Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-08-30
BLOWN UP BY DYNAMITE


Engine Room Hand Who Removed the
Sea FalVe-He Afterward Retired 60 a
Maryland Farm.
New YORK, August 9s.-The steam
ship GuyandOtte, which figured in the
cicero Harrison case, has figured in a
number Of queer episodes. She has been
eunk at her dock, been blown up with
dynamite and had her nose thrust in
among the vitals OF other craft, yet in
al these adventures she has come oil
sound In limb and body.
The most curious and altogether the
most absurd OF the Guysndotte's many
adventures, was that which resulted in
her sinking at her own dock here in
New York. This occurred in 1884, and
one LOdand was the hero Of that ex-
plot LOhand's nautical experience
terminated then and there, and he has
since been farming down in Maryland
de was employed In the engine room or
the ship and was told 20 make some re-
pairs TO the pump valve. Instead OF
doing that he went down into the en-
CINE room and calmly unscrewed the
numerous nuts which hold In place the
sea valve 70 the circulating pump. This
valve is "a iRches ia diameter and
opens directly into the water at dis
tance OF several feet below the water
line. il was a tedious aud q tiresOme
little job 10 open this valve, because,
naturally, there were thrown in the way
OF its being opened a number OF minor
obstacles In overcoming which man
would have plenty Of time TO reflect and
find out II be we're quite sure that be
really wanted the valve open, inaSmuch
IS opening 10, except under the proper
conditions, meant the sinking OF the
BhiD.
Lofland, however, was patient and
persevering man and be la0Ored cheer
fully az his task, and when be brought II
10 q triumphant conclusion q inch
column of water darted into the engine
room with such vicious fury that LOf-
land and his surprised assistants barely
had time TO fly for their lives to the
deck 1t was about 10 o'clock in the
morning when LO1and achieved this
exploit, and IN spite OF the
frantic efforts OF all the people
who could be put at the job
the GuyandOtte slowly settled, until az
soc oc6 In the afternoon she was rest
ing comfortably on the mud az the bot
tom Of the North river, with her mastS
and smOkestacks sticking out OF the
water TO indicate whore she could be
found II wanted again. Lo1and fed to
his old home 10 Maryland.
The GuyandOtte rose from this
North river bath fresh and strong, for
there was no damage done by Mr.. LOT
lands attentions further than the ruin
of a valuable cargo.
The Guyandotte was born to figure in
the news papers, and within year she
tired Of humdrum obscuriSy. IL was
during, or rather at the close Of, the
'lonRshoremen's strike In 1855 that she
found her opportunity. She started
from New York for Norfolk one after
noon at the time when the feeling grow
ing out Of the controversy was az the
bitterest That same evening she came
limping back TO her dock with her stern
q complete wreck, but, as Is always the
case in the GuyandOtte's misadventures,
with her vitals uninjured. She had
been blown up in this instance by dyn-
amite bomb concealed in one OF the toll
et-roOms a short time before the ship
sailed, and which exploded an hour or
90 after the GuyandOtte had rounded
Sandy Hook and got her nose well point
ed down her southern course.
The author OF this particular piece OF
vilainy was never found. All that Is
known Of him Is that be came on board
with a black travelling bag, which he
carried in his hand. The force OF the
explosion was terrific. Itreduced every
thing within a wide area around TO
condition OF splinters, although fortu-
nately only one person was injured,and
he only slightly. The fact that only
the ightest woodwork SURROUNDED the
place where the bomb was left, thus
Offering no serious obstacle to the fury
OF me blast, was all that saved the Guy
andotte from a serious wound. The
bomb was powerful enough, had it been
placed iu the engine room or In any
confined place, to have sent the ship 70
the bottom.
AS IL was she was repaired in COM
paratively a few hours and resumed her
regular trips. The Old Dominion Com
pany always stoutly defended the strik-
ing IOngshOremen from the accusation
Of being in any way concerned 10 the
cOwardly attempt TO murder number
OF innocent persons. They attribute II
TO some anlrchistic lunatic whose atten-
tion happe1 ed 70 be directed their way
by the accident Of the labor trouble
among the freight handlers.
The Gua7andotte had not been heard
from for some time prior TO the diSap-
pearance from on board her OF old Mr..
Case, and sue Is now making her Irregular
trips, one Of the staunchest and best be-
haved Of Any Of the steamers Of the Old
Dominion line.