The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-09-11
Horrible Accident.

the premature explosion of a blast in
the Northern Pacific freight yards here
last night.
At II p. m., the men engaged in the
sad task of taking out the mangled vic
tins were forced to desist, because
among the rocks which were being
cleared away were five other blasts that
might be exploded in the task OF remov-
ing the mass of debris that buried the
victims
Up to that hour 1S bodies had been
taken out. Out of these the following
have been identified:
Henry Jacobini, Henry Aptell, Charles
Veyeller, Andrew Puelonelio, F. A.
Hahn, Joseph Ray, John Cartlinio, Jas.
Mcpherson. Roy Pinkney, B. Vitter, }.
Talbo, A. w. Warren, Isaac johnson.
Dan Macarthur and Homer Olsen.
There are yet 81 men unaccounted for,
all of whom are probably buried beneath
the mighty mass of rock. The rlvallty
was terrible The men were given no
chance for life. 1t was either death or
slight injury.
There was about 200 pounds of giant
powder in the blast. The accident was
caused by some ones carelessness. The
man in charge of the blast and three as
sistants were blown to atoms. 1t is the
custom to prepare blasts and charge
them at the hours of 12 noon and
o'clock in the afternoon, and after the men
have left work and gone to a place of
safety, to shoot them.
In this case, however, it seems that
one blast had been prepared, and the
foreman, G.. Mcpherson, was preparing
second The men had all finished
their work and were putting on their
coats, ready to go to their homes, when
they met a horrible and unexpected
DEATH Either the rock was too hot
from the action of the drills or else the
tamping exploded the second blast, and
that exploded the first
A man who was tamping paid the pen
atty with his life. A man who stood
beside one who was tamping escaped
with slight bruises although 10000 cubic
feet of rock we're hurled for hundreds of
feet in every direction. Another man
who was near the deadly blast and who
was supposed to be dead was seen short
ly after the explosion in a half-crazed
condit ion walking around with his
clothing torn to shreds.
The men were working in a cut level
yards. The cliff of rock on the side of
the cut which was being removed was
30 feet high. The blasts are SO arranged
that the rock is thrown toward the cut.
Not anticipating the blast, about 80
mon were under the cliff when the blast
exploded. A great mass of rock and
earth raished in the air and pitched over
into the cut, burying the men beneath
its awful weight. None of them had
time to run, but a few escaped in a mi
raculous manner.
Oyer 100 men were at work In the ad-
| joining cuts, and at once were on the
scene of the terrible accident, and be-
gan with picks and shovels to hunt for
the buried bodies. From all over the
huge mass of rock groans and shrieks
issued, and the air was filed with
the horrible noise and the appeals of
the wounded and dying A short half
hour, and all was still except for work
ingmen with pick in hand, who, with
the light of lanterns, worked late into
the night removing the dead bodies.
Shall 1t Be Done ?
A real estate dealer said to the re
porter of the VIRGINIAN last week. 81
will go North and solicit subscriptions
for hotel if our people VIII back me III
it." The backing means not only the
authority and endorsement from the
people as to the scheme, but also sub
stantial moneyed assistance on the part
of our people towards the building.
We do not like the idea of going off
to ask assistance in a scheme like this
Staunton is saying to the world-We
have values to offer all who come among
us with their means and energies to
plant industries and establish manufae-
tories. Four improvement companies are
inviting men and capital; and yet it is
suggested that we go North to raise
funds to build a hotel. Is there not
sufficient interest in the situation which
confronts us to awaken the spirit of en-
terprise among our people to raise the
necessary funds for this purpose? 1t
may be that those whose position and
means enable them to carry forward
such a movement are not alive to the
necessity which rests upon us to provide
greater hotel accommodations, if we
would maintain the position we now
hold or advance along the lines of indus
trial improvement. We called atten-
and elegant hotels now going up near
us and which will inevitably draw from
us the trade and travel we now have.
1t is useless to deny the fact, so apparent
to any one who hears what the travelling
public daily says about this matter, that
Staunton has not good name us to its
facilities for entertaining strangers and
travellers. 1t is not a question as to in
jury to any existing interest, but wheth-
er the general interests shall continue to
suffer. We need at least two additional
first-class hotels. We need them badly,
and they should be quickly provided.
| This question is one of the most impOr-
tant our people are now called upon to
consider. 1t has been talked about long
enough--let action now take the place
of paper schemes and street corner
plans, and let it come as quickly as pos
sible.
| Talks on the Tariff.
Fhe american Register, published in
London, has probably opened some En-
glish eyes wide enough to enable them
| to look over and around their free trade
spectacles by these remarks:
Zone of the most glaring fallacies of
| froa trade fanaripc 10 that tho