Semi=weekly graphic., 1895-12-28
MIR. ED HARVEY HAS HIS HAND TORN OFF BY A CANNON
 CRACKER.
Several Serious Accidents Caused by the Use of Powder aud the Terrible
 Fire Cracker.

Yesterday, Christmas Day, will long he remembered with sadness by several people in Pine Bluff, on ac- count of the terrible calamities that befell them and their loved ones. While the firing of fire crackers and other explosives was not indulged in to such an extent as In years past, the list of casualties on yesterday was by far greater and more serious than ever before. This was probably due to the fact that the fire crackers now sold are more dangerous and deadly than those of years past. It is fact that many of the "cannon crackers are composed of dynamite, which canse the very handling of them to be dangerous.
 One of the first casualties of the day occurred early fn the morning, when Mir. Ed. Saunders, in lighting some .'nigger chasers," accidentally set on fire several large crackers and one of them exploded near his hand and burnt and mutilated 1t badly.
 A little later q physician was sum- moned to dress the hand of Master Don Atkinson, son of Mir. and Mrs. T. E. Atkinson, who by the use of fire works was severely powder burned.
 Tn the afternoon Master Steve Hug gard attempted to fire toy can non. He was leaning over the toy smoking a cigarette when spark fell on the powder and caused it to ex- plode. For time 1t was believed that young Huggard's sight had been destroyed, but after the phy- sieians had dressed his wounds 1t was found that he was only severely powder burned about the face, but his eyesight was not injured.
 Shortly after this accident a party of gentlemen were standing In the saloon of Holland x Portis. The question of cigarettes and fire works, with their attendant danger, were being discussed. Mir. Ed. Harvey, the bartender, asserted that he believed law should be passed making it a crime to manufacture cannon crackers" or their deadly companion the cigarette. One of the gentle men in the party had In his pocket a large "cannon cracker" Mr. Harvey saw it and asked for it. He took the cracker and at first laid 1t up on the bar. A second later he walked to the front part of the saloon and looked out into the street and saw a number of friends standing near. He came back and said, 'tI am going to shoot that cracker and have some fun. Just watch Holland and Portis jump when it eXplOdes. He struck a match, walked front and lit the fuse. Mir. s. A. Levy, who was in the party, warned Harvey not to throw the cracker in the crowd, or 1t might blow some one to pieces. Harvey made no reply, but stuck the cracker through the bars of the little office gate. Several gentlemen heard tine spiuttering noise made by the rapidly burning fuse and told him to throw the cracker. The warning came too late. There was terrific explosion, which shook the very building. A second later, when the smoke had cleared away, Mr. Harvey wheeled around and said: "My ran to him and fouad that his arm was not gone, but that his hand was nothing hut n mntilated mass of flesh. The thumb was torn off, the index finger was missing, the three remaining fingers were partly gone and every bone in the hand was broken. 1t was indeed a horrible sight. A physician was summoned and the wounded man was put to bed and given every possible atten tion. A moment after the explosion a man standing on the opposite side of the street heard something fal near him and on Investigating dis covered it to be finger blown iron Mr. Harvey's hand. It was picked up and brought to the saloon A second later another finger wa found on the street at least fit, feet from where the explosion oc cured. Mir. Harvey was removed t, his home. He rested easil, last night. It cannot be told jus
 yet whether he will survive tn wound or not. He has many friend . and the accident Is one of the sad
 dest that ever occurred in Pine Bluff Soon after the accident that hap
 pened to Mir. Harvey. Sam Ivory, negro railroad employe, called 0
 one of our physicians to dress h 7 hand, which had been burst open b - the premature explosion of a canno
 cracker. His wound was also te - rihle one.
 's MT. Sam Lefiar is today wearing F @ very r blue and .Asslaa..y Asslaa..y swtslen ey ae lcaused by being struck ny piece cannon cracker. He had a narro
 escape. for if he had been struck IS fraction higher an h!s aye wou
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