VENANGO COUNTY NEWS Hearld

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PLAIN DEALER BELLAIRE
1865

TWO FATAL EXPLOSIONS. Nitroglycerin Blows Up and Causes the Death of Three Men - Another Badly Hurt
SPECIAL TO THE PLAIN DEALER BELLAIRE, Feb. 27, -- At 9 o'clock this monging Edward Dalton's nitroglycerin magazine, located a few miles east of Sistersville, W. Va., exploded from some unknown cause without a second's warning. W. R. Fleming, a well shooter, who was driving near with his team, was blown into pieces. The explosion was so great that it was plainly heard five miles away and all of the remains of Fleming that could be found only weighed five pounds.
WELL SHOOTERS BLOWN TO ATOMS
TWO NITROGLYCERIN EXPLOSIONS IN WEST VIRGINIA
Four Men Instantly Killed, and a Fifth Fatally Injured - Cause of Explosion Unknown.
Sistersville, W. Va., February 27. - Two nitroglycerin explosions in the Sistersville old field to-day resulted in the death of four men and the fatal injury of another.
This morning, William Fleming, aged forty years, one of the best oil well shooters in the country, went to the magazine on the Dunbee farm, two miles out of town, with a team to get two forty-quart shots of nitroglycerin. He was alone, his assistant having come to town with one of the horses to have it shod. No one knows the cause of the explosion, but a cigar box held all of Fleming's remains that could be found. The wagon was found in a tree top, and hardly a particle of the horse was discovered. Fleming was recently married.
A DAY OF HORROR
SEVEN VIOLENT DEATHS OCCUR
At Sistersville - Two of the Victims Residents of Venango County - One a Former Franklin Man - How the Many Fatalities Happened.
Yesterday was indeed a day of horror in Sistersville, the oil metropolis of West Virginia. Seven victims met violent deaths, two of them being former Venango county men - one William Fleming, of this city, and the other Harry Benedict, formerly of Pleasantville.
William Fleming, who was well known to this city, was a brother of T. C., L. C. and T. G. Fleming (......) left his home of Sistersville early in the morning yesterday, driving to the Williams farm, about three miles distant, to get a load of glycerine, he being employed as a well-shooter for Edward Dalton. He was accompanied on his journey a short distance by his employer, but the latter decided to go back, and thereby saved his life. The only plausible theory regarding the accident is that Fleming arrived at the stock magazine and began the dangerous task of loading his wagon. He had been there but a short time when a tremendous explosion was heard, and when assistance arrived all that was to be found was a large hole in the ground where the magazine had formerly stood.
The explosion occurred at 8:30 o"clock, shaking the ground and breaking window glass as far away as the northern end of Sistersville, There were 110 quarts of the deadly explosive in the magazine at the time and it exploded with terrific force. The most remarkable thing about the whole (......) not let go, although they (......) been heavily jarred by the (......).
William Fleming was born at the old Fleming homestead near Cooperstown, and has followed the oil fields for many years. He was in Bradford during the palmy days, leaving that place to go to Washington. At both these places, he held responsible positions for the Standard. His brother say that a number of years ago William notified him that he was going into the business of torpedoing wells. Expostulations proved of no avail, and later word was received stating that he was doing a big business. About five years ago he went from Washington to Sistersville, where he has since been employed. Less than a year ago he was married to Miss MInnie Kirkbride, a prominent young lady of that place, who survives Mr. Fleming, as do the following brothers and sisters: T. C., L. C., T. G. and Miss A. A. Fleming of Franklin; Mrs. Jacobs, of Cleveland; D. E. of Michigan, J. B., of Hammond Ind; R. E. of Chicago.
Word received from S. W. Lawrence; formerly of this city, but now Mayor of Sistersville, states that but 15 pounds of Mr. Fleming were found. The remains were carefully gathered up and await the order of L. C. Fleming, who is now on his way to Sistersville, having left here this morning.
A message received in this city at 1 o'clock from L. C. Fleming stated that he had arrived in Sistersville and would start at once for home with his brother's remains. He will arrive on the 2 o'clock train to-morrow morning. A short funeral serice will be held at the residence of L. C. Fleming to-morrow at 3 o'clock, conducted by Rev. W. Y. Chapman, and the interment will be later in the Franklin cemetery.

Contributor
Carolyn Jacobs
cbjunction@earthlink.net