazines, which were abort hu.,-
dred feet apart, contained on Tues
day, sixteen thousand pounds of
nitro-glycerine, packed in stone jars,
holding about sixty pounds each.
Tuesday afternoon three men,
Nelson Malone, Patrick Scribner
and Edward Duncan were engaged
in transferring glycerine from the
jars to cans, preparatory to ship
ment. The elder Malone, father Of
the first named, over sixty years of
age, who was employed as man of
all work about the establishment
was engaged in digging for the
foundation of third magazine, a
short distance from the others.
A number of jars had been re-
moved from one of the magazines.
and that portion of the contents
which was in sufficiently liquid
state, transferred by pouring into
the cans. That part which was fro
zen it was necessary to ''thaw out"
and the three men at the time of the
explosion were engaged in carrying
these jars down to the river, to be
transported to the east side for that
purpose. 71 a-.I jl-~
Suddenly, at quarter before five
O'Clock, the people in that vicinity,
and, indeed, for many miles around,
were startled by fearful report, as
if a score of cannon had been dis
charged simultaneously, and at the
same instant, the rattle of broken
glass, the tulnbling of chimneys and
such a shaking of buildings that
they nearly fell to pieces. From
past experience, everybody in Fair
port knew what it was, and the ter
rified people rushed from their
houses into the streets, appalled,
with fear. III rsr -6reN -.
Immediately following the explo-
sion an immense mass of sand and
the debris of jars, cans and maga-
zines, assembled to the height of two
or three hundred feet accompanied
by a dense cloud of smoke, the
whole Illuminated by the blaze of
the burning glycerine, presenting
the appearance of bright orange
color. This continued but for mo-
ment or two, and then the smoke
slowly drifted away upon the breeze
and all WAS as quiet as if no such
thing as nitro-glycerine had ever
been discovered. Witnesses say
that the sight was fearfully grand.
The explosion of the second maya
zine, caused by the conclusion of
the first, was so nearly simultaneous
that many persons aver there was
but one report. Others are positive
they heard two distinct reports with
but second or two intervening.
1t was known that four men were
at work near the magazines, and the
thought of them sent thrill of hor-
ror through every breast. Not the
slightest sign of them was discern
able. In a short time, when the
terror of the citizens had somewhat
abated, the small boats were filled
with people and rowed rapidly across
the river to the scene of disaster.
Here and there they found small
fragments of flesh and bones scared
and blackened, and these only were
left to tell the fearful tale of death.
The effect upon these men was
one of the most wonderful features
of the explosion. They were not
merely killed, they were literally
6torn to atoms! In the fast gather
ing darkness but a mere handful of
these fragments could be found, the
largest being piece of rib, three or
four inches in length. On Wednes-
day morning the search was renewed
and within radius of five hundred
feet from the magazines were col
lected enough of these CHASTITY rem
nants to fill, perhaps, half bushel
measure, and this was all that was
left of these four men. aY.5 g.-
The effect upon the magazines
was wonderful. OF the frame struct-
ures only handful of splinters
were anywhere to be seen. 1t seems
as if the wood must have been con-
sumed, or the pieces blown so far
that no one has yet found them.
The force of the explosion pene-
trated deep into the earth, heaving
out huge masses of sand, and be-
low this, huge masses of CLAY. The
holes, which must have been blown
out to the depth of fifty OF sixty
feet, soon filed with water up to the
level of the. lake. They are forty
or fifty feet in diameter at the TOP.
and seem like craters of extinct vol
canoes. Two of three sycamore
trees which stood near the maya
zines were scathed and rent, limbs
were wrenched off, and all covered
with sand and blackened as if swept |
by fiery tornado. .,
THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION
Will doubtless never be known, as |
all knowledge upon this point per-
lshed with the unfortunate victims. |
1t is thought by some that it may |
have been caused by the accidental |
striking together of two of the stone |
jars which the men were engaged in
handling. Whatever it may have
been, the occurrence affords fear
full illustration of the tremendous
power of this substance.
A Country Without Greenbacks.
The Overland Monthlu tells how