Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-12-30
THREE MEN BLOWN UP.
MYSTERIOUS POWDER EXPLOSION AT
MlLNESVlLLE STRIPPING.
Black Powder and Dynamite Exploded
from Some Unknown Cause and All
Who Were There Were Killed-A Mys-
terry That VIII Never BE Explained.

Who We're There Were killed-A Mys-
terry That VIII Never BE Explained.
BY the explosion of quantity of dy-
Mantle and black powder three men
were killed at VanWickle's No. . Mil
nesVille stripping on Friday. Their
names are Bart Torney, miner, aged %
years, married; Andrew Lawrence.
laborer, aged a5; William Gerard, fire.
man, aged II. There being no other
persons in the vicinity at the time, the
exact cause of the explosion will never
be known. The explosion took place at
the powder house, which is a short
distance from No. boiler rooms. 1t
was about 11.30 o'clock that the men
were seen going in the direction of the
magazine. Torney aud his laborer were
together, and Gerard was following.
Shortly after the miner and his laborer
entered the building flash of fire burst
through, followed by deafening report.
The very mountains seemed to shake.
Although the people living in that vi
cinity are accustomed to hearing heavy
explosions day and night at the strip
pings, on this occasion they were greatly
alarmed and rushed from their homes.
fearing that an earthquake had taken
place.
A glance in the direction Of No. II
stripping told the tale. The powder
magazine had disappeared, also por
tion of the boiler house. Six men who
were at work in the stripping hole were
knocked down by the shock. The
houses rocked on their foundations plas-
tering fell from the walls, and window
broken, terrorizing the people.
The unfortunate .workmen who had
been in the vicinity were killed in
stantly. They met horrible deaths.
Young Gerard was blown sixty yards
from where he had stood. The body
sailed through the air like rocket and
was stopped in its flight by house
standing in the way. The force with
which the unfortunate mans head
struck the building caused big inden-
taton in the side The top Of his skull
was torn off, also one of his legs, while
the body was punctured in shocking
manner.
Torncy was also badly torn and bruis-
ed and had one of his legs blown Off.
Lawrence's body was not so terribly
shattered, but it was burnt to crisp
and resembed a piece of charcoal.
When the human fragments were gath
cred together they presented a horrible
sight
There are numerous theroies advanced
regarding the cause of the explosion.
1t was not the regular magazine and
there was but 1000 pounds of black
powder IN it and $50 sticks of dualn.
Steam pipes ran from the boiler house to
wher2 the powder was stored. 1t is
supposed that Gerard intended to shut
off this steam, and for that purpose went
over to tell Torney. Presumably the
giant powder was let fall, or perhaps a
match or spark from some source
dropped into the black powder causing
the explosion. The exact cause, however,
, will never be known.
Gerard was member of the Catholic
temperance society of Harleigh and was
last Sunday elected president. Torney
was married and leaves a wife and one
child to mourn his loss. The Hungarian
was also married man aud leaves a
wife and two children. All were buried
Yesterday in st. Gabriel's cemetery
Hazlcton.