The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-09-25
niswn 20 Atoms


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BRADFORD, Pa, Sept. l5 Tod av
at ~ O'Clock one Of the mos, fright
ful and disastrous explosions that ev-
er occurred 10 the oil regions took
place a mile and q half above this
city within a few rods Of the Erie
railroad. There is q class of individ-
usls who infest the whole oil coua-
try that make e practice of going
TO the magazines owned by the diff
feren. torpedo companies through the
oil regions, picking the locks of nitro
siycerine safes and stealing there.
from large quantities OF the material,
and then, when a good opportunity
presents itself they sell it to another
and equally undesirable class of peo-
pie known as "moon-lightersn or ilIe-
climate torpedo men.
Some FIVE weeks ago the Sound
rels poured some of this terrible ex-
plosive matter into the KEY hole of the
M'intyre torpedo compGny's safe
and also into n. b. Pulver's safe,
which were all under one roof and
are the same which were the cause
of the accident to-day. They then
connected fuse to it and applied the
torch, but from come cause it failed
TO burn far enough to have effect.
But they were possessed of so much
cunning, or from fear, they relin-
pushed the job for future operations,
and Sunday night of last week was
chosen as the proper period, when
they succeeded in getting into the
safes of the M'lntyre torpedo COM
pany and stole therefrom large guam
titles of material, but failed to get in-
to Pulver's safe, though they dam
aged the locks to such an extent that
it al impossible to get the safe
open without removing the locks,
and this is what Mr.. Pulver and bis
assistants were trying to accomplish
when they met their terrible fate.
Last evening Mr.. Pulver went to
the Office of the M'Intyre torpedo
company and consulted their super
iniendent, Col. J &. Prescott, about
his intention of trying TO open the
safe to-day by blowing off the locks.
The Colonel advised him strongly
not to attempt anything OF the kind,
but it appears Pulver would not take
the advice, aud to-day set to work Ct
bis dangerous task in company with
four of his assistants.
A short time alter they were seen
going in the direction of the maya
zine O most terrific explosion occurred,
which rent the air and shook the
earth. 1t was heard several miles
away and large pieces of thu mon
strous iron safe and missiles Of every
description, as well as the flesh aud
clothing Of the poor victims, were
sent flying ia the sir and were scat
tered in every direction about the
place where the accident occurred.
Immediately hundreds Of people
were running in the direction of the
explosion, aud when there a most
shocking spectacle was presented
Pieces Of human flesh with portions
of tattered clothing, were found
strewn all about the ground for halt
a mile, while pieces of the victims
mutilated bodies and their clothing
were now seen suspended from the
limbs of the neigbbOFiDg trees. The
heart Of q Of the poor unfortuoates
was fOuad on q stump a quarter Of a
mile from the scene Of the catastro-
phe, still warm and quivering.
The coroner was summoned, and
after empanneling a jury rendered a
verdict III accordance with the evil
dence elected from persons who were
first on the scene. Then followed
the Identification of the remains,
which was a difficult task, but after
gathering the scattered flesh and gar
ments and comparing the sizes Of
hands and feet and the fitting of bro
ken skulls and bones, they were p!ac-
ed in boxes and taken to Bradford
and put in The care Of the undertake
er, to be placed in collins and there
TO be kept nntil the arrival of rela-
tives aud friends. Colonel Pres
colt. who has been in the nito-
glycerine business for many years,
and who was also all through the
late war, says this is by far the most
disastrous accident that ever occur
red in the oil regions, end the most
terrible mutilation Of human beings
he has ever ssen. Some ten physi-
clans aud surgeons were on the
grouEd 10 a short time, and each said
he never saw such bod e., even in
the dissecling room. The men were all
Industrious, sober and good eirizsns,
ana accustomed 10 handling the
dreadful explosive in all shapes for
many years.