The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-12-09
A Terrible Nitro-Giyeer,ne Explosion.

A Terrible NitrO-Giycerine Explosion.
The nitro-glycerne magazine Of the Rob-
erts torpedo company, some ten yards from
the track Of the Allegheny valley railroad,
about one-half mile above Scrubgrass, eX-
ploded at half-past nine o'clock SATURDAY
morning. The men-Mr. H. a. wright,
Familiarity known as ''Doc." Wright, the
the torpedo company's agent for the Scrub
grass district, accompanied by Mr.. Harry
Noble. The Western Union telegraph opera
tor at Scrubgrass, left that place early in the
morning in a sleigh to visit the magazine.
The purpose of their visit was to procure
some OF the nitro-glycerine with which to
fill some cases that Mr.. Wright intended ex-
ploding in wells that day.
1.-THE facts OF the explosion, or by what mis-
cnauce 1t occurred, can never be known till
the grea day when all things shall be re-
veaed. The last seen of the men they were
in perfect health and spirits, and entering the
sleigh they drove gay on their way to meet
sudden and awful death. As they had
taken Ratchet with them, it may have been
possible that the explosion resulted from
careless attempt to open one of the cans.
The magazine, as has been stated above,
was situated about one-half mile UP the riv-
er from ocrubgrass, and ten yards from the
railroad track. The place was unfrequented
and located with view to the safety of the
neIghborhood should an explosion occur. At
the time of the accident it contained eighty
thirty-five pound cans OF the explosive agent.
an amount sufficient to sweep Oil City out of
existence should it explode in one of the
business streets.
The shock was like that of an earthquake,
accompanied by sharp peal of thunder.
The OIL City accommodation train, due at
Scrubgrass at 9.20, pulled out at $50, and
had advanced about one hundred yards on
its way when the terrible explosion occurred,
shaking the solid ground on all sides. The
conclusion seemed to strike the wheels of the
locomotive and cars, and for moment to
check its Roadway. The glass in the win
dows were shattered to fragments, and the
frightened passengers were impressed with
the belief that the boiler of the locomotive
had blown up. The conclusion seemed to go
diagonally across the river, and evidently
followed the same for some distance.
The inmates Of the house nearly opposite
were badly shaken up. The house rocked as
though in the grasp of a fearful hurricane,
the clock was thrown from the. stand, the
crockery from the shelves, and the inmates
rushed out in great terror to find the cause
of the unwonted phenomenon. 1t was dis
tinctly felt at Parker Landing, and by gen.
tleman on horseback at the Martin Farm, SIX
miles from that point. An Oil City gentle
man who was at the Sands wells at the tme
heard the explosion distinctly. He states
CQaJ IL was SO lOuu IHdG Jue WOrKIn6n GQOuglt
a boiler had exploded near at hand. A little
boy standing near called out that it was
thunder. The point is full twenty miles
from the scene of disaster, and how terrible
the explosion was can readily be imagined.
The ground where the magazine had stood
was torn up as by some CONFUSION of nature
The trees and bushes around were scattered
and Invested of their limbs, and the tops of
large trees were twisted off as if they had
been mere twigs. The site looked as if
whirlwind had enveloped it and exhausted its
power for harm.
As soon as the explosion occurred, men
from Scrubgrass and the neighborhood rush
ed for the magazine. A terrible scene met
their view; but without waiting to examine
the site they proceeded to search for the
bodies of Wright and Noble. They were lit
orally blown to fragments, and only OCCASION
ally coul bit of flesh, bone or clothing be
found. Up to one O'Clock In the afternoon
the only remains found would scarcely fill
cigar box. Bits Of closhing were found on
trees and bushes surrounding the caye on the
river bank used as a magazine So complete
was the work of the destroyer it is supposed
that the bodies were blown into atoms which
fell into the river. At the time our reporter
left the spot the search was being carried on,
but with no hopes of SUCCESSFUL City Der