New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-20
EXPLOSION AT THE WASHINGTON
ARSENAL.
Seventeen Young Women Blown 10 Atoms
But two or thc Bodies Identifed-The
Coroner's Inquest.
From .he Wsh'ncton Chronicle, June

In execution Of order for certain work. caused three
metallic pans-two Of them full aud one only partly
flled-with white stars, containing chemical prepare
tons 10 be placed In the snn 10 dry within tblryhye
feet Of the laboratory, and but few feet from the mag
der These stars had been made in shop considerably
distant from this place; but il hes been the practice OF
years TO dry such preparations there.
The laboratory was q lstory brick building. in the
section Of the Arsenal and occupied by
about 100 worthy young women. employed in making
"star carbine cartridges" These cartridges were
filed in another building and brought here for com.
pletion. The girls made cylinders. choked the cart.
ridges and packed them, and occupied long table at
the extreme south end of the building and within thirty
| feet of the pans.
The number of girls on this particular branch Of the
business was between thirty and forty.
After the morning work there were 1900 cartridges
packed and about l2.OoO in course of manufacture.
The hour for dinner was at hand a more cheerful.
happy company OF Young women were probably never
associated together. Their work done; the morn.
ing had passed of peacefully and full Of glee they only
awaited the sound of the bell few Of them lad even
commenced preparations for the MONDAY meal; when
suddenly as in the twinkling Of eye" the stars
manufactured with so much care Tor the Fourth ex'
plodcd.
The flames engulphed the entire house; the par
t0n walls fell down. if to fasten the victims TO their
fate AS we have stated above the alarm brought our
neyor-tO be-forgotten hrcmen; but oh what anxiety,
what heart-rending anguish pervaded hundreds OF
families, the story gained currency that there an
explosion at the Arsenal
| The flames having done their work, subsidized Then
all the available force went TO work. and after using
every exerton Brought up out of the ruins the bodies
no. the charred remains-of seventeen young women
| the beautiful forms ~ three In pieces.
| Mr. Monton. the clerk OF the establishment was
borne to the hospital his face and hands badly burned
He was soon followed by Miss Nc Elfresh young lady
greatly beloved, seriously injured. Her mother took
| her home in carriage an hour afterwards; condition
then deemed hopeless. Rebecoa Hall and Anna Bache,
or Bates both shockngly burned. Sarah Gunnel badly
About o'clock, Coroner Woodward arrived and
summoned jury OF inquest as follows: Asbury Lloyd.
esq Chairman Of the Board Of Common Council fore
man; james Lawrenson. Thomas T. Lloyd, Robert IL.
Graham Herman q. Lorch Thomas Taylor, William
II. Lusby, S. L. Ingersoll, W; II. RptzeT. +. A. Bos'
well, William III. Gibson and Joseph Trullen.
The officers in charge Of the Arsenal promptly
dered every facility for full and impartial inyestge.
| ton into all the circumstances
| The first witness called was Thomas @. Brown, Pyro-
echnis II the Arsenal Has filed that position since
is4l There were no rockets or unnecessary infam.
mabe substances In the laboratory. He had ever erer'
csed care to keep the premises clean free rom AL dan
gerous matter and so far as possible guard against
accident IL had always been the custom TO dry pyro
technic preparations at the point referred to- Has
never before had an accident Mr Brown passed
through long and searching examination, conducted
principally by member Of the Jury well posted in that
| profession.
| Andrew Cor assistant TO Mr.. Brown, followed Maj.
Benton, Major Of Ordnance during several months pest
testified to the excellent character Of Mr. Brown; dd
not consider him scientific man, but practical and
faithfnl-aways ready to obey instructions. He had
learned from Col Ramsay that the invariable custom
was 10 dry their preparations on or about the very spot
on which the stars were placed to-day. Had often
toned Mr. Brown, not that lie considered him Careless
Mai Edward n sfebbins Paymaster and Military
Storekeeper also added his testimony in favor ~ the
pyroechnis Has been ut this post since September.
| Andrew Cox assistant "a Mr.. Brown. was again
called. lie was In the fatal room but moment before
the explosion; just coming out OF the door when he
saw the fire flashing IN u. the windows. Prom this
witness the jury hoped 10 get some certain In
formation in regard TO the identity Of part or all The
victims
After elaboration Mr.. c. remembered the following
ladies as occupying their accustomed seats In the roO
Kate Palmer escaped; Rebecoa Hull hospital; Mrs.
Maggie Yonson. Julia McEwen. Miss Dunn, Kate II o.
ran. Mrs Tippett Joanna Conner. Ellen Roach. Willie
Webster Susan Harris Betty Bianaean Eliza Brailor,
Mrs. Brienahan Miss Lloyd Eliza Lacy. Minnie Mitch.
ell, Emma Baird, Eliza Adams, Anna Bache. or Bates.
Catherine Goldsmith. d. Clements. Florence Kennedy.
Jane Stiles. These are all be remembered.
| Henry Sucferle. 4 led. Waited the ladies'; saw
Gr,nnelI ont Of The building She was badly burned
Another lad saw the shower Of stars when they ex
Here the relatives Of Joanna Conner succeeded In den
tifyng her body and ut their request permission was
| granted 10 remove her remains-
The Jury here closed the examination and repairing
To Office in the Arsenal rendered the following YER
"wAsHIyoros ARSENAL, WAsHNGroy. ID. c.
THAT on the nth day Of June the said Joanna Con-
nor-or the body Of an individual supposed TO be
femae-came 10 her death by the explosion OF the Ia
boratory in which she was engaged In choking car
tridgcs
That said explosion took place about ten minutes
before ~ O'Clock M. and IL was caused by the super
nendent OF the Laboratory placing three metallic pans
some thirty feet from the laboratory containing chem
cal preparations for the manufacture OF white and red
stars That the suns rays. operating Oh the metallic
mass caused spontaneous combustion. scattering the
fire in every direction. portion flying into the ehok
ing. room Of the laboratory through the open windows
gnitng the cartridges, and causing the death OF the
said Joanna Connor The Jury OF opinion that the
Superintendent Mr.. Brown. guilty Of the most cu
pabe careessncss and negligence In placing highly
combu-tible substances "a building filled with
human beings indicating most reckless disregard OF
human life which should be severely rebuked by the
Government"
From officers. clerks and Others. who have known
the Young women, employees In the laboratory, ac-
onain,ed with their families and who witnessed the in.
tense anxietes of yesterday We learn that there Is
little doubt that the following are among those who per-
ished:
Eliza Lacey resided the Island; Betty Branagan,
resided on the Island Willie Webster resided on the
Island; Mrs T!rpc,. resided on the Island; Margaret
Yonson resided on the Island Lizzie Lloyd resided on
the Island; Melissa Adams, resided on the Island;
Susan Harris. Mrs. Fales, Ellen Roach. Miss Dunn
Miss Murphy.
These with Joanna Conner and Margaret Koran,
leave but three to be- accounted Tor
The conmandani at the Arsenal lost no time IN or
derng collins 10 he made for the deceased and every
attention viii be given 10 their Borrowing friends.
The Comrrandant also dispatched TO the War Depart
meut an Official report Of the terrible calamity which.
il quite probable. Will sustain the Jury in their YER
diet that spontaneous combustion the cause OF this
lamentable event
s-~->s~~x1--D~~aa~G
Arrest Of Prominent Navy Contractor
In, Fart WurrCu.