Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-01-22
WEST VIRGINIA ITEMS.

Hon. Ben Fisher. of Wheeling, an
ex-member OF the West Virginia Legis-
lature, died suddenly Of heart disease
on Thursday.
Samuel Bennett, of Gilmer county,
is perhaps the father of the largest
familyin West Virginia. Mrs. Bennett
is only forty-four years old. but she
has borne "a children, l6of whom sill
reside with their parents, both OF
whom are in the prime of life.
Hon. d. NJ. Carey, of the construction
firm CT Paige, Carev & Co. New York,
fell iron the new stone bridge being
constructed over Wheeling creek in
Wheeling, last Thursday, and WAS
drowned. Mr.Carey, together with the
city engineer aud a number Of gentle
men interested, were on the arch ex-
aiming the false work, which was
endangered by the high water, when
he accidentally slipped and fell into
the creek. which was rushing in
mighty torrent through the false
work. The body has not yet been re-
covered.
The annual convention OF the \. NJ
G. A. of West Virginia. Maryland.
District OF Columbia and D-law at
Park-rsburg the past week was a
most interesting one. and called to-
g-ther large number OF Association
workers The following officers we're
elected for the ensuing year: President,
Hon. George w Atkinson. Wheeling.
w Va; first vic,-preSid mt, Levin
Smith. Parkersburg w Va second,
James E Tyler. Baltimore; secretary,
w. NJ Weller. Cumberland, Md; a.
sistant secretary, WIN. Tatnall, Will
mington. Del.
One OF the most cold .bloodad as
sassiuatiOns ever known in Mcdowell
county happened Friday night AT the
nome OF Mrs +. Cook. who resides
near Welch. Ii appears that Mrs. &.
Il. Mcclure was spending the evening
with Mrs Cook. aud while engaged al
the supper table in conversation two
unknown parties, one with shotgun
and the other with Winchester rifie,
went TO one of the windows OF the
residence and fired the contents OF
both guns into the body OF Mrs. Cook,
killing her instantly. Mrs. Mcclure
made her escape through the back
door and saved her life by hiding in
the woods. Great excitement prevails.
Specials from Caredo, w. Va. tell
the news Of a terrific explosion OF the
Phoenix Powder Mills, which was
very desti uctive TO life, last Monday
morning. The Phoenix Mill is situated
at Central City. near Ceredo, aud
about half way between Huntington,
ny 4 u a. Il.
the third explosion at this mill within
three months. and Is by all odds me
most destructive one. The last one
before this happened six weeks ago,
aud was tritling affair How tile
awful wreck of Monday was brought
about will never be known, because
not a soul that was III the mill was
left alive to tell the story. Al 80
o'clock in the morning people 10
lronton, twenty-five miles away,
heard the terrible decorating roar.
In Ceredo, three miles away, WIN
dows were broken and wares In the
stores were shaken from the shelves.
In Catlettsburg, nearly ten miles
away, the earth shook and people
were alarmed. Everybody OWNED
the cause, aud there was rash from
all directions TO the scene.
Tie local authorities organized and
surrounded the ruins with Gordon
OF police, through which none OF the
thousands Of spectators was permitted
to pass. 1t has been ascertalned that
the first explosion was in the glazing.
room, where there were ten tons of
powder. Then, successfully, the
packing house. the magazine aud the
four wheel mills. and, lastly, a carload
OF gunpowder went hurting III hery
Fragments through the air Not a
vesrige of the entire plant remains,
and the country for half a mi'e
around ia strewn with fragments OF
the buildings and OF the bodies OF
five men, victims OF the disaster 1t
is not known definitely, but at the
present writing it is believed that not
less that thirty-five tons Of powder
were burned in the several explosions.
| Besides the five men who were ln-
stautly killed. four other persons who
were near by were seriously injured.