The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1901-05-17
DYNAMITE ACCIDENT.
Harry Holt and Herman Wter
schke Meet with Terrible
Accident While blast.
ing Rock

Accident While HAST.
ing Rock.
Last Friday young man 60
ing under the name of Harry
Holt, had his left hand blown off.
his right hand mangled, his eyes
blinded, his head cut in a terrible
manner and his breast injured
by an unlocked for explosion of
dynamite while blasting rock on
a farm a few miles northeast of
town. A companion, Herman
Wierschke, who was working
with him, was also severely in
jured, having a piece Of stone
driven through his right arm,
his eyes injured and some slight
cuts on his face.
The place Of the accident was
on the G.. L. Wood farm formerly
owned by H. S. Volkmar, where
Holt was engaged with Wierschke
as assistant. The former was
packing a stick of dynamite in
the drilled hole, using an iron
drill for that purpose. Wier-
schke had just come up and
seated himself upon the rock in
which Holt was packing the
dynamite for a blast, when the
explosion occurred. The latter
had undoubtedly become careless
in handling the explosive and
gave blow which reached the
cap.
Two other men, George Hoer-
Der and John Smith, with a team
were short distance away load
ing stone, and Immediately ran
to the assistance of the unfor-
tunate men. Holt being the most
seriously injured, they put him
in the buggy and hurried him to
town, where Drs. Kriesel and
Ferguson amputated his left
hand and dressed his other
wounds, removing large piece
Of skull and parts Of the brain
from some of the cuts in the
head. 1t was believed at first
that it would be impossible for
the man to live, but he came
through the operation SO well
that for a time there were hopes
of saving his life. though for the
past day or two the conditions
have been less favorable, and the
probabilities are that he will not
survive his terrible injuries, and
in his blind and manned condi-
ton it is possible that death
would be the kindest friend he
could entertain.
1t is surprising thing that
Wierschke escaped as lightly as
he did. He was sitting on the
rock at which the man was work
ing when the explosion occurred
and was thrown a distance of
three or four rods. Parts of the
fingers and hand of Holt were
driven through his clothing,
marking his side. He states
that he was almost perfectly
blind when he picked himself up,
out managed to pilot himself to q
farm house, where he washed
the blood from his face and arm,
and afterwards came to town.
when DR. Daniels took charge Of
him and dressed his wounds and
he is getting along all right and
is able to be upon the street. He
has some slight cuts about the
face as well as the hole IN his
arm where the stone was driven
through His eyes are yet badly
inhamed, but are getting stronger
each day. His escape from more
serious injuries is providential
considering the circumstance and
the horrible mutilation of his
fellow workman.
Holt, the worst injured man, is
a Bohemian from Clintonville,
Wis. He has been working
around Milbank at stone mason
work for a mum ber of weeks, and
, claimed to have had, siderable
experience in blasting and hand
ling stone. It appears that he
had been living under an as
, sumed name while here, his rea
name being Stephen Matuszezake
, He was about twenty-one year,
, of age, and has wife and chile
) at Clintonville, but had had SOM
! domestic trouble which hat
| caused him to leave home ant
. change his name. A brothe
3 came from Wisconsin the first O
: the week and is now caring fo
! the injured man, and if he shonl'
] survive will take him home wit
him.