The New York herald., 1878-09-16
A SHOCKING EXPLOSION.
Four Men Blown to Atonlo by
Nitro-G!ycerine.
WORK OF THIEVES.
Blowing Open a Safe That Had Eeen
Tempered With
[pY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. i

BIZ TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
BRADFORD, Pa Sept 10, 1873.
To-day At twelve o'clock OF tho most iriGhIiul
and disastrous explosions that ovcr occurred In the
oil regions took place mile and half above this
city within lew rods Of the Erie Railroad. There 10
class OF individuals who infsst tho whole oil coun.
try that makers practice OF going TO the magazines
owned by the dinerent torpedo companies through tho
Oil regions, picking the locks OF nroglyccrue safes
Rnd stealing horsfrom largo Quantities Of the mate
tsral, aad then, when good opportunity presents
Itself they sell 1t TO another ond equally undesirable
class of people known "moon lighters, or ilegti-
Inaso torpedo
MAKING
Some Ave weeks ago the scoundrsls poured
some Of this toeibe explosive matter into
the keyhols Of the MoIutyrs Torpedo Com
pany's safe and slso into N. B. Puiver's
safe, which all under roof and the
same which the Of the dreadful aecidept
OF to-day. They then connected fuse TO it and sp
piled tho TORCH bot from some It failed 10 burn
far enough 10 have effect But tncy were possessed
OF so much cunning. or from lear, they renquisned
she job Tor future operations, and Sunday night OF
last week was chosen the proper period
when they succeeded in getting into the safes
OF Inc Mcintyre Torpedo Company stole
thersrom large quantities OF material, but failsd to
get into Pulvsrs SAFE though they damaged locks
to such an sxtsnt tnat It Impossible to 60, the
safe open without removing ,ne locks, and this Is
what Mr. Puiver and his assistants were trying TO ac
comphsh when they met their terrible fate.
SAD xvgSISd's WORK.
Last evening Mr.. Puivor went to the ONCE OF the
Mcintyre Torpedo Company and consulted their
psrintsndsnt Coloner J. c. Prescott about hts intcn
tou OF trying TO open the saie to-day by blowing of
The locks The Colonel advised uim strongly not to
attempt anything OF tho kind; bu. 1t appears Pulvor
At his dangerous task company with four Of his as
sis,anis a. io!lows:
J. B. BERKHOLDER,
CHARLES PAGE,
ANDREW HIGGINS, aud another named
- SLOCUM.
short TINA after they wero going In the dirsc.
ton OF the magaz most terrific explosion occurred
which the air and shook the earth II heard
several miles away, and large pieces Of the mousrous
iron saiss and missiles OF every description, as we'll
tho flesh and clothing 0f the poor v,ctins were
sent flying In the air and were scattered In every d.
rsction about place whore the accident happened.
BLOWN ATOMS
Immediately hundreds OF people were running In
shs direction Of the explosion ana when thers most
shocking spectacle was presented. Pieces Of human
hssb. With portions OF ta,tersd clothing, wore found
strswn- all about the ground for half = mile, wh!lo
pisceA. Of tho victims' mutiiatcd boiies and their
oiethlng we're now seen Suspended from the limbs OF
The psighboring trees. The heart OF OF poor
unfortuaa,es found u stump quarter OF
mile from the OF ths catastrophe, s,iil warm
and quivering
coRoxIR AND DOCTORS CALLED.
The Coroner was summoned. and alter smpan ELI pg
q jury rendered . verdict 10 accordance with The
evidsncs elected frsm parsons who were nrst the
seeas Then followed the Identification OF the re-
mains, whioh diicult task, but after gath srng
the scattered Gssh and garments and comparing
tho sizes OF hands and feet and the fitting OF broken
.kulls and bones, they we're placed In boxes apd
Iassn, TO- Bradford and put In tho care OF tho un-
dsrtaksr 10 Be placed In coius and there be kept
unsu sths arrival OF relatives and friends Colonel
Prescott who been In the nitro business
Tor many years anc who also all through the late
war, says this by far the most disastrous accident
that occurred in the oil regions, aud the most
terrible mu,iiaien OF human beings which he has
SEEN Some ten physicians ana surgeons were
the grounds In short time. and each said he
such bodies, 10 the dissecting room.
the all INDUSTRIOUS sober and good citizens,
aud Accustomed 10 handIiog the dreadful explosive
all shap,s Tor many years.
Mr.. Puvsr leaves . vile ana child.
Charles Page leaves vile and child.
Berkholder, Higgins and Siocu N were single men.
A. tsis writing there thousands Of spectators
the grounds aud great excitement prevails In tic city
and surrounding villages.