The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1862-09-24
TERMs,-.-sI.5O
From the Pitisburg Dispstch Sept. 10.
TERRIBLE CATAsTROPHEl

a
.FFt 4 l---sa 81. z f-i2
The Laboratory at the Allegheny Ar
senal Blown Up and Destroyed by
Fire Seventy Lives Lost-Inmates
Burned Alive. I - -1&li
A most dreadful disaster, resulting in the
loss OF many lives, occurred on the grounds
OF the Allegheny Arsenal, in tawreheetille,
on Wednesday. About two O'Clock in the
afternoon citizens Of the borough, and Of the
Ninth and Fifth Wards Of the city, were
startled by the report OF a heavy explosion,
it seems, preceded and followed By other ex.
plosions less violent.
Very soon it became known that The ex-
plosions had occurred at the building used
for liking ammunition, known as the labora-
tory, and situated on the hill between Butler
street and the Greensburg pike, in which
were employed upwards Of one hundred and
seventy boys and girls. ,.......,... ..,..-,.. Is
The news spread rapidly through the city,
and the excitement caused by il was very
great. Relatives and friends OF those em-
ployed at the Arsenal hastened TO the soens
oil the disaster, an alarm OF fire was rAised,
and by hal past two o'clock Penn street was
literally filled with an unbroken stream Of
humanity. We Joined in the throng. and q
square or two above the canal bridge met d
young woman, one of the sufferers. She had
her head and face, which seemed to be badly
burned, enveloped in her apron, which she
held about her chin. We noticed that one
Of her arms was badly bruised about tho
wrist. Further on we met Others, who seemed
uninured. They met with acquaintance 10
whom they recounted the tale OF horror.
In the Ninth ward we encountered fur.
niture car containing dead body. Il wss
that OF Kate Dugap. Her mother was in the
car and was almost distracted. Htaf1
All along the route we encountered persons
who were giving accounts of the disaster, and
as we nearcd the Arsenal grounds we weFS
fully prepared for the sight presented. We
desire never to witness another such.
Alter the EXPLOSION, the building took FIRE,
and those oftbe girls confined by the iras.
ments were burned to death. A number
were doubtless killed by the explosion, ard
their bodies consumed. Where,the heat was
the greatest, nothing remained Of the bodiss
but the whitened bones.
Thousands Of people collected on, tho
grounds, and all were horror stricken at tho
scene. The charred remains Of the victims
were lying about in rows In several direc-
tions. A number were dying OF their inju.
ries and removed by friends. We noticed
two bodies which had been blown from the
building, both so horribly mutilated, as indeed
were all that we saw, with but one exception
as to render Identification impossible We
saw the bodies of two young women who ev-i
identity had been burned alive in each others
arms. 10 one place we counted forty. sever,
bodies, iu another ten. and turn whore you
would blackened trunks of bodies-pies of
roasted hesh--met your gaze. Here and there
lay the fragment .of askah, or some other
part Of q body, .,... 4...l. g
Two girls were conversing near whers
body lay. One Of them had escaped unin.
Jured--the other was in search OF a sister.
and in describing her stated that she wore
red dress. A gentleman standing near, point.
ing to the fragment of q dress hanging upon
a tree, said: WAS it like that?" The girl
looked up, saw the fragment, and loud
scream from her told US that she identifsd 10
as part of the dress worn by her sister,,
6 We came to aspot where two girls were
dying. Both were terribly burned. Ono
asked she was really going to die, aud de.
sired Priest to be sent for She appesred
less injured than her ielow.sufferer. aud
spoke in loud, clear voice; but death soon
came. Her com panion was removed from
the ground, still alive, but beyond recovery.
Anxious relatives fitted hurrTedly about
the grounds, gazing upon the crisped remains
IN the hope OF discovering some mark Of iden.I
tification. Many Of the bodies were encs..
cled with steel bands Of hooped skirts. 7'a"
The building or laboratory vas one story
high, divided into halls and rooms, with an
open space in the center, like court. Ac.
counts as to the cause, as well as the partic.
uiar point at which the first explosion took
place, ditier materially, and tho facts cannot
be definitely ascertained, other than bys
proper investigation by the Coroner. Short
iy efore the first explosion, three barrels Of
powder had been brought from the magazine
and placed on porch at the laboratory. The
driver OF the wagon in which the powder was
hauled, was knocked down twice by the ex.
plosions, but not seriously hurt, His name
is Trick, and resides in LawrenceviIls.
Adjacent to the laboratory was small
building used asian engine room. foriheating
purposes during winter, and attached to thus
buiding were two rooms in which cartridges
were filled, and in which were some two
hundred pounds OF powder. The flames
communicating to these rooms caused the last
explosion. a o$ Eas82H ,9I Qt gtiiG
IL was pay, day. and Mr.. Beswofth, the
paymasters had paid some Atty OF the girls
before the occurrence. Alter the first explo-
sion number Of the girls, who had rushed
out OF their rooms, went back to see after the
Others, and thus fell victims.
The firelnen were promptly on the ground,
and rendered valuable assistance In 1uench.
ing the fire. For time it was unsafe to 20
near the burning building, owing to the con.
tinuous bursting Of cartridges and shells ,fIN
a scene Of terrible excitement occurred
at Store House N. l, situated near Butler
street, in which upwards of three hundred
girls were employed in preparing tie papee
cylinders FOR imuskets cartridges. Although
in no danger whatever, the girls rushed
down the stairs to the front entrance, which
was already blocked up with crowd of
men and women, in which were parents
seeking after their daughters. There was
no iugress or egress, and The pressure was
frightlul, Women were trodden under FOOT
some injured seyerly, and the sceneywas ab.
soiutely alarming Ladders were placed TO
the, upper windows from the aontside, by
which means number Of the girls got out
Of the building. It was considerable time
before tho outside crowd could be forced back. i
During the excitementia Q number Of the girls
ieaped oct Of the second story windows, and
in this way were severely injured. als 8Sa8f
ls sfTr ,stRI n
Mr. va'isandighaun aRd the War.
III Y