HISTORY: WAYNE COUNTY OUTLOOK MAY 26, 1904 Typed as published and Submitted By Laura Frost Wright-Feb 8, 2000 GEORGE SHEARER AND THOMAS PAYNE RECEIVE BURNS WHICH PROVE FATAL This city was thrown into a turmoil at 4 o"clock from news coming over the telephone that there had been a terrible explosion on JAMES DODSON"S farm at Steubenville, caused by the gas and oil igniting from the boiler at JONES, BYRNES, & WILCOX"S well No. 5 All sorts of rumors were flying as to the extent of the fearful havoc wraught by the disaster--first reports having four men burned to death and many more badly injured. This report proved to be greatly exaggerated, and the true condition of affairs, which were certainly bad enough, at the ill-fated well were shortly known. The explosion occurred, as a matter of course, without a moment's warning, and those most seriously burned were in the tower at the time and had no chance to escape the shower of burning oil which came down upon them. THOMAS PAYNE, of Bradford and GEORGE SHEARER, of Butler, Pa. were terribly burned, the latter dying from his injuries at 2 o"clock yesterday morning, and the former died at Ramsey Hotel in this city at 1 o"clock on the afternoon of the same day. The death of PAYNE came as a great surprise, as all reports from his bedside up to the time of his death were to the effect that he was doing nicely. W.J. McNEIL and P.V. BYRNES were some distance from the tower and received only slight burns. PAYNE"S family were notified at bradford and immediately started for Monticello arriving here last night a few hours after their loved one had breathed his last. Mr. SHEARER'S wife was at Steubenville at the time of the explosion and personally ministered to the wants of the dying man until the angel of death came to his releif. This terrible affair brings vividly to memory a similiar explosion on the same lease, which occurred last september, in which TOM MARSH, of Wayne, and JOHN ADAMS, of Pennsylvania lost their lives by cremation. The remains of both the unfortunate victims will be taken to their late respective homes for buriel. ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.