The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-11-02
DREADFUL ACCIDENT.
Explosion Of a BOnlb- Mortar Dur
ing II YUrOtecltMic Exhibition
at PhiiHdeil,hia.
Six Persons Instantly Killed and q
Number More or Less Seriously
injured.

mortar heavily charged with bombs
and other fireworks, which were Icing used
III the celebration Of the Penn centennial at
Tairmount Park, Philadelphia, exploded,
moving down the surrounding spectators
iik, the discharge Of cannistcr into regi-
ment, and carrying death and destruction In
Its course. A dispatch from that city gives
tic following particulars OF the sickening
aHar: The shouts Of the collected thous-
anus which had rent the mir a few minutes be-
TORE Decasse OF the mnoniiicent display sud-
DENY cea ed, and above the noise made
W ine stanUing spectators could be
nearu Ine snrieAs and nouns OF the dying
Nhen the excitein.rt follow ng the explo-
sion had somewhat A1&tcd ambulancas were
snmmonsa ana tne innred removed to q
aged 81 years, who was nearest the mortar,
was struck on the right side OF shc head and
instantly killed, piece of the if,n CARRYING
away part OF her jaw. A colored iisant was
torn from the arms Of Its mother anu killed
John Cannon, aged 35 years, had his skull
crushed In, and died in ten minutes
A. Gerhart and Edward Pierson, two young
men, were standing together. just ns the
crash came, Mr.. Gerhart heard a woman's
voice cry: "0reat God. my child Il killed :"
He ielt dead weight strike against his
shoulders Turning, he saw an elderly col
ored woman holding the limp form Of chi d
in her arms 1t had almost d oppcd from
her grasp. but she had cln' clled it again
She had held the child In front Of her, and
In receiving the blow il had saved her
life The woman was Mrs. Charlotte Col
Inns OF No. 5l4 North Nineteenth street, an
the little hoy was Howard, the 3-year old
son OF her daughter Mrs. Isabel q Scudlcr,
2S years o'd, residing on Bainb,idge street
He died in few minutes MRS. Scudder
had been standing by her mothers side,
laughing and admi,ing the fireworks Her
shoulder had almost touched that of Mr..
Pierson. After the exllosion she lay lifel ss
at his feet. flying fragment OF tho shell
ha struck her in the face, neariy severing
the lower PORTION from the upper.
Two men VINO had been startling
by were struck by the flying
pieces of the bomb and were instantly
killed. The face OF the one was beaten into
such sAapeless mass that not even his age
could be asccrtalned. The other was u young
man about - years oil. Across his face,
about the middle of the nose, was a trans
yersecnt nearly two inches deep Pa,k Guard
Thomas W. Harrison, who was standing near
est To the building was picked up scnscl,s IS
about - feet from his station. His injuries,
although severe did not appe II To be danger
Gus, and h. was immedi tcly removed to his
boarding place, No o,3i, Fa rmount avenue
Mr. Harrison WIS a soldier under Mai Reno
in the Indian battle of the Big Horn river, in
which Gen. Custer was slain.
The bodies of the two unknown men and
OF Mrs. y udler We're removed To the art
building at the Green street entrance John
NJ. Canning one of the wounded who was
taken III the German Hospital, iii "a II few
minutes alter his arrival
Ii rs estimated that there were twenty. Ave
persons injured seriously II not fatally.