Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-09-19
SCENES, INCIDENTS, &c, &c.

One of the most horrible and appalling
calamities with which any community has
ever been visited occurred this afternoon
at the United States Arsenal grounds, in
the immediate vicinity Of this city. 0u1
readers are aware that, ever since the COM
mencement Of the present war, large
number Of hands have been employed al
the Arsenal in putting up fixed ammuni-
tion for the army. At first the work was
done by boys, but fearing from their care
less habits, that some such accident as that
which has occurred would follow their en-
ployment, they were, some months ago
discharged, and young women and girls,
as being more tractable and careful, en-
plOyed in their stead. About nehundred
and fifty Of these, together with a few men,
were engaged to-day in the Laboratory
buildings lying on the side Of the hill be-
tween Butler street and the Greensburg
Pike, when, from some cause or other as
yet unexplained, an explosion took place
which was distinctly heard in the city.
The buildings were blown to atoms, and
the Lodies Of the inmates carried high
into the air. The greater number, how
ever, perished by fire, while lying under
the ruins Of the shattered buildings. Al
together about eighty lives were lost, but
it is impossible, at the time we write, four
o'clock, to arrive at any adequate estimate
of the extent of the catastrophe How
many were injured could not be ascer-
tained, as they were carried away as soon
as found to be cared for by their friends.
THE SCENE OF CALAMITY.
Shortly after three o'clock we visited
the scene of the explosion, and more
painful or revolving sight than that which
presented itself to our view can scarcely
be imagined. The streets leading to the
ground were filed with an excited crowd,
including hundreds of frantic women,
who rushed wildly through the multitude,
shrieking and sobbing as though their
hearts would break We entered the up
per gate, and at the very threshold were
met by evidence of the terrible force of
the exploson. The grounds were covered
with fragments Of charred wood, canister
shot, sheet iron, exploded cartridges,
Mimic balls, &C., &C., some of which had
fallen fully. four hundred yards from the
scene of Of the explosion. We found
the windows, too, of the large bull
ding just inside the gate, shattered and
broken by the conclusion, which appears
to have been terribly severe.
HORRIBLE SCENE.
Ascending the side of the hill towards
the labratory buildings, the first object
that attracted our attention was the body
of one of the victims, partly covered with
a sheet. 1t was lying where it fell, near
ly three hundred yards from the scene of
the spectacle. The flesh had been blown,
as it were, from the bones, and, with the
intestines, lay a tangled mass, while the
face was horribly mutilated, and the corpse
little better than hideous, shapeless pnlp.
From the hair, it was evident that the
body was that Of q female, but her iden-
was out of the question. Higher
up lay another dsifgured in the same
frightful manner and badly burned be-
sides, and aronnd as far as the eye could
reach, lay fragments of human remains
here an arm, there leg, here the intes-
tines Of some unfortunate creature, andl
there the pelvis, and SO on. Oh God!
what a sight yet the greatest horror was
yet to come.
ONE OF THE VICTIMS IDENTIFIED.
Continuing on our way still towards the
smoking ruins, we came upon the body of
a female badly burned and presenting a
most shocking appearance. The limbs
we're swollen to three times their natural
size, while the feet had been partial
ly burned off, and the breast and face we're
disfgured While we stood
looking at the remains, a young woman
approached and with an agonizing scream
pronounced the victim to be q Mrs. Shep-
pard residing in Lawrenceville, and one
Of her best friends. She informed us that
Mrs. Sheppard held some position in one
Of the rooms, but what it was she was too
lgitated to explain. Her daugeter she
said was also killed, but she could not say
whether or not her body had been found.
Mrs Sheppard appears to to have been a
very respectable lady, and had hosts of
friends, to whom her horrible death seemed
% he a source Of the deepest suffering
IN THE DEATH AGONY.
Near Mrs. Sheppard lay two women who
hough burned in horrible manner, were
yet alive and painfully sensible of their
One poor creature, who gave
Ter name as Mary Connolly, writhed and
visited in the death agony until the spec
acle became too much even for the crowd
If gazers who thronged around, and many
# them turned away filled with horror
rom the frightful and appalling soene.-
There were several physicians in attend
lnce, but the condition of the sufferers was
,eyOnd the reach of medical SKILL and both
lied before we left
THE HORROR INCREASES.
We were now on a line with the burned
buildings, and could see crowds of men at
work taking out the remains of such as
in the ruins. Near here, under a |
rec, lay the remains of seven of the suf- !
erers, and little higher up, inside the !
,arden fence, we counted the remains of |
wenty-six others. Of these little else re-
NAMED than the trunks. In some cases
he heads and arms had been burned off,
md in others the legs were gone, while of
he arms nothing but the larger bones re-
NAMED. They were crisped or burned IN |
O all conceivable shapes, and presented
iltogether the most sickening spectacle we
ave ever looked upon. We have seen death |
n almost every form, but never in such a |
ihape as this. The battlefield presents not |
/ tithe of the horrors of such scene. God |
grant that we may never look on such a
pectacle again.
TAKING OUT THE BODIES.
The fire had not yet been thoroughly |
luenched, and strong stream was being |
brown upon the ruins by one of our |
team fire engines, while men carried |
water to the scene of the disaster, and Ia
,ored nobly in putting out the flames. As
he fire was got under, those engaged in |
aking out the bodies extended the sphere |
# their operations until the heart Of the !
argest of the buildings was reached.
At the time we left several bodies had |
'een taken out, swelling the number which |
anne under our notice altogether to forty |
tx. This, however, we do not consider |