Edinburgh. - About 5 o'clock on Friday afternoon, a most distressing accident occurred within a quarter of a mile of Bathgate, on the road leading to Linlithgow, and nearly opposite Balbairdie-house, the seat of Mr. Majoribanks. Robert Meikle, a servant of Mr. George Simpson, farmer, Easton, and a tacksman of extensive lime and coal works in the neighbourhood, had been directed by his master to carry with a horse and cart a considerable number of barrels of gunpowder, for the use of his lime-quarries, to the place which he occupies as a depot for that article.
Meikle, at the place above described, was sitting on one of the shafts of the cart. From causes yet unknown, the gunpowder took fire, and shocking to relate, exploded with a tremendous noise, so much so that some of the people in Bathgate declare it shook their houses.
The unfortunate man who drove the cart was thrown into a clump of planting in Mr. Marjoribank's lawn; the body of the cart was driven from the wheels, and the horse ran furiously to Bathgate with the body of the cart, where it soon alarmed the inhabitants, who ran to the spot, and discovered Meikle literally burnt to a cinder, scarcely a vestige of his clothes having escaped from the fire.
When found, he was alive, but insensible, and was immediately carried to Mr. White's,
Glenmavis, an adjoining farmhouse.
Medical assistance from Bathgate was soon procured, but, notwithstanding every effort, the poor man died in about an hour and a half after the accident, leaving a wife to lament his loss.
The horse was also much scorched.
It is understood there were about nine barrels of gunpowder on the cart at the time of the explosion.
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