Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-02-15
NITRO-GLYCERINE.
The Death-DeaIing Stuff and the Mysteries At
tending Its Explosion
[From the Bradford Pa.) Era.]

tending Its Explosion
[From the Bradford (Pa.) Era.J
Attending the terrible deaths from
nitro-glycerine explosions in the oil
regions, is one strange feature which the
most experienced handler or manufacture
er of the compound cannot comprehend.
1t has always been mystery. Not even
plausible theory can be advanced by
way of explanation. It is the seeming
humiliation of the matter, especially in
the case of a human body. Instances
of this character are almost as numerous
as explosions. Probably the most con-
spicuous example of the kind mentioned
at Red Rock two years ago. 1t will be
remembered that man was walking
along the public road with quantity of
glyeerine in a bag which he carried over
his shoulder. By some means-no
human eye was upon him-an explosion
took place. A careful and diligent search
was made for the remains of the victim.
He was man weighing, perhaps, one
hundred and sixty pounds. All that
could be found was q part of one foot
and few shreds of flesh. No any other
portions of any form or size could be
discovered. The earth was examined
within a reasonable radius of the spot
where the defamation occurred, but not
particle of flesh, bone or blood was re-
vealed. Of the 100 pounds of matter
scarcely one pound was recovered. A
more recent case, although not of such
extreme character, was that of Charles
Berrldge, who was killed a few weeks
ago at Bolivar, n. Y. The weight of the
victim was $50 pounds. The remains
secured were not more than forty
pounds. Snow covered the ground and
the location of the terrible acct
dent was a ravine with hills OF
a sharp angle. Unusual care and per-
severance was exercised on that occa-
sion to find more of the remains, with
fruitless results. Had flesh or blood
fallen upon the clean, crisp snow, OBJ
v1ously it must have been visible. The
angles of the hills acted as barrier
against portions of the body being blown
to distance beyond that which men
may have supposed fragments in any
size could be hurled. Bushes and trees
were scrutinized without any evidences
of flesh clinging to them being discov-
cred. Men viewed the ground and tim
Der growth ofthe ravine up and down for
great distance In vain. Assuming the
theory of atomization, some of the snow
and frozen earth which had been pull
verified by the great force of the de-
donation was examined under o glass
without any further light upon the mys-
terry. Indisputable circumstances
showed that the force of the explosion
was mainly upward. instantaneous vap-
orization of matter, like that forming the
human body, is offered by some as solu-
ton of the phenomenon, unreasonable
as it may appear. When one takes
into consideration the mass of bone in
the trunk, head and limbs, and its COM
plete and instantaneous disappearance,
the mystery becomes only more incom-
prehensible. That heat is not the de-
structive element is apparent from the
fact that oil and gas about derricks where
explosions have occurred did not ignite.
Nitro-glycerine men have had so many
conclusive proofs of the humiliation of
matter in this way that they no longer
have doubt on that point. How it is
accomplished, however, they can neither
explain by theory or fact. In number
of explosions in the oil regions the iron
framework of wagons and glycerine-cases
have been removed beyond the view of
human eye by the explosion of the ter
rible compound. The mystery is one to
which nitro-glycerine men have given
much thought and investigation with
out coming any nearer to solution.