The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-05-21
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terrible GunpOwder Explosion in New
York City.

Terrible Gunpowder ExpiosiO" in New
York City.
From the New York Times, May 18.
One Of the most terrific gunpowder eXplo-
sions which ever took placein this city occur
ed at a late hour on Monday night,at the foot
Of Seventy-eighth street, East River. 1he re
port was heard in every part OF, the country
for the distance of fifty miles. The damage
to the property is very great, and the wonder
is. that no lives were lost by the catastrophe.
The particulars of the occurrence are as fol
lows: For about eighteen months there has
been a cartridge mandatory and a powder
Magazine located at the foot ofSeventy-eighth
street. East River. The proprietors, Messrs.
johnston & Dow, have had contracts with
the United States Government for the manu-
facture and delivery Of cartridges. During
the last year and a half, they have had On an
average 300 persons in their employ. There
were two buildings devoted to the business
one of them between Seventy-eighth and Sew
enty-ninth streets, and the other a short dis
lance below the foot Of Seventy-eighth street,
East River. No accident Of any kind had oc-
Cured during all this year and a halt, until
that Oh Monday night, Mr., Drake, the lore
man for Johnston & Dow, informed our repor-
ter that the ~strictest watch had been Kept
upon the premises, and that the utmost care
had been taken to prevent an explosion, OF to
avoid accidents of any kind. lie further sta
ted that at about III o'clock on Monday night
he was aroused from his SAUNDERS by the OK
plosion.
The magazine where the powder was stor-
ed, and where the explosion took place, was
situated between Seventy-eighth and Seven
ty-seventh streets, and close to the river, i'm
mediately opposite Randalrs island. 1t was
a low brick structure, about slXteey feet square
and about eight feet above the surface. Mr.
Drake, the foreman, states that they usually
kept about ten barrels Of g~unpoWder III this
magazine, and that no other combustlble ma
terial was, or had been at any time stored
there. He further states that they had three
months past employed about three hundred
persons in the two buildings, i'll the manutac-
ture of cartridges, etc.
The effect of the explosion was terrific, ano
shook thehouscs of persons living fifteen miles
away from the scene of the disaster. Al
Flushing, six miles distance, windows were
broken, and many persons were aroused from
their slumbers by the motion OF the furniture
IN their rooms. The same effect is reported
by persons residing in Manhasset, Long Is
land. a distance Of twelve miles further. NJ
! Newtoun the doors of many OF the inhablt-
ants were thrown open by the force Of the eX-
I~piosion. and the inmates started from then
beds in alarm. under the belief that an earth
quake had visited them. The public build
ines on the Island, Qess than half a mile from
the scene of the explosion and directly oppo-
site, were much damaged. Window glass
and Gas fixtures were demolished, and furni-
ture broken by the force Of the concussion. In
the immediate vicinity, on the New York side
the damage was also considerable. MIR. Seth
c. Reese. residing at the foot of S~evcnty-siXth
street. was thrown from his bed against the
side of the wall and very much bruised. Ills
housckecpcr was also severely injured III the
same manner. The windows and doors Of his
residence were all stove in, the ceilings shat
tered and his furniture become almost a wreck.
lie estimates his damage at about $4,000
MIR. Samuel Lawrence, residing IL Seventy
fifth street, had his house completely demol-
i isaed by the force of the explosion MS loss is
about SIS. 600. Mr.. white, a florist i'll the vi
cinity. suffered severely. His house was al
most rent to fragments, and his fine garden,
Including greenhouses, hot-beds, &c, was
much damaged. More than one half Of the
GLASS in his garden was broken. He estimates
his damage at s 1000. Mr.. Hasty, at the
foot of Seyenty-fourth street lost about 81, 900
worth Of property. Mr.. Somers, proprietor
Of Jones Woods Hotel, had the whole Of one
| side of his billiard saloon stove in, and his
windows and doors broken. His loss will
amount to about 81, 900. The following nam
ed persons also sustained heavy losses Fred
erick Robertson, Bellevue Garden; Mr.. Under
hill, Vincent GesIer, Andrew Mathews, Mrs.
Gunice Pike and John Cady.
Grammar School No. ), situated on the
corner of Third avenue and Seventy-ninth
street. about ten blocks from the scene of the
explosion. was so much damaged as to render
it unfit to be occupied for school purposes un-
til repaired. Our reporter was informed that
a child which was sleeping in its cradle III a
house in Third avenue, near Elghty-thlrd
street, was thrown by the force OF the eXplo-
sion against the ceiling, and so much injured
that its life is despaired of. For miles and
miles in. every direction we hear reports OF the
effects Of this terrible explosion. In New Ha-
ven the inhabitants believed it to be an earth
quake; the windows of many of the houses OF
that city were shaken, and a very preceptible
tremor was telt throughout the town.
The Police report that there were only q
500 pounds of powder stored iii the magazine
at the time of the explosion. The foreman Of
the establishment also states that nothing but
gunpowder in barrels, (only ten OF which were
then on store) was allowed to be put there
His idea is, that the magazine was fired by
some malicious person. An investigation
of the affair will be had to-day, when 1t IS
supposed that there will be some light thrown
upon the cause of the explosion.