Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-07-29
BLOWN TO PIECES.


Two Boys Horribly Maugied by the Ex-
plosion of "a Powder Magazine Mt Hunt
ington, Ind.-Two other Dead Bodies
Said to Have Been Found.
HUNTINGTON, Ind, July 25. AT 8
o'clock Monday afternoon there was an
explosion that shook the earth. People
on the streets could not account forit A
hugh volume of smoke arose from the
south bank of Little river, west of the
Lafontaine bridge and tod the story.
On the high bank at the point known
as the Elm, on the property of NJ. b.
Schaeffer, formerly stood the powder
house of Schaetfer Il Schaeffer 1t was
smaE brick structure about by q
feet in size and low. On one side was
window, or rather an air hole.
Monday afternoon some boys were
swimming in the river at that point.
They saw Homer Householder and
Hugh Harvey near the powder house
with rife. In an instant there was
roar, the earth trembled, and bricks,
dirt and stone were hurled in shower
in all directions. When the smoke
cleared away the two boys could not be
seen. The powder house had exploded.
Not brick was left in place In
fact, there was nothing left to mark
the spot upon which the little building
had stood except the torn-up ground
and few charred pieces of wood. The
wreck was complete. Bricks were
hurled half a mile. Many were blown
clear through house roofs, and in one
of M. B. Schaeffers houses brick
carried away door.
A great crowd soon collected and
viewed the ruins. While the people
were walking about somebody almost
stepped upon two dead bodies The
bodies were lying in the grass on the
north side of the river, one being on
the Wabash right of way. When found
the bodies were entirely naked. Their
clothing was all burned off Homer
Householder, the one found on
the Wabash right of way, was badly
mangled His arms were gone and his
head crushed The other body, that of
Hugh Harvey, was even more mu-
tilated than that of HOUSEHOLDER. The
head was blown off and the body
burned. 1t had on no clothing, but
piece of Harvey's trousers was found
near by. This helped to identify him.
Crowds surrounded the bodies and
viewed the sickening sight.
The bodies were removed to Ken
overs undertaking establishment,
where they will be prepared for burial.
An unknown man and boy who were
nearer the powder house than House
holder and Harvey cannot be found.
This boy and man had been in the
neighborhood several days, but were
strangers. Late Monday night it was
reported that two more heads were
found near the powder house. making
four dead in all.
A boy named Peden said he had been
with Harvey and Householder when
Harvey proposed that they GO and
shoot into the powder house window.
Peden refused and ran away, and had
gone but short distance when the ex-
plosion occurred. Peden was knocked
down and bruised The heavy iron
door of the powder house has not been
found.
Andrew Herzog and John Cooley
were drilling a well about $50 yards
away. The shower of brick and stones
about them was frightful. Herzog was
struck in the side by flying brick and
knocked down. A brick struck Goolev's
left wrist and hurt it badly. Windows
were broken in all parts of town. They
were broken in the courthouse, Third
ward schoolhouse, Catholic church,
new Osborne hotel and many other
large buildings George Pastors green
houses were riddlcd.
The powder house was used by
Schaetfer Sc Schaeffer to store away
their stock of powder and dynamite.
1t was small and had heavy door,
locked with a common paddock. The
last person to enter the house was John
Kunce, who was there several days ago.
kunce said to reporter that the house
contained about twenty-five kegs of
powder and one tifty-pound box of %
per cent. dynamite.