| Sources |
- [S5] Ancestry.com, Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1774-1973, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2011;), FHL Film Number: 2210446.
Name: Walter Ross Phelps;
Gender: Male;
Race: White;
Birth Date: 10 Jul 1901;
Birth Place: Spencer, Guernsey, Ohio;
Father: Harvey Ross Phelps;
Mother: Margerett Dudley
- [S8] Ancestry.com, 1910 United States Federal Census, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Lehi, UT, USA; Date: 2006;), Year: 1910; Census Place: Brookfield, Noble, Ohio; Roll: T624_1222; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 0109; FHL microfilm: 1375235.
- [S26] Ancestry.com and Ohio Department of Health, Ohio, Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2007, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Ohio, Death Records, 1918.
- [S614] Newspapers.com - Marysville Journal-Tribune - 18 May 1918, (Name: Marysville Journal-Tribune; Location: Marysville, Ohio; Date: 18 May 1918, Sat;), 18 May 1918, Page 1.
Explosion Kills Three
Zanesville, O., May 18.--Three men were killed instantly near Pleasant City, Guernsey count. when 30 cans of nitroglycerin, being transported overland in an auto truck, exploded. The dead are: Harvey Phelps, 45, his son, Walter Phelps, 18, and W. O. Hughey. Hughey, driving the truck load of explosives, met Phelps and his son, who were riding in a two-horse dray. When Hughey attempted to pass Phelps' outfit, his truck struck a rut in the road and the explosion followed.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21640111/marysville_journaltribune/?xid=637
- [S615] Newspapers.com - Lancaster Eagle-Gazette - 18 May 1918, (Name: Lancaster Eagle-Gazette; Location: Lancaster, Ohio; Date: 18 May 1918, Sat;), 18 May 1918, Page 1.
Nitroglycerin Explodes; Three Dead.
Zanesville, 0., May 18.--Three men were killed instantly near Pleasant City, Guernsey count. when 30 cans of nitroglycerin, being transported overland in an auto truck, exploded. The dead are: Harvey Phelps, 45; his son, Walter Phelps, 18, and W. O. Hughey. Hughey, driving the truck load of explosives, met Phelps and his son, who were riding In a two-horse dray. When Hughey attempted to pass Phelps' outfit, his truck struck a rut In the road and the explosion followed.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21640142/lancaster_eaglegazette/?xid=637
- [S616] Newspapers.com - The Greenville Journal - 23 May 1918, (Name: The Greenville Journal; Location: Greenville, Ohio; Date: 23 May 1918, Thu;), 23 May 1918, Page 3.
When 50 cans of nitroglycerin, being conveyed overland in an auto truck, exploded near Pleasant City. Guernsey county. Harvey Phelps, 45, his son Walter, 18, and W. O. Hughey were instantly killed.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21640130/the_greenville_journal/?xid=637
- [S617] Newspapers.com - The Times Recorder - 18 May 1918, (Name: The Times Recorder; Location: Zanesville, Ohio; Date: 18 May 1918, Sat;), 18 May 1918, Pages 1 & 3.
NITRO EXPLOSION AT PLEASANT CITY KILLED THREE MEN
Bodies of Victims Were Literally Blown To Atoms By Awful Blast
In a blast which rocked Pleasant City, Guernsey county at 8:45 o'clock Friday morning, Harvey Phelps, 45, his son Walter, 18, drayman of Pleasant City, and William Huey of Lower Salem were blown to atoms when 400 quarts of nitroglycerine in the latter's automobile let go. The explosion happened on the outskirts of the little town and shattered nearly a score of windows in a Pennsylvania passenger train on a track 300 yards away. No one on the train was injured.
The machine Huey was driving and the dray of the Phelps' were blown to bits and the bodies of the horses thrown through the air. All that remained of the roadway where the blast occured was a great hole many yards wide. Windows in Pleasant City were broken by the concussion and houses damaged. The baggagemaster on the Pennsylvania train nearby was hurled to the floor of the car with great force but was not hurt.
Think Auto Hit Dray
Exactly how this tragedy happened will never be known. It is presumed the automobile struck the dray in passing and the jar set off the explosive. Huey, driver of the automobile was in Caldwell Thursday night and the spring on his machine was broken then. He endeavored to get it fixed but was unable to find anyone who would help him because of the nitro in the car. However he secured the materials and mended the break himself before leaving.
A spring from the automobile was driven through the wall of the Thompson residence about 500 yards away and the structure was almost demolished. Harvey and Walter Phelps were engaged in hauling rubbish from Pleasant City to a dump near the scene of the explosion. The tremendous quantity of explosion made a roar that could be heard for miles.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21640064/the_times_recorder/?xid=637
- [S9] Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2004;), Year: 1900; Census Place: Spencer, Guernsey, Ohio; Page: 11; Enumeration District: 0021; FHL microfilm: 1241273.
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1901 - 1918 (16 years)
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