Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1854-11-08
AN INTERNAL MACHINE.

H AN INTEGRAL IuACIllNE.
Diabolicn Attempt 10 Blo,o upa Hoiel-For-'
tunate Escape of The MmateS-LiSt Of The In
| ja,red.
| A little before 9 o'clock on Saturday after
noon the inmates Of Eare's Hotel, in Park Row,
were thrown into great CONSERVATION and alarm
by an explosion of gunpowder, which took place
in the Office on the first floor OF the house. The
greatest CONSERVATION soon prevailed on The
premises, and when the alarm Of fire was sound
ed from the City Hall bell, the lady boarders, al
tdcheS, chamber-maids, and other about the prem
ises. not fully understanding the nature of the
occurrence, made precptons rush to their re-
spective apartments in order to their effects,
while others, believing that to remain in the
building was dangerous, started for the street.
Some minutes elapsed before quiet was restored,
when an explanation Of the cause of the commo-
| ton was made.
| 1t appears that gentleman. one Of the lodg-
ers in the Hotel, who was about taking his de-
parture, went behind the book. keepers counter
for the purpose of selecting his baggage, and
while the porter, Peter Moran, was putting out
a small valise, terrific explosion took place.
At the time of the explosion there were but
few persons in the office
The officers Of the Independent and Second
Ward police, on their arrival at the scene, imme-
diatey took measures to ferret out the whole af-
fair.
From fragments which were collected and
closely inspected by the authorities, it appears
that in the leather valise had been deposited n,
small tin can, containing probably about twelve
pounds Of powder. In one end was placed the
muzzles of a small double -barrelled pistol, and
it is believed that the whole was so arran ged
that BY moving the valise by its handle, it would
IN fol- fra usti ma Ia
lying beside the powder.
The doors and windows Of the Hotel were for
tunatey open at the time, so that no great re-
sistance was offered to the explosive force of the
powder. 1t is evident that had the Hotel been.
tightly closed, the explosion would have been
sufficiently powerful to have blown it to pieces.
The front doors were open, also those leading
TO the dining-room and elsewhere. The damages
done to the various apartments is upwards OF
$4,000. From the appearance Of the building
inside, one would suppose that lightning had
struck the Office and continued in n creuitous
route over an area of 300 feet, carrying destruc-
ton with it wherever it went. The windows at
the extreme end of the dining-room were CON-
pletely demolished, as were also twelve rooms
on the south side The entire walls, ceilings,
and windows of the Mushroom, entry, reading
room, and bar-room were torn TO pieces, and
even heavy lath and plaster partition was stove
in. The panic among the guests of the Hotel
was beyond all description, and it was the gen.
eral opinion that many lives were lost. The
startling occurrence, however, resulted very for
tunateiy in one respect, as not single human
being was killed. The hotel was Immediately
surrounded by large concourse of people, and
intense excitement prevailed. Annexed is a list
of the injured:
| A young man named Lewis was slightly in
jured while sitting in the reading room As the
ceiling fell near him a small bit of lime flew into
his eye. lie suffered great pain for a time, but
he speedily recovered and went to his home.
| Peter Moran, the baggage man, who took up
the valise, was so shockingv burnt about the
head and body it was necessary to convey him
to the Hospital where he now lies. 1t will be
some time before he will be able to leave that
institution. His sufierngs are intense, and his
situation is truly one of commisseraton.
| Mr.. r. Dowd, Of Schenectady, N. Y, one of
the guests, was badly cut about the head He
has, however, returned to his home
Mr.. d. ]. Schuyler, Superintendent of the N.
Haven and N. London Railroad, was considera-
bly, injured by a door swinging to, striking him
on the head.
Mr. ii. Lyman Powers, who was standing in
his office, within five feet of the place where The
valise was placed had narrow escape. He
found himself unaccountably Oo him) propelled
with great force through the open compartment
of the office box into the street, where he imme-
diately recovered his selfpossession, and return
ed to place a sufficient number of persons to
protect the property of those sojOurning in the
hotel and to transact his ordinary business.
N. Y. Times.