bits by betty

 
The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on April 13, 1923:
SHOCK IS SEVERE 25 MILES DISTANT
 
Presence of the Unexploded Charge is Discovered by Accident After Quarrymen Had Used Dynamite Near It.
Discharge of a 750-pound “toe-cap” deposit of dynamite at the Quartzite Quarries, Inc., plant shortly after 6:00 o’clock Wednesday morning fairly shook the earth for an area of at least fifteen miles, east of Luverne, rattled windows and dishes, and jarred open doors in numerous homes, as well as awakened thousands of people with a suddenness that left them thoroughly bewildered.
This charge was a portion of the 7,000-pound plant of dynamite that was used in the big blast at the quarries last September, and for some reason this toe-cap charge, which was at the bottom of a 100-foot deep hole on about a level with the loading floor, had failed to go off, although several separated charges immediately above the toe-cap charge had all exploded.
From time to time since the September blast wonderment had been expressed that the ledge at that point was not more thoroughly broken up, but quarrymen had no suspicion that this charge of dynamite had not gone off along with the others at that time.
It was not until late Tuesday afternoon, after several small charges had been shot in breaking some large rocks on the loading floor of the quarry, within a few feet of the unexploded dynamite, that some of the explosive was noticed through a crack in the ledge, as well as two lead wires. In further investigating these clues it was found that the wires connected with a dynamite cap, leading to the dynamite charge. A test proved that the ignition cap was still alive, so it was decided to touch off the charge early the next morning before all workmen were on the grounds.
The reason that the explosion of the 750-pound charge was so much louder than the big blast in September is explained by the fact that there was practically no rock in front of the charge to furnish resistance and deaden the sound, whereas in the previous blast there was a solid wall about twenty-five feet through in front of the charge.
As far as material results are concerned, the latest blast was of little benefit, for at the thickest point there was hardly more than four feet of rock in front of it to furnish resistance. It was believed that the dynamite had absorbed considerable moisture and would not prove as powerful as it did.
It is considered strange, however, that at the time the mine was discharged last fall, it was not discovered that this particular charge had failed to go off. At the quarries, all heavy charges are ignited by electricity, and an instrument or tester, is used which denotes whether or not the charge is properly connected with the battery. Either this charge had been entirely overlooked or inaccurately observed, to have brought about such results.
Reports from Adrian are that the vibration and detonation there were severe enough to awaken a large percentage of the people of the town, and many jumped at the conclusion that the village’s electric light plant had blown up. Testing this supposition by attempting to turn on the lights, they found the current on, and concluded that the west-bound Omaha passenger engine, which had pulled into the station a few minutes before, had blown up. Finding this supposition wrong they were wholly at a loss to understand where the explosion could have emanated from.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.