The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1876-07-06

Some days ago the appropriate
committee secured from Capt. John
f, Sanford a rather reluctant consent
to take charge Of the salute firing on
Independence day. The Captain Sc
cured the assistance Of Frank Clark,
Albert Kizer, John Worling, and
VIM. Hepner. The latter served the
cartridges, which were properly pre-
pared in flannel bags, to the powder
boy; Clark used the rammer, Wor-
ling handled the swab, kizer drove
home the charge with sledge and
the Captain took upon himself the
all-important duty Of thumbing the
vent.
Under this arrangement the early
morning salute Of thirteen guns was
successfully and safely fired; and at
FIVE o'clock in the afternoon, when
the rafting discharges Of the national
salute began to tickle the celebrating
ear, everybody was cheerfully re-
marking the fortunate escape from
al! unpleasant. incidents or unto~srd
accidents. But suddenly the firing
ceased, and almost before time had
elapsed to inquire why, the sickening
whisper began to run from mouth to
mouth through the great crowd
"There has been an accident! two
"men are shot to pieces" A living
stream at once poured toward the
slope just south Of the Presbyterian
church, where the gun was stationed,
and the truth soon learned to be, if
not quite so bad as at first reported,
still terrible enough in all conscience.
The facts, as nearly as we could
gather them, were as follows: The
gun had been fired six times in very
rapid succession--averaging once
every thirty seconds by actual count
and the cartridge for the seventh
shot was almost home when prema-
ture discharge took place with shock
ing results. Kizcr, who was in the
act of striking another blow upon the
end of the iron rammer, had the ham
mer hurled from his grasp and was
thrown upon the ground somewhat
stunned and burned slightly about
the face and eyes, but not at all
seriously hurt. Capt. Sanford fell
across the gun from the first effect Of
the shock, and was found to have
sustained severe burn in the shout
der beside having the thumb of his
right hand almost torn to shreds by
the force of the powder escaping at
the vent. Without ut FIRST thinking
of his own injuries, however, he ran
and tore the burning clothing off Of
poor Clark, who was the chief sufferer
from the accident. Although weigh
ing about two hundred pounds,
Clark, who was holding the hammer
with both hands, was thrown end
over end to some distance from the
gun, and when his Mortified COM
panions gathered round him they be-
held sickening spectacle. His left
arm was torn off just below the elbow
and as the eye fastened away from
the ghastly and ragged stump, it fell
upon the right hand with the thumb
torn off and hanging over on the
back, or on the powder-burned and
blackened face and chest.
AS is usual in such cases, the hast
ily collected hun lreds crowded right
up and thought Of nothing but seeing,
so that it was not until the arrival of
officers that room could be obtained
for light and air. Drs. Maynard and
Focht were soon on the ground, and
after temporary care Clark was laid
on a mattress in spring wagon and
conveyed to the home of his sorrow
ed mother, who, only two years
ago, was made widow by an acct
dent in a stone quarry. Reaction
did not set in soon enough to permit
of an operation that evening, but
yesterday morning Drs. Maynard,
Focht and Easign amputated the left
arm above the elbow, took off the
right thumb at the lowest joint and
cared for the burns. His condition
last night was rs favorable as could
be expected, and if the burn over the
chest and abdomen shall not prove
sufficiently serious to produce inflam-
nation, good hope of his recovery
will obtain.
Capt. Sanford, beside bad pow
der burn in his shoulder, had the
flesh almost entirely stripped from
his thumb, and the middle bone 81
badly broken and denuded that am.
putation was at first thought to be
necessary. The surgeons, however
finally concluded to make an effort II
save it, which all will earnestly hope
may prove successful.
| As to the cause of the discharge q
that premature and fatal moment, n
certain answer will ever be given. A
sudden burn from the piece, heate
by fast firing, may have caused a
, involuntary finch Of the vent-closin
thumb, which admitted air; or, in th
: hasty work the vet swab may nc
I have been put clear to the botto'
snl FIRE have been left in the chan