Hancock County Historical Society
Carthage, IllinoisSiegfried XIX
Page 316ARTHUR L. SHINN
KILLED BY BLAST
FROM DYNAMITETragedy at Rock Quarry
Near LaHarpe
Early FridayA single blast that was heard for many miles caused the death of one man and property damage estimated at a four-figured sum early Friday morning at the rock quarry operated near the LaMoine River bridge on Route 95 three miles west of LaHarpe. The dead man is Arthur L. Shinn, 45, who was foreman at the quarry where rock was being taken out for road work. The blast occurred a few minutes before five-thirty and the concussion from the huge charge of dynamite shook windows in Carthage and Macomb and other places of a like distance.
Shinn was alone at the quarry at the time, having gone there sometime after midnight. The scene of the blast is a total wreck and the cause of the accident will probably never be known. Shinn's body was horribly mutilated, parts of it being as yet unrecovered. The accident was not discovered until over an hour later when other men arrived for the day's work.
Virgil Shumate was the first to arrive and he found the shack and Shinn's car which had been parked nearby, blown to bits. There was a gaping hole in the ground, and articles about were torn to shreds. Realizing there may have been a tragedy at this scene, Shumate began to search the premises as others arrived, Monroe Alley, Douglas Lowe and Walter Alley and other workers coming shortly after Shumate reached the scene.
The workmen found Shinn's badly torn body up over a hill away from the scene of the blast. The blast had blown the man and the larger portion of the shack up through a tree leaving shreds of its gruesome work still clinging to the tree. Parts of the shack were blown as far as a half mile away. There was practically a full case of dynamite in the shack which was exploded in this one blast, getting in complete effect of its force, which is evident from the appearance of the premises.
Shinn went to the shack early Friday morning to spend the remainder of the night, according to witnesses, who were with him earlier in the night. He intimated he would stay in the shack where the regular watchman slept, the latter being off duty that night. It is believed he may have been preparing a charge to be used at the start of the work and the cap was accidentally discharged, setting off the entire store of the explosive.
Deputy Coroner J. W. Fleming conducted an inquest at LaHarpe Friday and the jury heard evidence given by the several witnesses who found the body and some who identified the personal effects found with the remains. A dentist established identification by means of his chart also.
Arthur Shinn was in his younger days quite prominent as a sportsman, being interested chiefly in baseball. He won considerable mention as a pitcher and was for a time engaged professionally in the old Central league. During the early days of the original Hancock County League he with his brother, Tressler formed the battery for the Carthage team. Art later pitched for other teams, retiring from active work in this sport only a few years back.
For several years he has made his home in Durham township and for the last few years has been engaged in road work there. During this fall he had been busily engaged at this quarry where they were taking out rock for construction work similar to other operations being carried on almost everywhere. The dynamite which brought about his untimely death was being used for blasting rock loose for the crusher.
The scene was visited by hundreds of people after the news of the tragedy had spread. Spectators were awed by the scope of the blast and the damage it brought about. The blast was not without some freakish results, such as nails driven deeply into trees, the wrecked auto and other machinery nearby. It is almost unbelievable that there could have been a blast of such terrific force.
Arthur Leslie Shinn, son of Thomas Marion and Katharine Bryant Shinn, was born in Durham township May 15, 1888 and departed this life Nov. 23, 1934, aged 46 years, 6 months and 18 days.
He attended the public school and grew to manhood in that community where he was held in high esteem and made many friends.
On April 20th, 1910 he was united in marriage to Mary Reed. To this union were born two children, Violet Vivian, who died in infancy and Gladys Lucille, who lives at home. This home was broken up when the mother was taken June 20, 1924.
On Dec. 24th, 1926 he was united in marriage to Bertha Caroline Blender. He has served the township the last two years as highway commissioner. It was in this that he met his death. He is survived by his wife and daughter and two brothers, Tressler of Burnside and Waldo of Dallas City and many relatives and friends. An older brother, Edward preceded him in death several years ago.
Art Shinn was a fine neighbor and will be sadly missed in this community.
