Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-08-24

Cherokee Foundry and Machine SHOPS,
on Limestone street. Mr.. Baker will
commence work just as soon as the ma
terial arrives. which will be in a day
or so. This enterprise will mean more
to Gaffney and this Immediately vicin-
ity that most people have any idea Of.
....A horrible accident in which three
men lost their lives, occurred yester-
day morning at Cherokee Falls. The
Cherokee Manufacturing company Is
making preparation to put an extern
sive addition to their plant, and had a
number Of workmen engaged in quar-
rying rock for the foundation. 1t seems
that this work was commenced some
time ago; but had been discontinued
for some reason and that the workmen
A dynamite cartridge had been put in
one Of the holes thus drilled, and 1t
was supposed that it had been re-
moved or fired off, before the work was
discontinued. Several weeks ago, Mr..
Jonas Harrell was put in charge Of a
squad of colored laborers and instruc-
ted to resume work. The place where
the work was going on is on what Is
known as Doolittle creek, several hum
dred yards from the river and just
around the bend Of the road that leads
from Cherokee Falls to Blacksburg.
Yesterday morning, about 10 o'clock,
Charley Byars, young white man who
resides in the mill village of the Gaff-
ney Manufacturing company, In this
place, was going to Cherokee Falls on
his wheel. He had crossed the river
and passed the place where the work.
men were engaged about three minutes
before the accident occurred. Hearing
the explosion he turned back, and the
sight that met his gaze is one that he
will remember as long as he lives.
There was a great hole in the side OF
the mountain and scattered around
were the fragments of three men. Ed
Walker and Ben Lipscomb were strik-
ing, while King Lindsay was turning
the STEEL They were working on an
abandoned hole when the steel struck
dynamite cartridge that had been
overlooked by the former gang. The
cartridge exploded with terrible effect.
King Lindsay was blown rs yards.
Both legs and both arms and his head
were blown from the body. His head
was found $50 yards from the place OF
the explosion. His arms and his legs
were gathered up in different direc-
tions. The body was not found for
sometime after. Ed Walker was blown
30 feet, and his throat was terribly
lacerated by the flying rock. He was
terribly cut and bruised, and died In
about 10 minutes. Ben Lipscomb was
so badly lacerated about the chest and
arms that he died shortly after the
physician finished dressing his wounds.
All these unfortunate men were color
ed. Lindsay and Lipscomb lived at
Clifton. Walker lived at Spartanburg.
At the time the accident occurred, Mr..
Harrell had gone up the road snort
piece to superintend the constructor
of a temporary blacksmith shop. An
other colored man engaged at the work
escaped because he had gone off to cut
"swab" pole on the side of the noun
tain. The accident was a most deplor-
able one and 1t is hard to say anyone
is to blame. Certainly none who were
working there were aware of the con-
cealed cartridge, and it is doubtful II
any of the former force have any
knowledge of leaving it there. At least
two of the unfortunate men are mar
ried men, and their death will entail
hardship upon their families. Coroner
J. S. vinesett was notified and empan-
nelled jury who returned a verdict to
the effect that the accident was caused
by an explosion unknown to the jury.