St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-04
MIGHT HAVE KNOWN BETTER
The Fate of Man Who Abs orbed
Explosives and Then Let Himself

The Fate of q Man Who Abs Orbed
Explosives and Then Let Himself
Drop.
Huntsville Mercury
A strange occurrence took place near
here recently, which will not attempt
to explain, but give you the facts as
they are:
A party of Birmingham capitalists
largely interested in the minerals of the
region, and some prominent railroad
oillclaiS were here on tour of inSpee-
tion, with the view of opening some
Deds OF iron ore and selecting the most
practicable route for the extension Of
the new railway that leads mp this val
ley.
This, indeed, seems to have been the
true battle-ground of the gods, with
''Pelion piled upon Ossa," or the utter
conclusion of the biologists, who can
not account for red iron ore on one side
of a mountain and brown on the other,
with veins of coal Immediately under
lying the top ON both sides. So it was
determined to leave them out of the
party, and carry along practical
man familiar with the formations
peculiar with this valley for all geo.
logical information necessary in MAX
ing an approximate estimate of the
amount OF solid and loose rock to be en-
countered on the extension. Accord
ingly, an old foreman-Mr. Merit, who
had been in the valley on the new road
since April. and had also had large ex-
perience in railroading in the West
was selected. He was an intelligent,
sober and industrious man, who regu-
larly once month sent the greater
part OF his earnings to his wife and
children in Kansas. He gave his
opinions only after the most careful
examinations, and the gentlemen had
explicit confidence as to their accuracy.
The party reached perpendicular
bluff about fifteen feet high. when Mr..
Mertz climbed down to ledge about
six feet from the top, and with his ham,
mer was investigating the character of
the stones and its probable thickness.
The gentleman above heard several
blows from his hammer, then appar-
emily quantity of loose rock falling,
and Immediately terrific explosion.
They were all considerably shocked,
but not otherwise hurt, and at once
went to the edge of the precipice, where
they detected the strong odor of dyna-
mite, but to their CONSERVATION could
see nothing of Mr.. MertZ. After care
full search some small pieces of his
clothing were found hanging in tree
about thirty feet from the ground, but
that was all. The question for the
scientists to settle is, what caused the
explosion? A number of people
from Birmingham have visited the
place, but have heard only one plaus-
IDLE theory, and that was advanced by
MIR. Schultz, scientist. 1t is known
positively that Mr.. Merit had no dyna-
mite with him, and MIR. Schultz says the
only possible way to account for the ex-
plosiOn is that he had constantly, for a
number of years, been handling dyna-
mite and nitro-glycerine, and that SO
much had been taken into his system
by absorption that it was only necessary
for HIM to receive slight jar to set it
off, which was done when he struck
the ground on falling from the ledge.
Whether his story is true or not
can't say, but give the facts as they hap
pened, and they can be substantiated
by number of citizens in this vicinity
and Birmingham.