Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-12-05
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.

Geo, Bester a S, n of Thomas Bester o
Institute Hill, was blown to atoms at tn,
Humes Nitro-glycerine-magizine, on th'
Matthew Brown place in Butler twp
yesterday morning. He was in or neal
the magazine at the time Of the explosion
and no trace Of him, or particles thai
could positively be identified as having
been a part of him, could be found.
Louis \. Black, a son Of Louis Black
the teamster of ". Pearl ST., Bester':
companion, was blown to pieces at the
same instant. His remains were brought
to Butler and taken to his home, where
services will be held this evening, and
they will be buried at Brlin, tomorrow
upon Ike arrival of the 10 o'clock train
from Butler.
The two young men, who were IN the
employ Of The Humes Torpedo Co. drove
out 10 the factory that morning of their
own accord; and it IS supposed that
Rester, at the time of the explosion was
engaged IN carrying the cans of glycerine
from the cold magazine to the warm
enc, and that he dropped a can while
carrying it or putting it on a shelf. The
two magazines containing about 7oo
pounds of the terrible stuff, exploded
simultaneously, but the larger hole in
The ground is where the warm" one
stood. Nothing whatever IS left, except
ing the holes, to tell where the two build
ings were. These buildings were about
so feet apart.
Black seems to have been on the other
side of the run, and near the boiler-house,
al the time of the explosion, for he was
blown into, and through, the factory or
mixing house, some distance further
down the run. Nothing remains of the
boiler-house, excepting the boiler; nor OF
the factory, excepting the nixingtubs.
Both buildings were blown to pieces.
Both men met their fate IN the same
spot where Woods and Medill met theirs
six years ego.
They drove out in a buggy, and left
their horse standing between the two
magazines. The explosion, tore the har-
ness off the horse and blew the buggy to
atoms In its fight, one of the tires
struck a wild-cherry tree, a hundred
yards away, and from to 7 inches Ill
diameter, and wrapped itself three times
around it, The tree was blown down.
The section of the tree with the tire ell
circling it is on exhibition III Goettler' S
shoe-store window. Not a vestlge OF
wood belonging to the wheel) remained
with the tire, though all the bolts and
other pieces are there. One can try to
realize from this strange sight, the ter
rible power of nitro-glycerine. The horse
strange to say, was not blown to pieces.
Th explosion occurred shortly before
10 O. clock, and its force seemed up the
hill. John Shaffners house was badly
shatterd, and several windows i'll Clerk
Criswell's 6 house half mile away were
broken. Pieces of skin and bones were
picked up on the hill, but as it was I'M
possible to tell which of the two men
they belonged to, they were all put III
Blacks coffin.
The shock shook every house in Butler
and broke some windows, people ran
out into the streets, and though they
guessed what had happened, it was
an hour or better before they heard
of the death of the two men, and then
they focked to the scene by the hundred.
Nitro-glycerine is put up in square
cans, holding from 76 to 29 pounds each;
it freezes in cold weather, and has to be
thawed out before it can be used. This
is done by placing the cans in warm
water. To place them in hot water is
very dangerous.
Mr.. Bester was married, lived on West
Clay street, and has two children. His
wife is daughter of Wash. Stillwagon,
of Slippery Rock township. Mr.. Black
was about 20 years of age and unmarried,
mas.