Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-04-20
DEATH BY EXPLOSIONS.
NEARLY a SCORE KILLED IN
THREE ACCIDENTS.

Twelve Men Dead and Six Injured
at Petersburg, Va. Three Men
Killed by Powder at Brinton,
Penn.-Three Perish at Lancaster,
Ind, by a Boiler Explosion.
About O'Clock few afternoons ago an
alarm of fire was turned in from Blandford,
a suburb Of Petersburg, Va, and tbs was
soon followed by loud explosions. In IF
teen minutes there was a second explosion
The explosion was caused by fire in the fire.
works factory of C. n. Romaine 4 Brother.
Twelve men were killed and six injured oy
the explosions.
The flames spread very rapidly and were
quickly communicated to the other buildings
used for the manufacture Of fireworks, and
thereafter there were frequent explosions.
The dead were Chas. n. Romaine, John B.
Bland, Captain James W. Tosh, Jas. W. Per-
kfns, James Rowland, who was "A spectator
after the first explosion Robert Rowland, his
brother J. F. Harris. Edward TrayIor. W.
Parker, Quincy LivesaY, James Bryant and
Thomas Voolfolk (colored). The injured
were: Chief Engineer E. Y. Farley, fatal,
Charles Wells, injured internally; P. W.
Redgray, probably fatally injured Walter
Nunaly, hand broken and flesh wound on
left breast 4; E. Stith Beasley, struck on thigh
by flying piece of tin and slightly injured;
William Parker an employe at the fireworks
factory, struck in the face by piece of fly
ing timber. William Traylor and Quincy
Livesay, who were employees ofthe fireworks
factory, were also supposed to have been
killed.
The remains of Captain Tosh were identt-
fed by his knife, sleeve buttons, eyeglasses
and watch. Captain Tosh was a candidate
for Commissioner of Revenue, in opposition
to the present incumbent, James B. Blanks,
and some of his election tickets were
found in his pockets. He was q men,
Der Of A. P. Hill Camp Of Confederate
Veterans. For some years he was engaged
in the railroad business, both in Richmond
and Petersburg. Up to a few months ago he
was the auctioneer at the Tobacco Exchange.
He had also carried on dairy business. He
was one OF Petersburg's most prominent and
highly esteemed citizens.
John b. Bland and O. N. Romano were
both prominent members of the City Coun-
Gil Mr.. Bland had been in the Council only
q short time, having only been elected few
weeks q ago. They were both married, and
leave widows with children. Mr.. Romaine
for many years had carried on the fireworks
business here, and WAS also engaged with
his brother and John o. Barham in the man
ufacture of trunks
Mr.. Bland was member of the drm of
Bland Brothers & Wright, large mauufao-
turers of tobacco. Mr.. Perkins, who was
among the killed, was a bricklayer. He had
y
He was about sixty years old, and the
father of Mr.. W. A. Perkins. a well-known
young merchant Of Petersburg. Thomas
Voolfolk, the colored man who was killed,
was fireman for Romaine & Brother.
Chief Engineer Farley is a brave fireman
and popular with all who know him. AS
soon as possible after he had been injured
he was taken In a wagon to the Home for
the Sick.
temporary morgue was established in
house near thu scene of the explosion.
Mayor Collier issued the following prociama-
ton
''In view of the appalling calamity oeca-
stoned by the fire of this afternoon in Bland
ford, whereby many families have been sud-
denly plunged into the deepest distress by
reason of the many lives sacrificed on that
occasion, invite a meeting of the citizens
to be held at the Court House in the Coun-
ell Chamber at o'clock, to take such ap-
propriate measures of sympathy and relief
as the extraordinary occasion may require.
CHARLES F. COLLIER, Mayor"