Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-10
Madison, July 5

By the explosion of cannon powder
IL boys received painful, some serious,
injuries Monday night. The acct
dent occurred in front of the oriental
store of On Sing, 500 State street The
| injured:
Howard Ennis, aged 8, son of Mr..
and Mrs. Joseph Ennis, 400 West John
son street Face, neck and both hands
seriously burned.
James Dineen, aged IS, son OF Mr.
and Mrs John Dineen. 11S North
Broom street. Face badly burned.
William Shaughnessy, aged IA, son
of Police Captain and Mrs. Thomas
Shaughnessy, Ala West Dayton street.
Face badly burned.
Harry Hamacher, aged Is, son of
Peter Hamacher, Miff1in and Henry
streets. Face, chest and back badly
burned.
Ray Conlin, aged IA, and Matthew
Conlin, aged 10, sons Of Mr.. and Mrs
Matthew W. Conlin, 428 West john
son street. Ray received serious
burns in the face. Hair singed. Mat
thew sustained lesser injuries in the
face.
William Gaffney, aged Is, son of
Mrs. Margaret E. Gaffney, "a North
Henry street. Left eye painfully
burned.
Ralph O'Keefe, aged Is, and Edgar
OKeefe, aged Ia, sons of Mrs. Loretta
O'Keefe, '317 State street. Ralph got
his left hand badly burned. Edgar was
painfully injured in the face. Leo. a
brother of the two boys, was also in
the crowd when the accident happened,
but he received no injuries.
| Cecil Mead, aged Is, son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Nathaniel w. Mead. Face burned.
FrightfuI Scene.
The powder was bought i'll the store
of On Sing. Ray Conlin lighted some
fuse, which he held in his hand. The
fuse dropped into the powder, causing
the explosion. A frightful scene fol-
lowed The injured boys became fran
tic with pain. Their faces were black
f1cm powder and some of them were
beyond recognition.
Young Ennis is the most seriously
injured. He suffered great pain. He
was taken to his home in the ambu-
lance and DR.. Clarke Gapen applied
local application to relieve his pain in
spite of his serious injuries the little
fellow was exceedingly patient. The
only complaint he made was against the
burning of lamp in the room when
the doctor worked on him.
At the time of the explosion the
shirt of the Dineen ooy caught fire.
hough he suffered greatly from the
burns on his face he maintained pres
ence of mind and jerkci the shirt Off.
DR.. GaDen cared for :4im.
Clothes Badly Burned.
Hamacher's clothes were SO badly
burned that he had to borrow clothing
to get home. He was taken to the
dental rooms of DIR. S. H. Chase over
! 3O2 State street. Later he ran to his
home. DR.. J. F. Gill dressed hi
wounds. The doctor worked over tk
boy for more than two hours.
Will Not Lose Eyesieht.
The Ennis, Mead and O'Keefe boys
were also taken to DR.. Chase's Office.
The doctor gave them temporary re-
lief by the application of vasoline.
Ennis was unconscious part of the
time. The O'Keefe boys were removed
to their home across the street and
cared for by DIR. Joseph P. Donovan.
Shaughnessy's wounds were dressed
| by DR.. j. c. Sommers. Late last night
it was reported that none Of the vic
Tins would lose their eyesight. They
will be confined to the house for some
time but no fatal results will develop.
Tears Hole in Cement Walk.
| The force of the explosion was so
terrific that it bored large hole in
the cement walk. Conflicting stories
were told as to how the accident hap
pened. Some of the injured boys
seemed to want to shift the blame on
to On Sing. They declared that he
sold them the wrong powder Captain
Shaughnessy made a thorough inves-
tigation and learned from Ray Conlin
/ that lighted fuse came into contact
with the powder. No action will be
brought against the Chinaman. On
Sings boy was also with the boys
when the accident took place. but he
sustained no injuries.
Lend Timely Assistance.
Among the first to arrive on the
scene we're Emil A. Hartmann and
John ]. Pecher. DIR. Chase, who acct
Jelsany happened to be in his Office,
Immediately threw open the doors
when he learned what had happened
and did all in his power to give the IN
fortunate boys relief from their pain