125 years ago in 1898

Taken in part from the Youngstown Vindicator:

“Exploded. A quarryman’s head nearly blown off by a premature blast. Barney Oleson hurt. A local specialist visited — says sight will be restored.

“The fact that one man led another up the street Wednesday afternoon to a doctor’s office caused several persons to make inquiries and remarks, such as, ‘Wonder who soaked him?’ and ‘I guess his wife ain’t no honey,’ and other like sayings.

The man being led is to be pitied.

“He was Barney Oleson, a Swede from Bessemer, Pa. His face was entirely covered with black cloths and he was carefully led by a friend from Bessemer to the office of a specialist here for treatment.

Oleson is a quarryman by occupation and worked in the quarries of the Bessemer Limestone Company’s local organization.

While preparing a blast on Tuesday, he was injured by a severe explosion. At first it was thought that he was dead.

Oleson drilled a hole into the rock and had filled it with powder. How it exploded, he is unable to say. Luckily, the stone broke into many pieces, otherwise Oleson would have received the full charge of the powder in his face.

“His eyes and face were frightfully pierced with small pieces of stone and powder. The eyes were closed. Sight has come back and it is now thought Oleson will continue to see again from both optics.

“To the Vindicator, Oleson’s companion said: ‘There are more accidents of late in this line than ever before and I really think the explosives are not properly prepared.

“‘I know Mr. Oleson to be a good, careful workman, and thoroughly acquainted with the use of explosives. I believe he is never careless and I think the same as he, that the powder was not what it should be.

“‘Too many accidents with dynamite are reported. Had the stone not burst, Oleson would undoubtedly have been killed.'”

• Compiled from the Youngstown Vindicator by Traci Manning, Mahoning Valley Historical Society curator of education.