Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-01-11

Well, We worked along about six months
without an accident, when one day one
of our men was killed while taking gly-
cerine from a wagon. This gave us
considerable of shock, but we laid the
blame on the mans carelessness, and
worked on as usual. Within a year
three more of our men We're blown to
fragments at the same time, through
pure recklessness. None of the men
drank liquor to excess; so you couldn't
attribute their death to intoxication.
The rest of us were mighty careful
after that. and only stayed in the busi-
ness because we could make money
faster than at any thing else. We
didn't have any more accidents while
we were doing business for ourselves.
and We began to take courage.
"Whcn the Roberts Company gained
monopolistic control of the torpedo
business, the remaining gve of our
crowd went to work. Everything went
on swimmingly for some time, but at
last three of the crowd had some trou-
ble-real or fancied-with the company,
and the result was that the men quit
entirely and went to moonlighting-
shooting wells at night in defiance of
the law giving the Roberts Company
the monopoly. Moonlighting Is just
twice rs dangerous as torpedoing in the
lawful way, and it wasn't long before
those three fellows were blown skyward.
/ wasn't bit surprised. for when man
gets down so low as TO go into moon
lighting when he can make good wages
at legitimate business, 1 naturally
look to see his death announced before
d great while in the papers.
"Well, that Just left two-Tom Bailey
and I-of the original nine that went in
to the business only few years ago.
One by one our boys have dropped off,
until to-day I helped TO bury what re-
mained of poor Tom. Poor old boy, /
know it wasn't his fault. for he was the
most careful man 1 ever saw. There
were nine of Us when We started-all
banded together to work for one an
others interests and now they are all
gone but me, and l am-the-last-of
nine"
His unsmoked cigar slipped from his
neryeless fingers and fell to the ground.
He trembled violently, as with agne, a
nameless horror and fear looking out of
his eyes into vacancy.
.John," said 1, gently touching his
arm. 'come into the house; it is chilly
out here"
'Yes, yes, let us go in. But stay
-feef-so strangely. L never thought
of it before, but if-my wife should
should see as l saw Tom Bailey to-day
it would-it would kill herr
and the strong man sank into a chair,
completely overpowered with the awful
thought.
Business called me away from Brad
ford and the oil country the next day,
and [ did not return for some weeks.
Having business at Smethport, the
county seat of Mexican County, l passed
through that village and started for
Bradford, by The way of the Bradford,
Borden and Kinzua Railway. When
within few miles of Bradford an acci-
dent happened to the locomotive, which
would delay the train several hours.
Being anxious to reach the city as soon
as possible, four of the passengers. In
Guiding myself, started over the noun
tains afoot, hoping to reach our destina-
ton by three O'Clock in the afternoon.
We walked along quite briskly, and,
while following the ridge of a noun
tain. were hailed by voice which L
recognized as belonging to the torpedo
superintendent having in charge the
! district adjoining that of John McWll-
liams.
"Hellol come over here!" the man
shouted, accompanying his words with
emphatic gestures.
Curiously wondering what Smolley
| could want. we went toward him. Two
or three men were leaning against the
stump OF a tree, and merely nodded as
we approached. Smolley was searching
on the ground for something at some
distance from his companions.
.sWhat's the trouble. Smolley?" and
as spoke the glycerine man raised
panied looking face, and mutely pointed
his finger in the direction of the men
around the stump.
| l looked and saw strange sight.
The wreck of an oil derrick and its ma
chinery lay scattered over the ground IL
small pieces. In an instant it all came
to me-there had been an explosion oi
nitro-glycerine. The derrick had beel
blown to atoms and scattered far ant
wide: the ponderous bull-wheels were
dismantled and broken into Thousand
fragments. On every hand was run
such as only nitro-glycerine can produc'
The thought came. was anybody hurt
L CLAN ,ed inquiriDgly at the three men
One of them pointed silently at smal
baking powder box lying at their feet
1 stepped forward.
, MY Godl John-John McWilliams'
and l would have fallen bad not one Q
r the men supported me.
t The last of ninel / stood and locke
, down into a little wooden box file
with ghastly flesh and blood and bone
all that was mortal of noble-hearte
| John McWilliams. A side of the hea
f and face remained as noble and hand
$ some as in life, but what remained c
, the body could have been placed in
ten-ouart pail. Smorey came an
= iIo,nad his arm apainst nv shoulder i