Evening journal., 1919-04-25
GIANT TREE RIVEN
BY DYNAMITE BL iST
Largest Chestnut G owth
IN ecu Try Fe | d by
du Font Men
ONE OWL K LED,
ANOIHcR SURVIVES

What was, in all probability. the old
est and la gesi chestnut tree in the
United states. located on the farm OF
Allen Schantz, four miles out Of Quaker
town. Pa. is no more Yesterday after
noon, in the presence Of about tho hun
dred noighbors and spectators from
nearby points, It's massive trunk and
gnarled limbs were shattered into flag-
ments by a charge OF dupont dynamite.
This roma kable tree, Which had
been estimated by u. $. Forestry Com
mission experts 90 be between 800 and
400 years old. was 3i feet 6 inches IN
circumference al the base, A feet IN d.
ameter and about 20 feet high II had
been famous locally for years and was
one OF the show points In that section
TWO years ago. a combination OF blight
and a stroke OF lightning Killed IT,
Transforming 10 from a beautiful aud
venerable monarch among trees INTO a
blot on ...c landscape.
Mr. Schaniz, who Is a IA mer of the
progressive type. decided 10 remove the
dead trunk and utilize the space Il oc-
cupied for raising crops lie requested
NlAN NAA NlAN ANiANIAAAN ~ NAN1A NAA AiAN
tree with dynamite and the request was
complied with.
The blasting operations were con-
Quoted by a force OF expert blaslers,
under the personal supervision OF Ar
thur La M0tte, manager OF the tech
nical division OF +. / dupont de Ne
mours & Co. In preparation for the
blast. four ten-foot holes We-e bored
into the earth under the tired and these
holes were FIRST sprung or enlarged
with a half-cartridge OF dupont 80 per
cent Red Cross extra dynamite so as
10 accommodate larger charge. In
add ti0n. @ Schram air compressor was
employed TO drill about twenty 3-f0ot
holes into the raats OF the tree. The
large holes were loaded with a total or
$50 cartridges. or 40 pounds OF 20 per
cent Red Cross extra dynamite. The
small holes were charged with a half
cartridge each OF the same strength dy-
Mantle for the purpose OF breaking on
the three roots. illuminate caps
were used 20 detonaie the charges,
which were connected In series and
discharged simultaneously by an cleo
trio blasting machine.
MNfM NAA NlAN nNfNNNNNNN nlAA WI hNl =
had taken themselves on 60 a safe DIS
tance. Mr. LaMotte pressed down The
handle Of the blasting machine A deep
roar and a dense volume Of smoke
followed. The massive tree was torn
from is age old abiding place, driven
into pieces and thrown high and far
in an directions. A crater in the earth,
10 feet deep and 25 feet wide. marked
It's former resting place. The rotten
tree trunk was shattered into such
small pieces as 10 be easily handled
and the roots were broken out cleanly.
I The only work necessary before plac-
ing this plot Of ground under cultiya-
ton is TO remove the debris and MI in
the crater
An interesting Incident in connection
with the affair was furnished by the
discovery that the tree was a nesting
place for O pair Of owls, but OF which
were at home when the blast occurred.
One Of the owls flew away when the
explosion took place and the o:her,
stunned and fatally hurt. was found
among the ruins Of the nest together
with the half-devoured body OF a
young rabbit One OF the spectators
mercifuIly despatched the suffering
bird and Mr. Schantz intends TO have
20 mounted as a memento OF the oc-e
casion.