Spokane Daily Chronicle (Spokane, Washington)
08 Sep 1890, Mon
Page 8
BLOWN TO ETERNITY
Seventeen Rockmen Killed by a Blast
THE EXPLOSION WAS PREMATURE
They Were Buried Beneath Tons of Rock and Earth
Three Are Badly Wounded.
The premature explosion of a blast on a ledge of rock, at the new Northern Pacific yards Saturday afternoon hurled tons of rock into the pit below and brought death to many unfortunate workmen.
Sixteen men were taken out from under the rock Saturday night, twelve of whom were dead and two mortally wounded. Others were thought to be buried under the mass of rock and dirt when the men were compelled to quit work at 10 o'clock. But a careful search yesterday failed to find them. Of those taken out six were mangled and disfigured beyond recognition. But few escaped being badly mutilated.
Six were taken to the hospital, two injured so badly that they died afterward, one only slightly injured and three seriously wounded.
HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED
The Story as Told by Those Who Saw It
The accident occurred about 5:45. James McPherson, the foreman, was tamping the blast with a tamping rod, preparatory to exploding it after the men had quit work at 6 o'clock. It was the last blast of the series usually fired at this time. Both holes appeared to have been loaded, and there were altogether some 300 pounds of giant powder in the ledge. Assisting him in the work was Joseph Rhea, a powder tender. Suddenly the blast exploded, hurling the men high in the air. McPherson came to the ground on is hands and knees dead. Rhea fell a short distance away. He has also been instantly killed. The men in the pit were buried by the falling rock, and the most of them instantly killed.
What rendered the accident more terrible in its fatality was the fact that the men were cleaning up the loose rock, as is the custom before an explosion, and they were working close together, as it happened, in the most dangerous place they could have been - directly under the blast, where the rock fell heaviest.
08 Sep 1890, Mon
Page 8
BLOWN TO ETERNITY
Seventeen Rockmen Killed by a Blast
THE EXPLOSION WAS PREMATURE
They Were Buried Beneath Tons of Rock and Earth
Three Are Badly Wounded.
The premature explosion of a blast on a ledge of rock, at the new Northern Pacific yards Saturday afternoon hurled tons of rock into the pit below and brought death to many unfortunate workmen.
Sixteen men were taken out from under the rock Saturday night, twelve of whom were dead and two mortally wounded. Others were thought to be buried under the mass of rock and dirt when the men were compelled to quit work at 10 o'clock. But a careful search yesterday failed to find them. Of those taken out six were mangled and disfigured beyond recognition. But few escaped being badly mutilated.
Six were taken to the hospital, two injured so badly that they died afterward, one only slightly injured and three seriously wounded.
HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED
The Story as Told by Those Who Saw It
The accident occurred about 5:45. James McPherson, the foreman, was tamping the blast with a tamping rod, preparatory to exploding it after the men had quit work at 6 o'clock. It was the last blast of the series usually fired at this time. Both holes appeared to have been loaded, and there were altogether some 300 pounds of giant powder in the ledge. Assisting him in the work was Joseph Rhea, a powder tender. Suddenly the blast exploded, hurling the men high in the air. McPherson came to the ground on is hands and knees dead. Rhea fell a short distance away. He has also been instantly killed. The men in the pit were buried by the falling rock, and the most of them instantly killed.
What rendered the accident more terrible in its fatality was the fact that the men were cleaning up the loose rock, as is the custom before an explosion, and they were working close together, as it happened, in the most dangerous place they could have been - directly under the blast, where the rock fell heaviest.
Spokane Daily Chronicle (Spokane, Washington)
08 Sep 1890, Mon
Page 8
BLOWN TO ETERNITY
Seventeen Rockmen Killed by a Blast
THE EXPLOSION WAS PREMATURE
They Were Buried Beneath Tons of Rock and Earth
Three Are Badly Wounded.
The premature explosion of a blast on a ledge of rock, at the new Northern Pacific yards Saturday afternoon hurled tons of rock into the pit below and brought death to many unfortunate workmen.
Sixteen men were taken out from under the rock Saturday night, twelve of whom were dead and two mortally wounded. Others were thought to be buried under the mass of rock and dirt when the men were compelled to quit work at 10 o'clock. But a careful search yesterday failed to find them. Of those taken out six were mangled and disfigured beyond recognition. But few escaped being badly mutilated.
Six were taken to the hospital, two injured so badly that they died afterward, one only slightly injured and three seriously wounded.
HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED
The Story as Told by Those Who Saw It
The accident occurred about 5:45. James McPherson, the foreman, was tamping the blast with a tamping rod, preparatory to exploding it after the men had quit work at 6 o'clock. It was the last blast of the series usually fired at this time. Both holes appeared to have been loaded, and there were altogether some 300 pounds of giant powder in the ledge. Assisting him in the work was Joseph Rhea, a powder tender. Suddenly the blast exploded, hurling the men high in the air. McPherson came to the ground on is hands and knees dead. Rhea fell a short distance away. He has also been instantly killed. The men in the pit were buried by the falling rock, and the most of them instantly killed.
What rendered the accident more terrible in its fatality was the fact that the men were cleaning up the loose rock, as is the custom before an explosion, and they were working close together, as it happened, in the most dangerous place they could have been - directly under the blast, where the rock fell heaviest.
08 Sep 1890, Mon
Page 8
BLOWN TO ETERNITY
Seventeen Rockmen Killed by a Blast
THE EXPLOSION WAS PREMATURE
They Were Buried Beneath Tons of Rock and Earth
Three Are Badly Wounded.
The premature explosion of a blast on a ledge of rock, at the new Northern Pacific yards Saturday afternoon hurled tons of rock into the pit below and brought death to many unfortunate workmen.
Sixteen men were taken out from under the rock Saturday night, twelve of whom were dead and two mortally wounded. Others were thought to be buried under the mass of rock and dirt when the men were compelled to quit work at 10 o'clock. But a careful search yesterday failed to find them. Of those taken out six were mangled and disfigured beyond recognition. But few escaped being badly mutilated.
Six were taken to the hospital, two injured so badly that they died afterward, one only slightly injured and three seriously wounded.
HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED
The Story as Told by Those Who Saw It
The accident occurred about 5:45. James McPherson, the foreman, was tamping the blast with a tamping rod, preparatory to exploding it after the men had quit work at 6 o'clock. It was the last blast of the series usually fired at this time. Both holes appeared to have been loaded, and there were altogether some 300 pounds of giant powder in the ledge. Assisting him in the work was Joseph Rhea, a powder tender. Suddenly the blast exploded, hurling the men high in the air. McPherson came to the ground on is hands and knees dead. Rhea fell a short distance away. He has also been instantly killed. The men in the pit were buried by the falling rock, and the most of them instantly killed.
What rendered the accident more terrible in its fatality was the fact that the men were cleaning up the loose rock, as is the custom before an explosion, and they were working close together, as it happened, in the most dangerous place they could have been - directly under the blast, where the rock fell heaviest.
