Niagara Falls, NY Office Building Explosion, Nov 1896

Fatal Explosion
By Associated Press

NIAGARA FALLS (N.Y.), Nov 14 – By the explosion of about thirty pounds of dynamite in the office building of Ed. Smith & Co., contractors in charge of the extension of the wheel pit and tunnel of the Niagara Falls Power Company, to-day, two men were instantly killed and one fatally injured. Three others were severely injured and several were cut and bruised by flying rocks and timbers. The office building, a frame structure forty by fifteen feet, was totally demolished, and windows for many yards distant were broken by the shock.

The dead are: Hakken Hammer, general manager, of Potsdam, N.Y., and Albert Reynolds, a negro workman.

The injured are: John Pickett, foreman, will die; John Rogers, M.E. Miles and George Barlow.

From what can be learned of the accident, Reynolds had just thawed out the dynamite in the powder house, some distance away, and brought it over to the office preparatory to blasting.

Reno Evening Gazette, Reno NV 24 Nov 1896

FATAL DYNAMITE EXPLOSION
Two Men Killed and One Fatally Injured at Niagara Falls

NIAGARA FALLS. Nov 14 – By the explosion of about thirty pounds of dynamite in the office building of E.D. Smith & Co., contractors in charge of the extension of the wheel pit and tunnel of the Niagara Falls Power Company at 8 o’clock this morning. Hakken Hammer, Chief Engineer, and Albert Reynolds, a negro workman, were instantly killed, and several others injured, John Pickett, a stone cutter, fatally.

Mr. Hammer was a son-in-law of George Rice, at one time Chief Engineer of the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroad. He was about thirty-five years of age. His wife and two children are living in Potsdam. He was a member of the University Club here.

The office building, a frame structure, 40 by 15 feet, was totally demolished and windows in building many yards distant were broken by flying stones.

The New York Times, New York, NY 15 Nov 1896
__________________

Transcribed by Bekky Tatar-Kinsey. Thank you, Bekky!