The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1890-09-11
EIGHTEEN TAKEN OUT.
TERRIFIC EXECUTION DONE BY A
PREMATURE BLAST.

Scores Of Workmen Buried Beneath Tons
Of Rock in . Railway Cut at Spokane
Falls 80 Fatal Railway Collision in
Colorado.
SPOKANE FALLS, WASH, Sept. Sat
5:55 o'clock in the evening a premature
blast in the Northern Pacific yards killed
large number Of men, just how many
is not yet known. At II p. m. the men
engaged in the sad task of taking out
the mangled victims were forced to de-
sist, because among the rocks which
were being cleared away were five other
blasts that might be exploded in the task
of removing the mass Of debris that bur-
led the victims. Up to that hour eigh-
teen bodies had been taken out. Of
these the following have been identified:
Henry Jacobini Veyeller, Henry APP
tell, Charles Veyeller, Andrew Puelo-
nelio, F. A. Malm, Joseph Ray, John
Joseph Cartliono, James Mcpherson,
Roy Pinckney, B. Vitter, j. Talbo,
Henry Jacobini, Henry Apten, A. w.
Warren, Isaac Johnson, Dan Macarthur
Homer Olsen.
The fatality was terrible. The men
were given no chance for life. It was
either instant death or slight injury.
There were about 200 pounds of giant
powder in the blalt. The accident was
caused by some ones carelessness. The
man in charge of the blast and three
assistants were blown to atoms. It is
the custom to prepare blasts and charge
them, and at the hours of 10 noon and
O'clock, after the men have left work
and gone to place Of safety, to shoot
them. In this case, however, it seems
that one blast had been prepared and
the foreman, G. Mcpherson, was pre-
pairing second. The men had all fin
ished their work and were
Putting on Their Coats.
and picking ny their lunch pals ready
to 60 to their homes after their days
work, when they met horrible and un-
expected death. Either the rock was
too hot from the drills or else tamping
exploded the second blast, and that ex-
ploded the first. A man who was lamp
ing paid the penalty with his life. Not
anticipating the blast about thirty men
were under the cliff when the blast ex-
ploded. Agreat mass of rock and earth
raised in the air and pitched over into
Gne cut, DufylnS Inc men Donedun us
awful weight. None of them had a
chance to run, but a few escaped in a
miraculous manner. Over 100 men We're
at work in the adjoining cuts and at
once were on the scene of the terrible &C.
cident, and began with pick and shovel
to hunt for the buried bodies. From all
over the huge mass of rock groans and
shrieks issued. and the air was filed
horrible noises and the
Appeals of Wounded and Dying.
It is estimated that 1850 cubic feet of
rocks and earth were hurled upon the
unfortunate men directly beneath in the
cut. The explosion was a terrific one,
it being stated that $50 pounds of dyna-
mite were in each of the two blasts dis
charged. Although large force worked
Sunday until all the rock dislodged was
removed, no more bodies were found.
Sixteen Laid at Rest.
SPOKANE FALLS, WASH, Sept. o.
As there was no hope of finding any
more bodies beneath the rock no work
was done on the grounds. Most of the
laborers attended the funeral of their
comrades, sixteen of whom were laid at
rest In Greenwood cemetery.