Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-12-24
ABOUT TWENTY BADLY HURT.
On Account Of the Time Consumed in LO-
eating the Explosion Perfect DstailS
Almost Impossible, but a Good
Account is Obtained.

forth IS SteubenVille, rs far south as
MoundsVille, and as far east SIS Washing
ton, Pa were startled by a deep, loom
ing noise, accompanied BY q very marked
tremor Of the Calth, and the trembling
aud rocking Of the most solid brick build
ipgs, swayipg chandeliers, rafting win
dows, aud causing doors partly open 10
move to and fro upon their binges. These
phenomena were identical with those pro-
ducsd by . strong earthquake shock, and
the di.agreeable ard alarming incidents
notsd were almost universally ascribed TO
that origin. Within the succeeding half
hour tsls )hOae and telegraph
messages were received from sur
rounding towns, including Martins Ferry,
Bsllairs, wsIlsburR, MOundsville and Lit
tie Washington, all noting the same dig
tulbanee ObserVed in Wheeling, and AJAX
ing for PARTICULARS. No data Of value
could be given in reply, except that the
earth vibrations were probably due 10
earthquake, and this solution was gener-
ally accepted, although q few people con-
tended there were more of the symptoms
Of q very violent explosion than Of earth
quake. No news Ct any such calamity
was Obsaiuable, however, and the adVO.
Gates Of TIE eSFlosion theory were in a
decided minority. They were right, how
ever, as will be seen by what follows,
later on.
As the afternoon wore on, persons noting
the shock st the time began TO give 10
their experience, and some Of them were
peculiar, and all show that the disturbance
of the earth's surface was very marked.
One gentleman who Wss on the suspension
bridge at the time, noticed that the struc-
ture tremblsd violently, as though the
great stone sbutments had betn shaken to
thsir foundations. Still another gentle
man, who was lying down in his residence,
observed the gas fixtures suddenly sway
about two inches out Of the perpendicular,
accompanied by \ violent rafting OF the
windows. His fnt thought Ess that there
had been an explosion Of natural gas, and
bruke for the cellar, but found everything
right. Sill, another gentlemen was pass
ing along Water street, south OF Twelfth,
when he felt tee grcuud tremble 30
violently that his instructive idea WAS
eArtkquake, and be iocOntinertiy fled for
the middle OF the street. People at din
uer n the hotels, and in private residences
10 various parts Of the city, felt the jar,
and il wss = genersl subject Of speculation
snd remark during the remainder OF tho
afternoon.
About hsIEpast FIVE O'Clock in the eve
ming word was sent over from the Ohio
side of the river that the powder and dyns-
mite magszins of the contrActoS for the
extension Of the Wheeling and Lake Enc
railroad, located at Mt Pleasant o., had
exploded, and that great damHge bad b?en
done, probably accompanied by consider1-
HE loss Of life. No further details could
be had, bot il was apparent, from the wide
extent of country over which the shock of
ths EXPLOSION Rad been felt, that there
must have been great devastation in the
immediate vicinity, and reporters were at
once despatched to the scene OF what wss
red would turn out to be . tsrrible csl-
nifty.
The newspaper men did not arrive at the
scene of the disa ter until about three
hours after dArk-too late for them to
catch a view Of the awful violence OF the
expIosion-bat the people in the vicinity
were all about discussing the occurrence,
and Cd, ir several narrow escapes, and
there WAS no hack Of Information IN tie
wsy of essential particulars, although the
names OF the victims could not be secured.
The explosion occurred at Whist is known
"A No. . tunnel Of the Wheeling and Lake
Elie railroad, located about " miles
west of Mt Pleasant in the valley OF
Short creek. The contractors are Msssrs.
Miller & McCap, and they have been em-
ployipg q very large number OF men, bItn
cogored aud white, IN prosecuting tne
work uuder their charge. Necessarily
compelled TO use . large amount OF eAPIo-
siyes, they had q good stock, estimated at
one hundred and fifty KEGS OF powder and
sixteen boxes of dynamite, OF twenty-five
rounds each on hand, and the dangerous
stufT was s'oytd in Q frame building on
fha hills de at the mouth Of what Is known
as Longs iup.
About halt past one O'Clock By LEGAL or
. son. tiue, = young man named Dunehp,
Who WA employed IS o water carrier 10
tbs tuunel, went to the magazine, p7om's-
ing to chow two of his young friends now
the men handled powder" tie found the
bu ldiuS was locked, but a little thing like
mat did not deter DuucsD, ard he
promptly Knocked Cf the lock with a
slone. Ar d enter ed the building, putting q
cigar. Just rs he entered, bis companions
: EN- 10 have had o realizing tense OF the
danger. for they took 70 their heels, n
In a moueut or two bad put several hun
drea wards betWesu them and the msgs
zina. This suddeu determination to flee
IA what eavsd their lives. Hardly had
Duncan entered the building before there
WAS terrible explosion, rather long-con'
tiousd, a. though the kegs Of powder were
exploding in very rapid secession, some
thing after the style Of 8 package Of hrs-
cucSer, but infinitely quicker, and then
n. re cane Q sharper, crashing SOUND, ne
the dynamite let 60 in 9 lump.
A tremendous funnelshaped cloud Of
yrayish-Uhite suCke SHOT mp into the sir
70 the height Of several hundred yarcs,
EhiIe the tremendous conclusion OF the air
swept PEOPLE off their feet for . mile
arr1nd, and shattered BUILDINGS tore win
dows into millions Of fragments twisted
doors aud cbimnGys, and scattered general
destruction fer and wide.
A couple Of hundred yards from the
maRszips was q frAre boarding house &C
cupied by the eolored men, employed IN
Inc prosecution of the Work, and 3 little
.fufTner on, bot screened BY . big dump,
was the boarding hoDss of the white gang,
managed bys man nnmtd LongstreeI
IT, nm had mat eoLciuded THAR noon