The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-06-14

ever bloom, and the flowers are unwither.
ing-where the waters of life's river, flow.
ing from beneath flash brightly in the
beams of an unsetting sun, and twilight
gives place to a ceaseless day.
The Wilmington Explosion.
We gave in last weeks issue the tele.
graphic account of the explosion Of three
wagon loads Of powder at Wilmington.
Delaware. The Philadelphia Bulletin
gives the following PARTICULARS:
AT twenty-five minntes past 10 o'clock.
from some mysterious cause, the powder
became ignited, and in an instant three ex-
plosions took place; the reports followed
each other in such rapid succession that ii
was Difficult. to distinguish them from one
prolonged explosion, but there were never
theless three distinct reports.
Persons within short distance Of the
spot had no intimation Of what had hap
pened until they found themselves pros
trated upon the ground, or hurried along
by some Irresistible impulse; the fearful
sound like the booming OF thousands of
cannons then deafended them; and at the
same instant che ruins flying through the
air terrified the stoutest hearts. Citizens
who lived at q greater distance from the
spot frs, knew Of the disaster by seeing
the lurid fash, or by the rocking Of their
dwellings, the crashing OF their window
glass or the falling of the plaster, from
their apartments, about their heads.
Some OF the effects of the explosion
were most astonishing; of the fifteen hor-
ses comprising the teams. most of them
were blown to fragments; in some cases
pieces OF heavy iron work were driven
through their bodies Heads, legs, hoofs,
60, were picked up hundreds Of feet from
the scene, and millions Of small fragments
of horse flesh covered the ground in every
direction. ltis a curious fact thatin every
case the iron shoes were torn from the
hoofs Of the animals by the force Of the
explosion.
4he tires Of the wagon wheels were Of
the heaviest description, being four inches
in width. and one and quarter inch in
thickness. These were invariably found
Strengthened out like q bar, and detached
pieces were thrown to great distance
One piece of tire was driven into brick
wall At Market street and Twelfth streets.
Another piece of tire was driven depth
Of several inches into the trunk Of 4 but.
ton wood tree on Fourteenth street. Il
was driven in across the grain. and was
wedged as firmly as though it had grown
there. Is
One of the most wonderful, if not the
most wonderful results OF this terrific ex.
plosion is this effect it had upon the earth
where it took place. The spot where each
wagon stood is marked by cavity in the
ground not less than twenty inches in
depthl The hard road is sunk down to
that distance. and deep assures around
the edges of the hollows show where they
were driven before their former level
At one point the water pipe, which lies
four feet below the surface, was dashed in.
An iron fire plug near the spot was swept
off level with the earth, Is 3eI-
There seems to have been two forces
in operation to produce the mischief re-
sulting from this disaster. The first was
the direct force Of the, explosion which
impelled objects in its immediate vicinity
from its centre. The second was the
rushing OF the air from all directions to
supply the vacuum caused by the rapid
rare faction OF the air. This is exhibited
in all the objects damaged whioh were no,
in the immediate proximity of the explod.
ing powder. All tend to the locations o
the wagons as, to a common centre.
This peculiarly is illustrated in the
manson of Mr.. Candy. Two large par.
lors, separated by folding doors, are in
the north wing Of the building. The
parlors were closed at the time Of the ex.
plosion. and the heavy folding doors were
shut. The latter were torn from theil
hinges and carried bodily against the end
of the building, next to the centre of the
explosion. The shutters and sash in tha
end OF the house were burnt outwards
while in the opposite end they were dash
ed inwards. This house will probably
have to be torn down.
The cause Of the explosion is pro
found mystery. Ii is generally believed
that some powder from one of the fore
most wagons had escaped from q. defec
tive keg. and that it had been ignited BY
a spark struck by the hoof Of one Of tn.
hinder horses. horse on this same roat
had his tail singed in this way q few day.
since,