The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1889-01-17
A REMARKABLE STORY.
A Man Said to BE Blown Up by Dynam-
lite Within Him.

lite Within Him.
The following most remarkable
story is furnished The Huntsville Mer-
curry by one of its reliable correspond
ents, and presents a case that will
puzzle scientists no little:
A strange occurrence took place in
Bloupt county, Ala, yesterday 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 rail
road officials wero here on a tour of
inspection. with the view of opening
some beds of iron ore and selecting
the most practicable route for the ex,
tension of the now railway that leads
up this valley.
This, indeed, seems to have been the
true battle grounds Of the gods with
"Pellon piled upon Ossa, or tho utter
confusion Of the biologists, who can
not account for red iron ore in one side
OF a mountain. brown on the other
with veins Of coal Immediately under
lylngdhe 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
to this valley for all geological in
formation necessary IN making an ap-
proxlmato estimate of the amount of
solid and loose rock to be encountered
on tho extension. Accordingly an old
foreman, Mr. Merits who had had
large experience in railroadng in
the west, was selected. He was an in
telllgent, sober and Industrious man.
who regularly once a 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 implicit confidence as
TO their accuracy. The party reached
a perpendicular bluff about fifteen feet
high, when Mr.. Merits climbed down
to a ledge about six feet from the top
and with his hammer was investigat-
ing tho character Of stones and their
probable thickness. The gentlemen
above heard several blows from his
hammer, then apparently a quantity
OF loose rocks falling and Immediately
a terrific explosion. They were all
considerably shocked, but not other
wise hurt, and at once went to the
edge Of the precipice, where they de-
tected the strong odor of dynamite,
but to their CONSERVATION could see
nothing Of Mr.. Merits After careful
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 peo-
pie from Birmingham have visited
the place, but l have heard only one
plausible theory, and that was adj
vancOd by Mr.. Schultz, scientist. 1t
is Known positively that Mr.. Merits
had no dynamite with him, and Mr..
Schultz says the only possible way to
account for the explosion is that he
had constantly, for number of years,
been handling dynamite and nitro
glycerine, and that SO much had been
taken into his system by absorption
that 1t 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
happened, and they can be substan-
tiated by number of citizens in this
vicinity and Birmingham, who will
inform you if there is any more light
on the subject.