The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-09-13
UNDER ROCK.
Time Only Heightens the Horror OF the
Fearful Disaster in SpO-
Kane Falls.
Eighteen Mapgled Bodies Recovered
From Under the Mighty Mass
OF Rock.

o hOChs
Twenty.Seten More Men Believed TO BE
Buried in the Debris Left br the
Explosion.
Time only Iteigtteits the horrors
wrought by the premature explosion
of q bias; in the Northern Pacific
freight yards at Spokane Falls, WASH,
on the 7th inst. Al IL p. IN. the men
engaged in the sad task OF taking out
the manged victims were forced to de-
sist because among the rocks which
were being cleared away were five 9th
cr blasts that might be exploded in
the task Of removing the mass OF de
hris that buried the victims. w to
that hour eighteen bodies had been
taken out. OF Observation-Disclosures
been identified:
Henry Jacobina Neyeller, Henry Ap-
tell, Charles Neyeller, Andrew Puelo-
nelio, F. A. Hahn, Joseph Ray, John
Jaseph CartliOno, James Mcpherson,
Roy Pinckney, B. Nitter, J. Talbo,
Henry Jacobini, Henry Aptel a. w.
| Warren, Isaac johnson, Dan Near.
thur, Homer Olsen.
There were yet twenty-seVen men
unaCCounted for, all of whom are prob
ably buried beneath the mighty mass
of rock, The fatality was terrible.
The men were given no chance for life.
1t was either instant death or injury.
| There we're about goo pounds Of
giant powder in the blast. The acCi-
dent was caused by some ones care
| lessness. The man in charge OF the
| blast and three assistants were blown
to atoms 1t Is the custom to prepare
blasts and charge them, and at the
hours of ~ noon and 9 o'clock, after
the men have left work and gone to q
! place of safety, to shoot them. In
| this case, however, it seems that one
blast had been prepared and the fore
man, c. Mcpherson, was preparing a
second. The men had all
FINISHED THEIR WORK
and were putting on their coats and
picking up their lunch pals ready to
go to their homes after their day.
work, when they met Il horrible and
unexpected death. Either the rock
was too hot from the drills or else
tampng exploded the second blast,
and that exploded the first. A man
who was tamping paid the penalty
with his life. A man who stood beside
one who was tamping escaped with
slight bruises, although 10000 cubic
feet uf rock were hurled for hundreds
of feet in every direction. Another
man who was near the deadly blast
and who was supposed to he dead, was
seen short " after thecxplOsiOn ina hall
Crazed condition walking around with
his clothing torn to shrcds. The men
we're working in a cut leVellng off the
ground for the new freight yards. The
cliff of the rock on the side OF the cut
which was being removed was twenty
feet high. The blasts are SO arranged
that the rock Is thrown toward the
cut. Not anticipating the blast about
thirty men were under the cliff wheI
the blast exploded A great mass o
rock and earth raised in the air anC
pitched over into the cut, burymg the
men beneath it's awful weight. Non,
of them had time to run but a few es
capped in miraculous manner. Over
100 men were at work in the adlOln
ing cuts and at once were on the scen'
of the terrible accident, and began will
pick and shovel to hunt for the buried
bodies. From all over the huge mas
of rock groans and shrieks issued anC
the air was filled with the horribl
noises and thc appeals Of thewOundet
. and diving. A short half hour and al
was still except for the workingmel
with pick in hand, who, by light O
lanterns, worked late into the nigh
removing the dead bodies.
NO MORE BODIES FOUND.
The explosion was the all-engrossin
topic OF conversation in the city mex
. day. Curiosity led hundreds to visi
the scene of the accident. During tn
day eager crowds watched the work {
: ! removing Ine uIlllleIlSS dIttouilC ollOC
thrown by the explosion into the GU
, below, under which most OF the bOdie
; OF those killed were found. The seen
l of the explosion presented a fearft
: appearance. On the top OF the leda
!. Of rock where the unfortunate for
n man, James Mcpherson, was taml
= ing the blast by which the explosio
by which so many were hurled int
eterhity, a deep cut was exCavate
I intol the earth, and it is estimate
y thatl $3.50 cubic feet of rocks an
Kearth were hurled upon the unfortl
Aate mon directly beneath in the Gu
khe explosion was a terrific one,
Ming stated that $50 pounds OF dynt
e were in each of the two blast
k,arged. Although a large fore
Aed until all the rock dislodge
Kiremoved, no more bodies wei
NJ, Funeral services were held q
Egue over the remains Of IL
.. Ia yready dead and public bu
horrible Butehery.
kS Kwiatkowski arrived
Sg on the 9th inst. dire