The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-01-21
DEADLY DYNAMITE.
soEEgsEf CHEMICAL Euars H1VI Up.
TWO MEN x1r1ED-

The Somerset Chemical Works, an esfat
lishment for the manufacture of nifro-giyc
crime, and all grades of high explosives, wa
the scene of 4 most frighffnl accident at
O'Clock last Wednesday afternoon Th,
Chemical Works were built during the pas
summer by two young men from New York
Edwin E. Wolf and w. T. Beach, and ar
located on the farm of Mr. John Lane, at
point about one and one-haif miles east o
Somerset. Since they have been in Opera
tion they hare been doing an immense bus
mess. having orders tar ahead for all the ez
ffosives they could tarn out Their princf
pal manufacture is dynamite. large quaint
ties Of which they sell 70 eoutraciors on th'
: ?. Railroad. although the greater portion
Of their product is sent 10 points at dis
tanee- The acids used are brought here bs
the car load, ia metal tanks. and are unload
ed a. keister's sideing, which is the ship
ping point for the factory, and from theme,
taken 10 the works by team. They max.
their own cartridges, caps. fuse, boxes, etc.
for shipping purposes. About one dozen
hands are employed in the different depart.
msnts, and there are eight or ten separate
buildings used. Last Wednesday Mr. Beach
x.- in New York and Mr. Wolf was in SOM
e.set making arrangements with the rail
road agent u ship large quantity of dyna-
mite that afternoon. Five Of the emrloyes
James Eowleft. Hugh Raw. Henry Turner
Soost schaes-r and u c. Sehaeffer were al
work in the packing house, where there was
800 pounds Of a powerful grade of dyna
mite ready for packing. linn diately out
side OF the building was five hundred
pounds. boxed and ready for shipment.
The saen bad finished their dinner and com.
menued work for the afternoon, when Scott
Schaeffer heated a poker resi-hot for the pur.
pose of boring hole through the door. In
carrying the poker back to the stove spark
fell from it into large tub Of dynamite. and
in an instant the entire building was 10
fa'ses
d. c Schaeher was standing near the door
and escaped from the building uninjured
The clU;hes Of the other men caught fire
and as they rushei from the burning build
ing they were completely enSeloped in
flames. Knowing that a fearful explosion
was soon TO follow. the men rushed frantic
ally through the woods. the clothes burn
ing on their bodies. and famed By the wind
until they we're perfecf sheets of flame The
men had gotten about fifty rods from the
building when there WAS a terrific detona-
ton and the packing house with its contents
and the 50a pounds of cartridges on the out
side were scattered to the four winds The
dynamite inside Of the building had ex-
ploded and with such force as to break win
dows in houses mile away and to shake
Others six and d.eight miles away as by an
earthquake. Two of the men. Ray and
Howiet ran in the direction of Lanes house,
about half mile away and when they
had covered about half the distance they
were met BY two OF Mr.. Lanes sons who
tore their burning clothes from their bodies
when they ran across the snow covered
fields to the house stark naked. They were
both badly burned on chest, back and legs,
but were not seriously injured. Turner was
found in the woods BY the HERALD local,
who was on the grounds within fifteen min
utes after the explosion, in a most pitiful
condition. He was entirely devoid of cloth
ing. it having been burned and torn from
him. and was lying in the snow the mcst
horrible and pitiful looking object We have
ever been called TO look upon. Every YES
tige Of hair was singed from his head and
face and the flesh hung from his legs and
body in strips 50 horribly was il brrned.
Although suffering untold anguish he was
perfectly rational When told that the
Doctor would be shere in few minutes be
seemed 20 think that il would be of no use,
that he was done to the death. A stretcher
was Iraproyised as quickly as possible and
the poor man was carried to his home, a
half mile away. where few short hours be-
fore, strong and well be had left his wife
and three small children DR.. Kimmell
reached the house simultaneously with the
injured man and did everything that a
Kind heart and medical skill could suggest
10 relieve the intense suffering Of his wretch
Ell fellow msn Mesiical skill was of no
avail and ar six O'Clock Henry Turner's suf-
ferings ceased and his spirit returned to
Him who gave it. Scott Scbaeffer was
found sitting on fence in 6eld sixty
wards from the place of the explosion. en-
tirelv naked. with his flesh burned almost
10 a crisp; his hair all gone. his face CHAIR
ed and blackened u-.til be bad lost all sem
bIance Of humanity. Those who found
him al once took of their Gratis and placed
them around him ard as soon as blankets to
wrap him in could be secured be was placed
in buggy and taken to his fathers hoLse,
the old Rudolph Ferner place. about one
and half miles distant where he died that
night DR. Brubaker attended him and did
all that il was possible 70 DO 10 ameliorate
bis sufIerings. Both men were buried in
the Lutheran cemetery the following after
noon y
THAI dynamite factory will blow up
some day r has been remarked with great
frequency BY many Of our citizens during
the past few months As soon as the + Isl
shock ofthe explosion was heard Wednes-
aav. almost every one seemed to realize the
cause and within few moments thereafter
hundreds were running in the direction OF
the factory.
The shock from the explosion was 50
great in Somerset that Windows were shaken.
doors Jared open, stoves overturned. and in
some instances people ran out Of their hous-
e. thinking that the walls were falling in.
Mr.. Charles Z. Pile, son of ex-Sherifi
Pile, was engaged in hauling saw logs and
was within a few yards Of the building
when the flames burst forth. Realizing the
danger he 81 once put the whip to his hers
e. and was some sixty rods away when the
explosion came HIS horses were stunned
and he was thrown forward from the sled
by the shock.
A four-ho<e-team in the proximity Of the
factory was so frightened by the explosion
that they ran of. and when fsuad did rot
have i particle Of harness on them.
The coneussion from the explosion vas
distinctly felt at New Baltimore, sixteen
miles away. The shock is said to have re-
senibieG thai Of an earthquake
Pieces OF the bailding, limbs Of tree=. and
cartridges were scattered for half mile
around by the explosion
The packing house and mixing house
rar.s hloVs-r, Il, su1ithsreefls while the store