The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-06-12
TERRIBLE CATASTROPHE.
House Blown up-Three Children
KtI led and another nOt expected
TO Liye-A Heartrendlng Scene.

From the Steubenville News-Tuesday.
About eleven o'clock this morning
the bells sounded an alarm Of fire,
bringing the engines and the people
out promptly. On the street no evi-
dences of fire could be seen, and the i'm
preston prevailed up town that it was
a false alarm. but as q crowd seemed
to be moving down Fourth street, our
attention was drawn In that direction,
following the leader we came to the
southern extremity OF Fifth stree, where
it unites with the old Smithffeld road.
At this place
MOST FEARFUL SIGHT
Met the eye. At the corner is a row OF
tenement houses facing Mears distille-
rv, and the end of the one nearest the
Pittsburgh. Cincinnati and St. Louis
railway track had been blown COM
pletely out, and the whole building was
badly shattered. There was no fire OF
any consequence, but the house showed
the effect OF force more disastrous
thsn any ordinary conflagration.
CAUSE OF TIE EXPLOSION.
The house was occupied by coal
miner named George Edmonds, work.
ing at Borland & Co.'S shaft. A few
DAYS ago he purchased % pound can
of powder, such as the miners use in
blasting. About a pound of the pow
der was taken out, and the can placed
in the cupboard in front room up
stairs. This morning Mrs. Edmonds
went out to purchase some articles for
dinner, leaving her four children alone
in the house. The oldest was a girl
eight years OF age. There were three
boys, the oldest aged about eight years,
the next one five, and the youngest an
iafsnt, aged sixteen months.
1t is supposed that the children being
curiously inclined, took light and
went into the room containing the pow
der, for the purpose Of playing with IT.,
There was no fire in the room, and there
were no matches about the house known
TO the mother. Just how the explosion
occurred cannot be known, as there Was
no one in the dwelling save the four
children. However this may be, Mrs..
Eimonds had been absent but q short
time, when the whole neighborhood was
startled by the loud report
One OF the fret 10 reach the scene
was Mr.. Bukoffsky, who. with the as.
ss,snce OF one or two others, rendered
efficient aid in
RESCClNG THE CHILDREN
from the smoking building.
The oldest boy was discovered at the
bottom OF a hue in the room, still
breathing, but be died in few minutes
after being removed. The baby was
discovered already dead. One other
boy was noticed sitting on the edge Of
the second story floor, when, at q word
from Mr.. Bukodsky, he jumped down
into his arms. The girl jumped to the
ground, aud with her living brother
was taken to the building Of Joseph
Robinson; where Drs. johnson, Fisher
and Blackburn having arrived, every
thing possible was done TO relieve their
terrible sufferings.
TIE SCREAMS OF TIE CHILDREN
ere neartleDQlng, auu IL soOu ueSahe
apparent that they we're beyond human
relief. They were msngled but little.
most Of the injury being done to the
flesh, which peeled Of in large frsg-
ments.
The girl fingered until about half
pact twelve o'clock, when death brought
her relief. No hopes areientertained OF
the recovery Of the other boy.
The parents OF the unfortunate chil-
dren are almost
WILD WITH GRIEF,
The shock to the mother on returuing
from her errand, being almost sufficient
to make the woman insane. The faith.
er did Lot learn OF the calamity until
noon. and be wept ike child on hear
ing the news.
The occurrence is the most distress
sing that hrs happened in this com
muuity since the coal shstt explosions
several yea rs ago.