Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-06-23
TERRIBLE CALAMITY.
ExPLosI, N AT THE WASHINGTON ARSENAL

TERRIBLE CALAMITY.
EXPLOSItN AT THE WASHINGTON ARSENAL
The community were shocked yesterday friday by
Of those caames that appal tho mind by their sudden
and terrible consequences.
At ten minutes past twelve O'Clock, the quarter Of the
city adjacent to the United States Arsenal the foot
of Fouranda half street. startled by explosion fol-
lowed by column of smoke rising from the Arsenal
grounds Persons huryng to the found that the long
building she'd called the laboratory, where shells
charged, blown up, and was on FIRE The alarm
given and the Hiberna engine and other machines
quickly rallied and set to work to quench the flames
which roasting the bodies Of the unfortunate victims
of the disaster At twenty minutes past The fire
extngushed and some bodies and fragments of bodies
we're taken out of the ruins.
The scene was horrible beyond description. Un
der the metal roof Of the building seething bodies
aud limbs, msnged scorched, and charred beyond the
possibility of Identification Most of those who escaped
about two hundred and fifty persons mostly females,
employed 10 that budiDg-had Ned shrekng away. Some
tainted and were with difficulty restored, and some had
after the first shock, returned to shrek the fate of
their companions while agonized crowd of relatives
rushed to the spot to learn dings Of their daughters
sisters who known to have been in the ated building
Up to three o'clock eighteen nineteen bodies had been
taken from the ruins They charred 10 defy
identification The number could not be definitely
tanned as the reader may know, when told that half
dozen OF the bodies were put into box about I'VE feet
square. Three taken out alive aud placed n
the hospital. Their names Sally McEfesh, Annie
Bache, Cor Bates0 and Rebecca Hull Miss Bates is
seriously burned that her recovery is doubtful Sarah
Gunnell escaped from the building, and being terribly
frightened, towards her home, which is Four and
ahalf street. Island, between Fifth and Sixth but
ed away, and died instantly, it is supposed from fright
The square in front Of the Arsenal gate presents most
distressing spectacle Brothers, sisters husbands and
fathers there seeking for sisters wives and daughters
~ <. 1.nl
The building destroyed about hundred feet long
the south side of the yard with wooden walls and tin
roof II Is used for charging artillery shells &c Yes
erday the hands at work preparing signal rockets
and tn explosion accounted for by the ignition of red
stars used in these rockets quantity Of these stars
were being dried in black pans outside the building
spark 10 fall from chimney of the cartridge
laboratory BY of the superintendent of the Arsenal
and it is supposed that the stars set FIRE this
Another theory that these stars became heated
by the sun beyond the maximum point and were set on fire
The impeuous flames from these stars dashed into the
building and caused the explosion.
We learn that four OF the sufferers who rescued
alive from the burning ruins Of the laboratory at the
Arsenal on Friday died Saturday, increasing the
total number Of the deaths by that calamity
whose names thug reported:
Susan Harris, young girl member Of Wesley Chapel
Eliza Lacy; Betty Breshnahan whose husband soldier
in Gen. Grants army; Miss Collins Miss Yonson Eliza
Adams daughter of dealer in Centre Market; Miss Mo
EIiresh, who removed TO mothers residence
died during Friday nights Ellen Roach; Anna Bache, died
in hospital Friday night; Joanna COnnOr Kate Koran
Miss Dunn; Julia McEwen; Mrs Tppett; Miss Murphy
Miss Lloyd Rebecca Hull; Miss Braor Emma Baird;
Mary Burroughs; and Ada or Willie Webster; which of
the two not CERTAIN but that OF the sisters is dead
appears beyond doubt.
The following is the verdict Of the inquest held by Coro
ner WOODWARD view Of the bodies Of the victims Of this
calamity:
Washington ARSENAL, Washington d. C.
That the 18th day of June the said Joanna ConDor
or the body Of an individual supposed to be female
her death by the explosion Of the laboratory In
which she engaged Ia choking cartridges That said
explosion took place about ten minutes before IL o'clock
and il caused by the superintendent Of abora
tory placing three metallic pans thirty feet FROM the
laboratory containing chemical preparations for the
acture Of white and red stars That the suns rays ope
rating the metallic mass, caused spontaneous com
bustion scattering the nee in every direction, portion
flying into the choking Of the laboratory through
open windows, entOg the cartridges aud causing the
death Of the said Joanna Conner The Jury Of opinion
that the superintendent, Mr. Brown guilty Of the
most cupsbe careesness aud neRgepce in placing highly
combustble substances near building filed with human
beings, Indicating most reckless disregard OF e which
should be severely rebuked by the Government"
The jury was composed Of Asbury Lloyd Esq foreman,
James Lawren.on Thomas Il. Lloyd, Robert IL Graham,
Hermou G. Lorch Thomas Taylor, William II. Lu.by, s.
II. Ingersoll w ii. Rutrer, +. A. Boswell, William II.
Gibson, Joseph Trulen.
We give 10 justice to Mr.. Brown, the substance Of
portion of the testimony:
The fret witness called was Thomas O. Brown pyro
technst OF tho Arsenal who testified that be has filled that
position since 1871 There no rockets
sary iu nmsbe substances ia the laboratory. He had
exercised to keep the premises clean free from
all dangerous mo ter and far possible guard against
accident Il had always been the custom TO dry pyro
technic preparations at the point referred to- Has
before had nm accident Mr. Brown passed through long
and searching examination.
Major Benton, who has been in command OF the Arsenal
during several months past testified to the excellent char
acter OF Mr. Browndid not consider him scientific man.
but practical and ahful always ready to obey instruc
ons He had learned from Col Ramsay that the invaris
bic custom to dry their preparations about the
very spot which the stars placed Friday Had
often cautened Mr. Brown that he thought him
| less, but 40 a matter of duty
Msjor Edward N. Stebbins, paymaster and military
sorekeeper also added his tentmony favor Of the pyro
ecbnst Major s. has been at the post since September
| A MOURNFUL SPECTACLE
The obsequies Of the young who. Friday last
fell victims to the deporable calamity which that day