The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-07-05
Two Williamstown Youths
Badly Burned; One Had
Leg Py ken
CARRYING WIDER
IN AN ( ZEN PAIL
Spark from P-5 Touched
1t Off-Auto 3 mashed
Telephone S.ole

-Four and half pounds of gum
powder, touched off by spark from u
pipe, severely burned Raymond and
Clarence Martin, II and Is years Of
age, respectively, of Williamstown, who
We're carrying it by automobile to a
celebration in Williamstown early Mon
day morning and caused the wreck of
! the machine. Besides being terribly
burned, Clarence Martin sustained
broken leg and is considered in a criti-
cal condition. He and his brother are
at the City hospital in Barre.
The boys, who are the sons of Mr..
and Mrs. George +. Martin of Williams
town, were driving from their home on
the Mortified road about two miles
out of Williamstown village. They had
loaded a small cannon before they
started and placed. it at their feet III
the front seat A pail of gunpowder
with which to recharge the noise maker
was between Clarence's feet, the pail
being without cover. A spark from the
older boys pipe, it is believed, fell into
the open pail as they were passing the
Neale Smith farm.
Instantly there was loud explosion
and binding flash as the powder ig-
nieed, Raymond, who was driving, lost
control of the machine, which shot off
to the left into the field, taking down
a telephone pole, and stopping, right
side up, in a small brook
Both the occupants of the car were
,T,ub
ously because he had the powder be-
tween his feet. His clothing caught
fire and before sweater and shirt
could be removed he was scorched
about the breast SO badly that the
flesh began TO come off Either by tho
force of the explosion or by impact
with the pole one lee was broken .te-
tween the knee and hip.
Neale Smith heard the explosion and
came to the aid of the boys when
Raymond although suffering from
burns in the face, was able to mako
his way TO the Smith house to seek
assistance. Hurrying to the scene OF
the accident, Mr.. Smith found thc
younger boy lying in the ground near
the right forward wheel OF the car, and
the vehicle itself in flames With a
loaded cannon and gasoline tank in
close proximity there was a new dan
ger, but Mr.. Smith soon extinguished
the flames after the uphoEstering and
top had been somewhat burned.
The collision with the pole had put
tho telephone line out Of commission
and so Mr.. Smith had TO drive to Will
Jamestown village to call DR. c. f. Rob-
nson. On the arrival of the doctor, i:
was decided to bring the bows to the
hospital in this city, the doctor carry
ug them in his car early in the morn
ne. The younger boys condition was
10 bad that no attempt was made then
% set the fracture of the leg Both
we're attended to as TO their burns, and
t was said that Raymond Martin was
n no danger.
The younger boy had been attending
chool in Williamstown during the past
ear and the older boy working on his
ather's farm There are four other
hildren in the family. they being Mrs
Iobert Clogston Of Williamstown, Mrs.
.rnest Aud OF Concord. n. r., John
fartin of Peacham and Harrison Mar
on Of Willamstown
The car, which was the property OF
leorge f. Martin. was considerably
altered up and damaged by flames.
me door was ripped Off, the windshield
mashed, the top shattered and the up
olstering partially burned. However,
he engine was not put out of COM
Mission. so that the car was hauled
ack into the road and driven back iu
he Martin farm.