The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-08-12
LITERALLY BLOWN TO PIECES.
Dennis DOwney, Of Fagundus, the Vic
tim of a NitrO-Glycerlne Explosion.

Last Friday evening about half past
eight o'clock an explosion Of nitro-gly-
cerine took Ilace on the road between
Enterprise and Fagundus, in which Dem
mis- Downey of the latter place, and well
known in this section, was blown to
atoms. Mr.. Downey has for many years
been identified with the oil producing
business, and was well posted in all its
various details. His home during long
period of years has been at Fagundus,
this county, where he has had charge of a
lease for some time and did some oper-
ating on his own account. Being prac-
tical oil man, he was engaged very often
TO clean out and shoot wells for others.
A job of this kind which he was doing
for Amos Ginger of Neilltown, took him
to Titusville on the above date to secure
the glycerine, with 35 quarts of which he
was returning home when this most ter
riblo accident occurred. The last time
he was seen alive was about 300 yards
from Pineville, small village between
Enterprise and Fagundus. He had
watered his horse at the trough at the
side of the road and was descending the
hill. At the place where the accident
occurred there is a small bridge that
spans small culvert in the road, and it
is supposed that one of the wheels drop
ped Off the end of the bridge. When the
neighbors, who were alarmed by the ex-
plosion, arrived they could find very lit
flo Of Lo 1,VNo, xHybf1a tbn In n
parts of the horse were blown away, the
bride being blown over his head and the
| bits being still held in his teeth Where
the buggy had stood circular hole about
four feet in diameter and about three
feet deep had been ploughed in the hard
road bed.
1t is said that the front axle of Mr..
Downey's buggy was somewhat weaken
ed by partial break before he left home
and it is thought that when he drove over
the culvert the jar broke the axle off let
ting the three cans of glycerine droT
with sufficient force to cause the explo.
sion.
After long search a small piece of the
unfortunate mans scalp with few
locks of his hair attached, were found
that night On rosuming the search af.
ter daylight Saturday morning other
parts of the body, mainly a portion Of
the trunk were found. These remains
were taken TO Tidioute, and on Monday
at 10 a. m. the funeral was held from St
Johns Catholic church.
The effect of the explosion was felt fol
half mile away. Within a few rods o.
where it occurred stands a house
in which Chas. Mason lives. All the
windows in the house were broken, anC
the barn standing near the house wa
blown down by the concussion. In thu
village of Pineville many panes of glas
were shattered. The report of the explo
sion was plainly heard in Tionesta,
distance of at least II miles, sounding
like heavy distant thunder bolt.
Mr.. Downey was aged about 43 years
and leaves a wife and children, to whom
this terribly distressing affair comes as
most crushing blow, while the commu
nifty in which he lived, and where IN
was esteemed as an industrious, homes
and hard-working citizen, shares th
grief of the stricken widow and orphans
1t is said the deceased was member il
good standing of the Fagundus branch o
the G. NJ. b. A. and carried an insurance
policy of $1,000.