The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-08-28
BLOWN TO ATOMS BY GLYCERINE.
Claude Ward, Former TiOnesta Boy,
the Victim Of an Awful Explosion.

Claude Ward, young man who for
merly lived with his parents in Tionesta,
and who is well and favorably remem-
bered by many of our citizens, was blown
to atoms by an explosion of nitro-glycer-
inc on Thursday of last week, about two
miles from franklin, ON the Bully Hill
road.
The young man has been employed
since April, of this year, by A. G. Har-
per q Co., OF Oil City, as a mixer of the
explosive at the factory at Kane city, and
also as an oil well shooter. He was 25
years old, steady in his habits and care
full in handling the explosive. batch
of the stuff was made at Kane city on
Wednesday and on Thursday wa1d was
sent with a wagon load to the Bully Hill
magazine. When he left the Kane City
factory he had on about 300 quats, and
made the trip of Is miles over the rough
country and side-hil roads in safety only
to be blown into shreds within less than
100 feet of the magazine where it was to
be stored. The shock of the explosion
was terrific in its effects. A funnel-like
hole nine feet deep at the center and
about 80 feet across marked where the
wagon had stood when the stuff let go.
For fully 200 feet on all sides of the
spot where the explosion occurred there
was not a leaf to be found on single
tree, but fragments of hair, flesh, skin or
cloth were to be seen on many; and one
big chestnut tree, about 30 feet from the
hole in the ground, was daubed and
smeAred to height of 20 feet with blood
and hair from one of the horses and
earth thrown from the hole clear to
where the top had been torn off by the
explosion. Thirty feet away the disem-
bowled carcass of one of the horses, its
neck twisted, its ears blown off and ap-
parently every bone in it's body broken
lay piled against huge rock that had
stopped its flight. Opposite and about
40 feet away was its mate; its entire hind
quarters blown off and strewn about the
woods, and its intestines and stomach
hanging in fragments from the trees. In
less than half hour from the time the
explosion occurred there were fully 800
people securing the woods for some trace
of the driver. A bunch of hair no big
ger than a silver dollar was found in the
| crotch of a tree. 1t was portion of the
scalp of the unfortunate young man.
The crowd grew rapidly and with the in
crease of the searching party more of the
fragments of the body of the missing
man were discovered. Some kind soul
procured a small grape basket, lined it
with paper and as fast as the shreds
of human flesh were found they were
placed in this receptacle. A portion OF
scalp, the palm of hand and few mus
cles from the calf of the leg, with frag-
ment of wrist joint we're all, and
these were found scattered in the leaves
or hanging from limbs of the trees from
IL to 200 feet away from the scene of the
explosion. A piece of calico, of blue and
white stripes, a two-inch piece of cloth
and a fragment of a blue handkerchief
were recognized as being portions Of
Wards apparel.
He was single and came here from
Corydon, near Salamanca, eight or nine
years ago with his step father, Mr.. Brant
and twin brother Clarence, who have
since moved back to Corydon, we be-
lieve. Claude was general favorite
with his young associates here, being q
big-hearted, good-natured and energetic
boy.