1885 Dynamite explosion

1885 Dynamite explosion

Part of Trent–Severn Waterway construction
Date	September 4, 1885 (1885-09-04)
Location	Douro, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates	44.537°N 78.082°W / 44.537; -78.082
Deaths	2

On the September 4, 1885 a wagon loaded with dynamite exploded at Douro, Ontario, Canada, killing two men and their horses.

The blast was felt 50 miles (80 km) away. A historical plaque marks the location.

Background

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

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]

Aftermath

The blast site aroused public interest for subsequent weeks.[2] Reports on visitor numbers vary between 300 and 1,000.[2][1]

See also

• List of explosions

References

1. 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
2. Theobald, Harry (1960). "Retired Douro Farmer Recalls The Day That Dynamite Blast Near Lakefield Smashed Window in Campbellford" (PDF). Peterborough Examiner.
3. "Terrible Dynamite Explosion" (PDF). Peterborough Daily Evening Review. 4 Sep 1885.