The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-17
Killed by a Dynamite Explosion.
rSpecial to the Charleston World

Especial to the Charleston World.]
UNION, April 12.-This afternoon
about 5 o'clock while crowd Of work
men we're working on the piers OF the
new bridge at Fish Dam, Broad river,
q premature explosion of dynamite
caused the death of colored man,
blowing his head completely of. 1t
seriously injured white man an an
other colored man. Later news says
the white man is dying. 7. Mn.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Especial to the News and Courier.l
FISH DAM, April ia serious and
fearful accident occurred Cd the Geor-
eia, Carolina and Northern Railroad
this afternoon about o'clock. Blasting
was going on in a deep cut at this place,
near the residence of Mr.. W. K. Thorn
as. Nine charges had been made and
the fuse to each ignited. The alarm of
''fire" was given, and everybody cleared
the way for the anticipated falling of
rock. In few moments seven distinct
reports were heard.
After waiting some time for the other
two charges to ''go off, the foreman,
Mr.. Ponton, with several of his men re-
turned to the work thinking that the
fuse had failed to burn and fire the
dynamite, or that two reports had been
sounded at the same time. A negro
was Just in the act of removing the fuse,
supposed to be out, when the charge
exploded throwing rock in every direc-
ton and blowing the negros head into
atoms, totally destroying one Of his
hands and fearfully mutilating other
potions of his body. The foreman sus-
tained serious but it is hoped not fatal
injuries. One leg is badly lacerated,
and some bones are fractured.
Besides the above two negroes re-
ceived severe but not serious wounds
on the head and face. These, however,
are 80 slight that the men will be all
right for work in day or so.
DR.. James A. Hancock was immedl-
ately summoned and in few moments
was at the scene and rendered all ne
cessary medical and surgical attention
to all of the wounded men. The killed
and wounded wele in the employ of
Reps, Jones & Co, contractors, with
Mr.. 0. Shultz. The foreman, Mr.. j. G.
Ponton, is married man, and has a
family in Arlington, Wilson County,
Va.
The negro killed was from Monroe,
n. c., and was known as Robert
Bracket. One of the wounded negroes
is from North Carolina and is known
by the name of William Williams, Mr..
Shultz is finishing up his work here
and this is about the last blasting to be
done. The work is expected to be
finished next week and the cars are
expected here on Wednesday.
THE INQUEST.
April 13.-Your reporter has just re-
turned from Schultz's camp, where he
saw the dead and wounded. Coroner
Gregory, accompanied by DR.. NJ: T:
Smith, came down from Union last
night and held an inquest over the
body of the dead man. Mr.. Ponton,
the foreman, spent a very good night
last night, and DR.. Hancock thinks
that he is getting on well, and that his
wounds will not prove fatal.
The wounded negroes are up, and
will probably go to work tomorrow.
Mr.. Ponton said in conversation with
him, that he had been in the railroad
business twenty years and that he
never had an accident with dynamite
to occur before. He says that he gave
the charge ample time to fire, and that
the delay was caused by Gaw in the
fuse.