The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-09-24
ihe Explosion nj the u. s. Arsenal ia Pitts
bufg-.IIsrribIe scenes

ibs terrible explosion at tie u. y. Arsenal 1t
ftisburs Pa, on the 5;h has beer ssasiced -.
About one Hundred and City giila werese eapeyed
I'D The building in which the explosion ocrrrrcd
putting mp fixed ammunition, AMI oi 'hsse oyer
eghty We're killed instantly, FRO horribly rouhisd
lbat they died soon after. The bnildiass were
blown to aoiis apd the lolies of the isG,aatss e,
ried high nto tue sky The greaer nlttgstr. how
ever, persisted by fire while living unilaf the ruins
of the shattered buildings The streets i,sdsng to
tse ground were filed with an exctasi crowd ID
ending hnndreds of frantic women, wko rushed
wildly through the multitude, stiFekipg aud aot
bing as though their hearts would break, We ch.
tered at the upper gate and at ii4s very tiresifa
were met by evidence OF the terrible .a of siIe
explosion. The grounds were covered s.9ith ff2r.
menfs OF charred wood, canister shot. sheet iren
exploited cartridges. Mimic balls &c some OF
which had fallen fully four hundred yards from tae
scene OF the explosion
Ascending the side of the hill towards % lahsra.
tory buildings, the frs object that atnaase
tention was the body of one OF tie vieff,s partly
covered with sheet. 1t lying where 1t .efi,
nearly three hundred yards froin the scene Of the
explosion ana presented most hnrribtp spectacle.
The uesh had been blown, Il yssrs from tha
bones. and tha corpse little bstief mae Eidaoi;.
saapeisss pulp. From the hair wasl ssisnt sLsst
The hody Was thar Il lssEas, bt II ids ii, RAJ
ton was out OF The qnestlon H gEer mp. lsy alsn.
ther dtshgured in the irigiltfu Yaanpef and
badly burned besides and around far as the eye
could reach lay fragments OF human remans--bece
an arm, there a log.
Mr.. Geary. foreman Of rooms Nos Is ana Il
states that a;he time OF the first ex plosion he mas
standing on the porch in front of the engine foo,u
lie heard the cries of the girls, and immediately
proceeded to tho main building. On his way he
NETS several OF those employed III his rooms vim.
were unhurt but who kept up a continual sAriekinZ
snd could not inform him what the matter HUI
rying on he met Bitl envelopsd in II ames wboi,,
with the assistance of another ma., Ec a:tsupted
to carry away from the building but, AS they were
passing the engine room, the roof OF tha; building
WAS thrown Off and partially fell OH them and they
were compelled TO f.rsake the Injured girl 10 s.ye
their OWE lives BY this time the iaa.r building
we5 enveioped IN hames, seeold and jhird eA-.
Plosion having taken place.
There were about hundred and fovty i've
persons engaged ia the building OF which about
one hundred and Thirty we're giris, em pioyed as
pinchers and bundle.s. Some twenty ouss " exc
engaged az charges aud in making CAP cylinde4A-
Alter the second explosion the Eslnea bur4t forth
iscin every part OF the ruins and i W..s ilIpo3sibe
10 reuder any assistance to the unfortunate women
within
Two of the ucfortunates, Che uamtd Mary Ua
gan, and Nary Donnaiiy, Were carried un,ierueaih
a tree, and prompt medical aid furnished !hsln 4
physician, finding there no hos.e ic. t1r recov
cry oil Miss Dugan, at her request nlae an elcqaeat
d touching prayer III her br aif ia which he " as
joined by hundreds around min. Tts poor g.l sur.
vived her injuries but honr Miss Daaneily
had the censoaous of religion a,,,ninistege TO her
by priest In attendance Both uf these girl. snf
Al the lower end Of The grounds IS sitr .te,i very
lengthy building, il which some three aanagad
girls were employed. On hearing the G,a -xpia.
siou the girls rii.sd iran.icny for the doors aud
IL was with difficulty the foreman could Keep ,henl
in the building. When tie srcond explosion oc-
cRrred the girls became terrified that they could
not be restrained, and they rushed lbs wil!dOtys
broke them open, and precipitated themselves to
the ground, a distance OF some thirty feet. fhsy
around the grounds shritang sgt.e g. them
bleeding from wounds obI aimed III junipiiiH through
the windows. and The sigh: they exhibited was
enough TO strike terror in any one Some It them
ran in the direction CT their homes aiid did not stop
until sheer exhaustion compelled them t..
The horrors OF the pre seEted at iIss great
destruction OF life hrightensSt by The agonszin
relatives AMI friends upnn discnp trir 2
The f-nairs of SOME loved whose En,rh4r eart..
ngs contributed I" il~ir eoiIiip}t. again usheYa
franticatiy rushing isoSn one c!,fr body 90 ato h.
ar looking in vain ior = daughter or Aister vino
etapioy ed III tu III ..teti iiRiIdius. fh-c- was
particle oi clothing ieft ins;ofiIy of Teia
a,iei. man gleti and dison;ed they w.rs t,.- at
teriy impuzsible 10 ideni1y tt1agrI fhss y saas
uss We're from their feet, rings ftu their fin
gers and III INSTANCES not hing tiut g heAdesh
trunk remained Nevertheless many Wese identified
10y their hair by scrap af tiie trea, they Wore j C.
bat the greatest nnmbtr never can uc fu.iy rec0g.
nzed In tie pit oi The st0nlaeh OF ;ic heailess
frank We saw there vaa embedded .i.ont :: dozen
Mimic balls
That some Of tie unfortunate girls tlro " Il
high in the sir by the explosion - eviarei by HE
Ieet that un the branches OF some q. the trees
around the building pieces ot dresses were 10 be
saen, which Must have been t0rli lro!i their bodies
III their descent. &.