George Morton and James Simmons were transporting a wagon load of dynamite from Tweed, Ontario[1] to Burleigh Falls, Ontario to be used for the rock blasting of the Trent Canal lock.[2] They stayed overnight at a hotel in Indian River on September 3, 1885.[1]
Explosionedit
Their load exploded at 9:45am on September 4, 1885 on the 6th Line (road) at Douro, Ontario,[2] noted as being a corduroy road and rough to travel in poor weather.[3] Both men were killed in the blast and the only parts of the men that were found were "a finger, two tiny sections of a skull, a tiny piece of cheek identified by the whiskers, and what appeared to be a man's shoulder that was found hanging on the branch of a tree 300 feet (91 m) distant."[2] The blast blew the metal shoes off the horses hooves and broke windows in Selwyn, Ontario and Campbellford.[2] The shock wave was felt in Tweed, 50 miles (80 km) away.[3]
Sources at the time describe a 8 feet (2.4 m) deep by 60 feet (18 m) wide crater,[3] and 1960s sources report a 10 feet (3.0 m) deep and 70 feet (21 m) wide crater[2] being left by the blast and trees were flattened in a radius that varied between 50 yards (46 m) and 75 yards (69 m).[2]
Aftermathedit
The blast site aroused public interest for subsequent weeks.[2] Reports on visitor numbers vary between 300 and 1,000.[2][1]
^ abcdefghTheobald, Harry (1960). "Retired Douro Farmer Recalls The Day That Dynamite Blast Near Lakefield Smashed Window in Campbellford" (PDF). Peterborough Examiner.
1885, dynamite, explosion, september, 1885, wagon, loaded, with, dynamite, exploded, douro, ontario, canada, killing, their, horses, part, trent, severn, waterway, constructiondateseptember, 1885, 1885, locationdouro, ontario, canadacoordinates44, 082deaths2, . On the September 4 1885 a wagon loaded with dynamite exploded at Douro Ontario Canada killing two men and their horses 1885 Dynamite explosionPart of Trent Severn Waterway constructionDateSeptember 4 1885 1885 09 04 LocationDouro Ontario CanadaCoordinates44 32 13 N 78 04 55 W 44 537 N 78 082 W 44 537 78 082Deaths2 The blast was felt 50 miles 80 km away A historical plaque marks the location Contents 1 Background 2 Explosion 3 Aftermath 4 See also 5 ReferencesBackground edit nbsp Lock at the Trent Severn 2009 George Morton and James Simmons were transporting a wagon load of dynamite from Tweed Ontario 1 to Burleigh Falls Ontario to be used for the rock blasting of the Trent Canal lock 2 They stayed overnight at a hotel in Indian River on September 3 1885 1 Explosion editTheir load exploded at 9 45am on September 4 1885 on the 6th Line road at Douro Ontario 2 noted as being a corduroy road and rough to travel in poor weather 3 Both men were killed in the blast and the only parts of the men that were found were a finger two tiny sections of a skull a tiny piece of cheek identified by the whiskers and what appeared to be a man s shoulder that was found hanging on the branch of a tree 300 feet 91 m distant 2 The blast blew the metal shoes off the horses hooves and broke windows in Selwyn Ontario and Campbellford 2 The shock wave was felt in Tweed 50 miles 80 km away 3 Sources at the time describe a 8 feet 2 4 m deep by 60 feet 18 m wide crater 3 and 1960s sources report a 10 feet 3 0 m deep and 70 feet 21 m wide crater 2 being left by the blast and trees were flattened in a radius that varied between 50 yards 46 m and 75 yards 69 m 2 Aftermath editThe blast site aroused public interest for subsequent weeks 2 Reports on visitor numbers vary between 300 and 1 000 2 1 See also editList of explosionsReferences edit a b c Metal plaque 1885 Dynamite Explosion installed by the Township of Douro Dummer and the Ontario Heritage Trust Douro Dummer near the intersection of Ontario Highway 28 County Road 8 Warsaw GPS 44 3691 78 2239 a b c d e f g h Theobald Harry 1960 Retired Douro Farmer Recalls The Day That Dynamite Blast Near Lakefield Smashed Window in Campbellford PDF Peterborough Examiner a b c Terrible Dynamite Explosion PDF Peterborough Daily Evening Review 4 Sep 1885 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1885 Dynamite explosion amp oldid 1164165446, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
