Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-03-06
GE.NER.4L .vEWS ITEMS.

Natural gas rs q fuel Is a luxury
that has 70 be used TO be appreciated,
but the danger attending Its use Is
great. Last week five houses were
wrecked III western PENNSYLVANIA by
gas explosions. The first explosion
occurred ut Tareutum, Pa, Mt ten
O'Clock at night. The concussion al
most completely demolished two brick
dwellings, and two smaller dwellings
used rs store rooms. The dwellings,
were occupied by Joel Smith and
William c. Pritchard, both prominent
citizens. The families were Just re-
firing when the explosion took place
and all were more or less injured,
but Mrs. Smith was the only one
dangerously hurt She was terribly
burned about tine head and breast
and VIII probably die. the loss vii
be quite heavy.
The second explosion took place at
seven O'Clock in the morning, and
totally wrecked the frame house Of
Patrick Murray, on Brownvile
avenue, in the Southside. The
family, consisted Of I've persons, were
all In bed. and i Is a miracle that al
were not killed. Murray was the
most seriously injured. He WAS bad
" burned about the head and face
and had one leg crushed by q falling
timber.
The Bedford i-gr5irer notes n court
case which Is worthy Of going ON re
cord. The Commonwealth had a
little matter % settle with one John
Ovler, and brought the gentleman
up for trial The jury was selected,
sworn and one witness examined.
The same evening one OF the Jurors
received q telegram that his father
was dying, aud was excused Next
morning the Judge directed that the
I jury he discharged and new one
/ drawn. This was done, and the case
| proceeded, but was scarcely well un,
derway when another Juror was cx.
| Cused 20 hasten 10 the bedside Of his
dying wife. This made a third Jury
| necessary, and the case was once more
on when one Of the jurors, in going
/ 20 or from the Court House, spraiued
/ hls Leg SO badly that for time II
was feared he might not be able to
perform his duty, which would have
required a fourth jury to be empanel
ed. 1t Is doubted whether so re
markable a series Of fortutious
circumstances ever before headed
about a case in any court, but Bed
| ford county appears to have done i
easy.
"The Pine Run Natural Gas Com
pany operating IN the vicinity OF Ap
ollo, Armstrong county, and Salts
burg, Indiana county, has struck on.
of the biggest Natural Gas wells eve,
| known in Western PENNSYLVANIA
| The well Is guaged at $50, and Is es
timated to have a rock pressure o
over eIght hundred pounds, as it wa.
leaking when guagCd. One well IL
| the Washington county field, anc
two IN the MUrraysville, Westmcre
land county district, are the onll
ones known to have reached thi
great pressure, and none IN tn,
| Western Pennsylvania fields have sur
passed 1t. 4 very fair flow Of ga
was struck at 1850 feet, bat the dril
kept going on down until penetrat
ed 25OO feet feet. Then flow wa
struck that threw the tools out Of tn
hole. The roar Of the escaping ga
can be heard for miles"
From the Franklin Repositor O
last week. \ party Of gypsies drov
into town this morning, coming from
the direction of Greencastle, an,
started out west Market street The,
may he the same party who hav,
been near Hagerstown for the las
few DAYS and who are said TO hav,
two cases of small pox with them
Our citizens viii do wei 10 be OF
thir guard, lest the disease may breal
Iout here.
GErTEsBURG, Pa, February 27.-
The barn on the farm Of John Her
was burned on the 18th. inst. pre-
sumedly by naTu burners" To-day
Lew Herr, tLe Jeant, and son Of tn,
owner, was arrested and held in 81.
600 bail to answer for the charge u
. having ser fire To the barn He wa
suspected from the first.