Way Back When

December 17, 2012

(The Spirit is pleased to share with our readers vignettes of life in the 19th century as originally reported in past issues of the newspapers. These reproduced stories include their original headlines and spelling.)

Local Intelligence
November 18, 1896

Fatal Nitro-Glycerine Explosion

A magazine contained nitro-glycerine, dynamite and other hight explosives, situated about two miles northwest of Johnsonburg, was blown up last Saturday afternoon.

The explosion was something terrible, over 200 quarts of nitro-glycerine being in the magazine.

Two teams of horses and two men were near and all that could be found of either was a small piece of horse hide.

Only a few small pieces of the wagons were in sight.

The names of the two men who were thus quickly ushered into eternity were Lewis Stewart and Peter Donahue, both of Johsonburg.

Mr. Stewart was a promising young man, and has a sincere mourner in this town Miss. Blanche McPherson, daughter of Davis McPherson, to whom he was to be married on Christmas.

Miss. McPherson went to Johnsonburg on Monday to be present at the funeral services.