The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-06
Death and Destruction by an ExplO-
sion in q Cabin.
MERTON LINNELL MANGLED
Joseph Mcintyre and George Brad
ley In a Critical Condition
Scene Was at Seba's Silica
Quarry. West of Town.

west of Anaconda. Merton Linnell was
mangled beyond recognition. being in
stantly killed; Joseph Mcintyre and
George Bradley. the foreman, are in ST.
AIMS hospital in a critical condition.
The custom has prevailed at the
quarry of thawing out the giant pow
der sufficient for days supply in the
cook stove at the clubhouse. The warm
ing oven on the rear of the stove was
used for this purpose. 1t is supposed
that there were from 10 to II sticks in
the oven. The fire was very hot and
this is supposed to have been the cause
of the disaster.
Linnell, the man who was killed, was
employed as cook and at the time of the
explosion stood in front of the stove.
His body is horribly mangled and has
scarcely the semblance OF a man. He
was found by the resucers outside the
cabin with his limbs pinioned to the
earth under one of the logs which had
been a part of the wall. The other two
men were under the roof of the cabin
which raised in the air and dropped
back where the walls of the cabin had
been before; they were blown out by
the explosion.
Bradley had gone into the cabin be-
fore the accident to put on dry gloves
and was taking them from shelf near
the stove. His right eye is swelled
shut, his skull fractured by a small
his head just over the temple. His
right hand is mangled and both legs
are badly bruised. His face is spotted
with mortar. pebbles and dust blown
into II.
Joseph Mcintyre had been sick for
several days and was spending his time
in the house. He was nearest to the
powder, sitting with his feet under the
stove at the time the crash came. His
fingers were nearly all amputated. his
face is filled with particles Of dirt and
he was badly cut. Two of his brothers
live in this city. where he has many
friends. He is a native Of Glengarry,
ont.
Dr. Rockefeller and DR.. Lesser dressed
the injuries of the wounded men and
worked steadily for six hours upon the
victims.
The scene OF the explosion shows
complete wreck. The logs. which once
made the walls OF the building. are |
scattered about promiscuously. The |
roof dropped down broken in pieces up |
on the floor.
The noise OF the explosion attracted |
the attention OF the quarry men at |
work 100 yards away and they hurried |
to the spot, eXtricated the injured men /
and brought them to this city. Among I
them were Foster, Smith. Fay, Will /
iams Mike Benson and Joe Anderson.
Foster Smith, who had been at the |
work began, told the Standard reporter
what he saw of the explosion.
Il heard the report and thought that
some of the men had a premature ex-
plosion while charging a hole, but as 1
looked toward the cabin l saw all the
logs still tumbling about and a cloud
of dust and smoke rising from tho spot
where the house had once been. I went
down as fast as / could and helped,
with the others, the two men out who
were under the roof.
Mcintyre was my partner, and had
been laying off because of a lame back |
Just a few minutes before it happened
] told Bradley / wanted to go TO the
cabin for a hammer l had left there,
but he said he was going down and
would bring it to me. Had he not done
SO might have been one of those hurt
to-day.
1T was customary with us to thaw
out the giant powder in the warming
oven as much as 25 or 80 sticks at a
time. 1t was careless business, but
such things are done every day until
an accident happens. Yesterday morn
ing one of the men took away 70
sticks of powder which left from 10 to
Is In the oven. On former occasions
powder left in the stove has not only
thawed out but the glycerine from the
end next to the stove. has melted and
run over the bottom of the oven like oil.
L u. ]
by over-heating.
There was half a box of powder un-
der my bunk in the cabin but that did
not explode, because we found IL under
the roof. About 40 feet from the house
there were three more boxes Of powder
and this was not exploded. We brought
from town six boxes of powder on
Monday and beside those four boxes
were two more which I think were at
the quarry, but l do not know. The
powder was No. l, 60 per cent. Clycer-
inc"
Acting Coroner J. NJ. Kennedy issued
n venire for jury which was made re-
turn able at 10 o'clock to-day. when the
official inquiry will be begun into the
circumstances Of the affair.
Merton Linnell. the man killed out
right is a nephew of Clint Vincent. and
a cousin Of Fred Gray. He was born
at Clayton, New York. The funeral ar /
have not been completed.
Acting Coroner J. VI. Kennedy i'm
paneled a jury last evening. consisting
of Nicholas McDonel. John Stafford I
Frank Z. Sawyer. c. II. Tracy, Michael .
Shea and ]. ". Rich.
The jury viewed the remains and /
then adjourned TO 10 o'clock this morn
ing. when the official inquiry into The
manner and cause OF death will be .
made. From the circumstance known .
many believe that there was criminal .
negligence on the part OF some one in
powder in this manner
The witnesses subpoanaed are Will
lam Seba, John Anderson, John John J
son. Richard Brooklyn. Foster Smith,
]. L. Williams and others
Merton q. Linnell is the fun name Of
the man who was killed lie was born {
IN Clayton. Jefferson county. New
York, where his parents. two brp-aers
ana a sister reside. He also has
cousin +. u. Gray. OF this city. who is
taking charge Of the funeral arrange {
meEtS.
The deceased was % years 81 age.
lie was steady and reliable. a faithful
employe and respected ~ all who
knew him. He was an intimate friend Z