Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-08-07
FROM LATE FRENCH PAPERS.


PARIS, june 3-Wc have already mentioned
the deplOrable event which has plnuSct into
giIei the town of ST. Jean dAugely. That town
contains powder mills winch are generally con
Sidered as The most extensive IN France {; but
the mills situated IN the middle OF the village
oil failieDUurs, tue most popuions part OF the
Town, are from their vicinity. tiIc mos tdarger-
Gus 10 the inhabitants. On the 25;h ot May, al
81 quarter past Eve ia the morning, The inhdDi-
tdnts were awakened 10y dreadful! explosion,
which vas immediately followed by a second.
I.ese two explosions happened at the west
part Of the powder works, where were in tine
vicinity more titan 400, geo lbs. of powder
IL is hardly possible 10 conceive the effect of
these two successive explosions, and Of the
Commot!on which they produced among lie
inhabtdnts OF the town. The report was heard
nearly twenty leagues around The whole
town was IrIme diaicly upon their feet: tor The
shocks had broken the glass Of al! tie windows.
In the south east they saw i'll the atmos pherc a
WINE c!Gad Oh SMOKE, 20 appearance Ike ali
enormous rock, whose Inequalities, they say +,
initiated hannah figures, SO perfectly, that, y c
are assured, The people believed they rCrOg-
uize. The men. Every one hdstencd 10 the
disastrous scene, which recalled to mind the
catastrophe OF the plain Of GTenei!c ia 1891.
The whole extent employed III the manu;ac-
tory OF powder iae place OF the mills only eN.
cepted, was destroy ed from top To bottom. 4
hundred aud f.ty houses III ST.. NaZalrc aud
In the village OF faiehOur, were either
thrown down or so much injured a, to Il. rem
dered nninhab;iable. = great maEy cuiLsus
have heen crushed o. buried under the run.
Dish, or killed in the streets, IN their gardens
by the fail OF stones, timer, trees Which were
rooted up, and Gthe. things, which were
thrown into the air by the force ct the eNpio-
SION.
Every eXertiOn was made to save the inhabi-
tdnts, SO Immiucntly threatened with dCsiruc-
ZION. Several tons ofpowder were remove ed
from the magazine which was already OF tire
20 place OF safety But ii new danger, still
Iii"le i'ighttul, suddenly appeared 10 alarm
teiabOuIers. There was a large magazine
little further distant, which contained shout
30 O00 lbs. OF powder and its explosion
would cause the destruction OF the whole town.
Ihcy perceive ed that some pieces OF burning
WOOD Tell upon HE roof OF this magazine, and
threatened 10 reach the interior A crv of Ter.
IOr was heard in all quarters OF tie town, aud
great part Of the population preCipatcd
themselves milo the PLAIN, zach one StIZiug
whatever he could. that was most precious TO
him. ST. Jean d An.cly was deserted ina mo.
meut. A lew men, however, had the courage
"a remain. They spTans upon the Building
AID threw down TO the .IOund the bursting
brands. THIS Imtrepidity entities those who
manifested II, 10 the highest honor. BY de-
gfees HGEH uii:ity was restored and tie DAN
ger being over, the inhab.,aLts retained 10
their hCUSes.
Snch axe the particulars oflhis dcplorable
egeut, which piungGs 30 many families iuiO
misery. The number OF victims, however, at
present sixteen killed, aud some wounded.
The bodies of II labourers, ali fathers OF fdni.
lies, have been fonnd, by piec .-mca, la the vi
entity aud ia the n~igbborinS gardens. III the
towu, almost all the brick partitions are
thrown down, the windows and easements are
destroyed, and many of The Heavy walls are
i,1uIed. The damage already known l. csli-
mated at a million of francs. 1t is said that
tue trembling of the earth was so great, that
lie RIVER was fer moment thrown from It's
bed.
a. 10 the causes Of the explosion they are
unknown. The tumOrs III FuCuiaUUu are not
sufficiently established tor us 10 report them.
Some speak Of il as an OHio,s ven. cduce, bat
the crime would be 80 horrible llrat ever; hon.
EFT sOul shiUtderst the Idet. Othcr, suppose
tdat ldborer WHO was ~ tic magazine where
the tire TOOK, having rolled qgartcr cask of
pOTdrr with violence, the'tr,CtOn OccdsiJnci
spatNs, winch caused the double eXpipsiou.
But "e repeat That nOtitiag is yel certain ~
respect TO Il.
Tue n.1,hh0iing towns haze sent expresses
to OitT assistance. 1t IS pruboDl" t1ti ~ al
France AID especially ~ the Capital, .Hbrcrip.
tons will Be- opened, as the relici Of those
whO ate fainsd by ihis dspiorahe event Cur.
can,tdnSes less disastrous hdye Oi!pR excited
tive compassion % the public. 81 Is nos tnat
gthcgosIly Wlll be noble aud useful