The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-13
EXPLODING A TOWER.
A New Move In the War Against tho LHi
GLnrn IlnII nnnI nnmnnnN

Shore Railroad Company,
CHICAGO, Sept. 1.-THE war against the
Lake Shore Railroad Company in the
town OF Lake has broken out airesh, this
timo in new and dangeroua manner. A
few moments before l2 o'clock last night
James Calvin, the night operator, was sit
ting In the signal tower Of the Lake Shore
Company at the intersection Of the main
and stock yards tracks. The tower is 80
feet high, and in 1t Is machinery by which
the switches, signals and gates Tor q long
distance along the line Of the road are
turned. Calvin was alone In the top oil
tha tower. Suddenly he was startled by
seeing q column Of smoke arise at one
side Of the structure. Itw bright moon
light and In an instant his little room was
completely filled with q binding smoke
which almost sufocated him.
Calvin started down atairs and as he
reached the landing below deatening ex.
plosion took place. At that moment he
saw the figure OF tall, slender man dart
away from the building. The man ran
west toward the stock yards and was lost
in the labyrinth Of cars which cover the
tracks. At this iunCture another explosion
occurred. Calvin was thrown 10 'the
ground with extreme force and his hat
was blown from his head through win
dow. Such was the foIcs Of the explosion
that tools were lifted from the floor and
crashed through the windows. Calvin
rushed out on the tracks. Officers Dono.
van and Costello were on duty OF the
time at the Root street crossing. They
felt the detonatlon and ran 10 the tower,
where they found Calvin terribly frighi-
ened,
Then search OF the tower was made
and twenty.inCh piece OF shattered gas
pipe found. Close 10 1t was q package Of
something looking like cotton, which had
been soaked in some kind Of dark liquid.
Some Issued from II and bright sparks
were thrown of. A bottle containing
what is supposed to be an acid was picked
up near by. The door Of the signal tower
was ajar and the dangerous explosive had
been thrown on the door. The explosion
shattered all the glass from the house. In
the cellar are the batteries used for the
electric signals. There were 100 battery
cells In the room, and OF these thirty.four
were broken. The pneumatic tubes used
in the signalling were torn and twisted
and the whole system entiIely ruined. II
will take Thousands Of dollars TO repair
the damage.
Whom daylight came another search
was made for more explosives. There is
little shed at the rear Of the tower. In
this small bundle, supposed to contain
another explosive, was picked up. It was
wrapped In paper, tied with cord and
soaked with some substance and lain In
an old mattress. The police were afraid
to open II and II was removed TO the Town
Hall. Catvin had only been In charge Of
the tower a little while, having relieved
William Nevins. The outward bound
passenger train, No. l2, was due at the
town a few minutes after the explosion
occurred. The theory oil the police Is that
the wreCkers hoped TO blow up the tower.
aud when the passenge train came along
throw a switch. The train would thus
have plunged into mass Of freight cars
that line the side tracks.
There were also other attempts at des.
troying property on the Lake Shore road
last night, one Of which was successful,
resulting In the arrest Of tho man con-
cerned In the affair. About 8 o'clock last
night the Lake Shore road received from
the Illinois Central train oi twenty.eight
cars. While these we're being taken over
the Root street crossing o switch was
thrown after about half the cara had
passed, causing general wreck. Fifteen
Of the cars wero derailed, and although no
loss OF life or serious damage resulted, the
contents OF the cars were badly shaken up.
About midnight John Fagln, an nex.sWitch.
man OF the Lake Shore road, was arrested
at Forty.third street Just 1t is charged, as
he was about to throw switch with the
purpose Of derMliDg 9 train drawn by en-.
gins NO. 532. The arrest Of Fagin was
made by one Of the Pinkerton officers who
are still guarding the Lake Shore tracks
at that point the psisoner being taken to
the Harrison street police station and
locked up.
Fagn was seen In his cell this morning.
His explanation Of the affair Is as follows:
In company with q man named Murphy,
who is also an ex.Lake Shore switchman,
be was walking along the tracks, and
claims that neither of them noticed the
approaching freight train until IL was 90
close that they were separated by II. He
eays that when arrested by the Plnkerton
officer he was looking Under the train %
II passed to sec II any harm had come 10
Murphy.