New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-08
Will villainous saltpetre Explode

The following account of the awful effects OF
the recent explosion in Wilmington, Del, will
be read with interest:
On Wednesday, three wagons filled with pow
der from Drpont's Mills, exploded at the corner
of Fourteenth and Orange streets, opposite 70
the residence of Bishop Lee. The report, OF
series of reports, was tremendous, and the enects
were frightful. The wagons were OF course oe-
molished fifteen horses We're destroyed; put
the loss Of life was the most lamentable feature
of the calamity The list of killed and wounded,
as far as ascertained, is as follows;
John KEYS, driver, John Walters, driver,
Thomas Chambers, driver, Thomas Hughes,
colored man in Bishop Lees house, and Henry,
a waiter to Jas. E. Price, all killed; John Nc
Laughlin's child missing William Mccoy and
Mrs Richard Reynolds, badly hurt. Part OF
Bishop Lees family are said to be missing
Several other persons were injured, and it is
feared that other lives have been lost but in the
CONSERVATION that prevails, it is impossible. to
tell certainly. The damage to property has
been frightful. Seven dwelling houses and six
| stables were blown down, and some Of them
burned. At leas fifty other houses were more
or less damaged y the explosion. The walls OF
James e. Prices residence were so shattered
that they are pected to fall momentarily.
The residence of bishop Lee was much injured
| The report of the explosion was heard to q great
distance, and alarmed every one, but the extent
of the destruction to life and property could
not have been imagined.
There were It's to 200 kegs of powder in the
wagons, all of which exploded. There were two
distinct explosions, one Immediately after the
other. From the crown of the hill down to the
Brandywine, there is not window or front dooI
left unbroken. The windows all over tho city
are more or less broken, and in many houses
the plaster was blown down from the walls anc
ceiling. At the depot. the plaster, owing to thu
conclusion, fell from the ceiling on the clerks
The shock was fearful many persons thought
was an earthquake. Persons in the street wer'
driven along by the conclusion, before they hat
any idea what had happened. Immediately
after the fearful report was heard, windows
timbers, doors, etc, were seen lying IN ever.
, direction. The panic, when the nature OF th
calamity was known, was frightful. The caus
Of this fearful calamity is ascribed to ciga
which one of the drivers was smoking A small
stone house near the spot was demolished, an
the peorle inside of it are supposed to have bee
killed The barns Of James Candy and John
, Price were set on fire.
The powder wagons were on their way trol
= the mills to the magazine, and, at the time tn
i explosion occurred, were between Market an
\ Orange streets, in Fourteen. The shock wa
felt at distance of half a mile; nearly ever
building within two squares was injured, tres
t Frustrated, and in many instances survivor
: were covered up by the ruins of dwelling
which had to be cleared away for their extric'
ton The Catholic College, which is fully ha
a mile from the scene Of the disaster, was col
Il siderably injured. The upper part of the tow
'. looked like city after bombardment-des
y Y. lation had been carried every where.