Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-07-30
THREE MEN KILLED.
THEIR BODIES TORN INTO FRAGMENTS ny
A PREMATURE RLAsT.


The new Penltcn.iary starts off bad.
The following horrible affair we copy
from tho Huntingdon Monitor of the
oath inst The editor says:
In the history Of our country never
has such u terrible catastrophe oecar.
red as that about 10 be related, which
took place on Tuesday afternoon about
four o'clock. The scene was in the
stone quarry Of Fisher 4 Sons on the
Juniata river opposite the Huntingdon
Car Works, &C what is known as FISH
er's Dam, where the three men, were
instantly killed-Michael Ryan, of
Philadelphia, Joseph Roncoroni, of
Huntingdon, aud William Keith, of
Lock Haven.
Michael Ryan was u sub.contractor
to take stone from the quarry for the
foundation Of the Middle Penitentiary,
and only commenced work on Satur.
day, and had employed as assistants,
Keith, Of Lock Haven, Roncoroni and
James Davis, of this place. Several
blasts had been put off successfully on
Saturday and on Monday, in the usual
manner by drilling holes in the rock.
On Tuesday Mr.. Ryan decided that he
would put in huge sand blast and to
this end they commenced charging
fissure in the mighty mass Of rocks. 1t
was to be big affair and several per-
sons were invited TO be present to see
the effect II would produce.
In this crevice was poured three
kegs, or IS pounds of powder, which
was tamped down by Mr.. Ryan with an
''iron spoon" as tits known by blasters.
Just about the time the blast was in
readiness to bc put off and before the
fuse had been inserted, the explosion
occurred. Keith was lying down on
the rock, tamping sand in one OF the
crevice, Roncoroni was occupied like.
wise at the other side, both, however,
being in close proximity to Ryan who
was engaged working the last of the
third keg Of powder in the opening
with the spoon and STOPPING immedi.
ately over it, when with fash as
quick as lightning the explosion ensu.
cd, and the three hardy men were
hurled high in the air with the flying
rocks, ani fell to the earth mangled
and almost unrecognizable masses Of
human flesh.
Miraculous was the escape Of James
Davis from meeting with the fate of
his fellow-workmen, and Will Wilson,
lookeron, TO whom We shall refer be-
low. Fortunately for Davis he was
supplying the other workmen with
sand which was used in filling up the
fissure to make ii air.tight. He had
filed keg with sand and on reaching
the fatal spot was just in the act OF
hosting il on the rock when the death
dealing shock came. A large stone
struck the keg and the force OF it, in
connection with the conclusion, buried
him distance of about ten feet and
and rendered him insensible. Strange
to say, when he gained his senses, he
was lying face downward, with his
mouth covering a hole that had been
drilled in a solid rock in which to put
n blast, but which had been abandoned
when the sand blast was determined
upon. He was not injured bodily, but
rendered deaf by tho conclusion. Up
to the present time his hearing has
not been restored, save in the lett ear,
and it bothers him considerably to
connect words loudly spoken with the
mouth placed closely to it. He may
be thankful that be escaped so well,
and it Is to be hoped that his hearing
may be fully restored.
Will Wilson and his brother, A. Por.
ter Wilson, had been out TO their farm
during the afternoon, and on their re.
turn home stopped in the vicinity of
the quarry. After alighting and pro-
ceeding to the base, they met James
Gehrett and engaged in conversation
with him about the blasting and pres
emily VIII proceeded 10 where the
workmen were, much against the wish
es OF his brother, however, who infer.
red from what Mr.. Gehrett had told
them of the careless manner IN which
the rock was being charged, that there
was danger. On arriving at the place
Of operations, viii felt dubious as to
the manner in which the powder was
beng tamped with the iron rod and
turned away. He met Davis with the
keg of sand and remarked to him that
it was risky to fool with the powder
in that way, and Davis replied he
thought not. A minute hadn't elapsed
and win was scarcely more than twen-
ty feet away, when his words were
verified. Miraculous indeed was his
escape from the flying boulders, he not
being more than ten feet from DAVIS,
who was uncomfortably close.
Porter Wilson and Mr.. Gehrett wit
messed the explosion, and hastily sought
shelter behind trees to protect them
selves from the flying stones Both
escaped uninjured. The feelings of
the former, he knowing that his broth.
or was in such close proximity and
then seeing his form in the nasll from
the powder, can only be left tor the
reader to imagine.
Providentially, j ohm Kyler, of Smith
field, helper, had just left the quarry
with some tools to have dressed in the
blacksmith shop erected near by, and
in which the famed Barney the Black.
smith" presided.
Without scarcely resting their eyes
on the sad work that had been wrought.
the Wilson boys FASTENED to town and
informed the proper authorities. The
sad news soon spread and hundreds of
people visited the scene.
Through the kindness OF our young
friend viii Yenter, we were taken
thither with his steam, arriving soon ai.
ter the explosion. And what sight
was there 1t beggars description. In
all directions were TO be seen pieces OF
human flesh, entrails; here hand and
there foot; blood smeared over rocks
pieces OF clothing belonging TO the vic.
Tins hanging far in tree tops, where
they had caught when the bodies had |
been flung through the branches with
rapidity by the mighty blast
A search was at once instituted, by the
visitors to the horrible scene, for the
bodies and whatever mutilated parti-
cles were TO DO found.
WILLIAM KEITHs BoDY
was found hundred feet or more
across ravlne, II having been thrown
over the tops Of trees 30 or 40 feet
high and lodged against the trunk Of a
huge oak. The legs only were whole,
and they were bruised, cut, and in many
places the flesh burnt TO crisp. The
upper part of the body was torn into
shreds, there being no traces OF the
"A