The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-05

DIements of Destruction, Al
though the Giant Cracker Ran a
Good Second In the Race Sam
LongfeIIow's Face Hurt-M. John
son May Lose Sight of One Eye.
AS the result of carelessness in hand
ling explosives half a dozen persons were
injured yesterday while celebrating the
glorious Fourth. The time honored mud
can got in its disastrous work, while the
small cannon burst with its usual regu-
larity and fire crackers went off unex-
pectedly in the victims hands. Many a
small boy nursed burned fingers or Won
dered at the blue powder marks about his
face before midnight, while some of his
elders also paid painfully for their fun.
The most seriously injured is Samuel
Longfellow, a carpenter living at 1S2 VIM
nipeg avenue, who was badly cut and
gashed about the face by a mud can.
When the mud can which he had pre-
pared in front of his house failed to go
off when first lighted, Longfellow took
chances by relighting the short fuse. Be
fore he could retreat from his leaning
posture over the can. there was loud ex-
plosion. The can, torn into jagged frag-
ments, struck Longfellow full on the left
side of his face, lacerating the flesh bad
!y His cheek was torn open, while an
other cut extended over his temple and
his nose was broken. Longfellow was re-
moved to the city hospital, where the
powder was picked from his face. For
tunately his eyes escaped injury. His in
juries are serious, but not dangerous.
MUD CAN VICTIM.
Martin johnson, living at 46S Bradley
street, will probably lose the sight of his
left eye He is also a mud cam victim.
When the explosion occurred Johnson
was standing close to the can" which.
however, was not very tightly packed.
The ''can" did not rise with the explosion,
but a cloud of smoke and powder shot
up into his face, for the time completely
binding him. When taken to the city
hospital, Johnson's face was blue from
the amount of powder grains forced into
the flesh, and 1t was feared that .both
eyes were sightless. The physicians,
however, removed considerable of the
powder and found that the right eye will
likely be saved. The left eye is almost
hopelessly injured. Johnson is laborer,.
in the employ of the Great Northern
railroad company, and is twenty-one
years of age.
HIS FACE BURNED.
While investigating slow working fuse
attached to handful of powder, James
Wright, ten-year-old boy living at 80
Thompson avenue, was painfully burned
about the face. The fuse sputtered to the
powder before the boy could get out of
harms way, and part of the rolling fame
that shot into the air struck the side of
his face. The boy was not seriously hurt
HURT BY EXPLOSION.
Frank Nagle, living at 264 Duke street,
was injured by the explosion of small
cannon Too heavy a charge of powder
was rammed into She barrel and the force
shattered the barker" Nagle escaped
the flying particles of iron, but was
burned about the face by the powder,
some of which entered his eyes. He was
removed to the city hospital, where the
powder grains were taken from his eyes.
None of the powder penetrated the pupils,
and the physicians say Nagle's sight will
not be impaired.
FIRE IN HIS POCKET.
The most novel accident of the day be-
fell Willie Modler, a ten-year-old lad liv-
ing at. 1127 Ross street. Willie wanted all
Of his fireworks handy in his rambles
about town yesterday, so put all the fire
crackers he had except the bunch he was
firing off, into his pockets, together with
a handful of matches. While the lad was
standing at Seventh street and Duluth
avenue, the fireworks in his right trousers
pocket became ignited and started SER
les of muffled explosions. The boy was
badly frightened, and ran screaming up
the street, while his clothing soon took
fire. Several persons, realizing his pre-
dicament, caught the boy and tore off the
burning clothing before the fire had
reached the upper part of his body, but
his right leg was badly burned. The boy
was carried to his home and attended by
a physician. While suffering severely
from the burns, the boy is said to be in
no danger. He is son Of August Modler,
q watchman in the employ of the Gribben
Lumber company.
HIS FACE BURNED.
Lewis Rubelson, twelve year old, living
at 922 Wayzatta street, was burned about
the face by the explosion of a small can
non. The cannon was tightly charged
and when it went off broke the barrel
The powder flashed up in the boys face,
ing his eyes. The injury to the eyes will
not, however, permanently impair the
sight.
EXPLODED TOO QUICKLY.
The cannon with which James Sullivan
a sixteen-year old younth, living at 292
Goodhue street, was celebrating, did not
explode, but 1t went off unexpectedly
while the young fellow was examining a
half burned fuse. The flashing powder
struck Sullivan in the face, painfully
burning him about the left cheek and
forehead Some of the powder went into
his eyes, but not seriously affecting the
sight. The lad was attended by physi-
clan at his home.
BURNED HIS LEG.
r. F. Christianer, of Minneapolis, was
badly burned on the legs by the explosion
of a giant cannon cracker on Wabasha
street, near Sixth.
BOMB STRUCK HIM.
Frank Cummings, a young man in the
employ of the Western Union Telegraph
company, was badly hurt shortly before
12 o'clock last night by the explosion Of
a heavily charged bomb. The bomb was
thrown toward Cummings and exploded
lust as 1t struck his abdomen. Cum
mings was knocked down by the concus-
sion and afterward suffered the most ex-
cruciating pain. He was removed to the
city hospital but from the peculiar na-