Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-06-07
THE DISASTER AT NOBILE.

PARTICULARS or THE HXPLOsION-0VEB 90
LIVES L0Sr-uGHr ESTIRE SQUARES or BUILD
INGs BLOWN DOwS-BURSIEG OF sTEANEKs
AND COTTON ALONG TIE LAVE ETc.
From tie Mobile News Of the 18th we have
the following interesting particulars Of the dis
aster in that city:
The main ordnance depot of the United States
in this city was blown up a. > o'clock this after
noon, making tremendous report and spreading
the wildsss CONSERVATION throughout the city
The magazine was located in the Marshsls Of
fee. Tue appearance OF the city in that neigh
DO hood beggars description. Major Geaeral
Granger, accO apanied by Colonel SIipley, went
u the scene Of destruction almost before flying
shells ceased 10 explode, and Immediately TOOK
steps for the relief of toe suffering and for tho {;
safety Of the city. The following order from
him will explain the eOuisst to be pursued:
HEADQUARTERS U. S. FoRCIs 2EOP.M.
A sad calamity has overt4ken US IT an unex-
pected moment resulting in the loss of many
Valuable lives and grea. destruc lion Of proper
~ from an explosion OF the mdin ordnance de-
not in this cts. Whether tbs fearful calamity
was the work OF foul ucendiaries or the result of
care'essnsss is for Us TO determine. Stringent
measures will az once be taken 10 tN the respOn-
sitili,y upon the guilty parties aud bring them
u summary punishment. brigadier Gen. Dennis
will Immediately place guards 20 insure safety 70
both citizens and soldiers and all persons are or
dered 10 remain quietly az home until no further
danger is 4pprshended.
ISignCd) G. GRANGER, Msj Gen. Cong.
IL IS impossible at present TO arrive at definite
information Of the number lost. However, two
hundred will scarcely cover the numoer eXclu-
sive OF wounded Men were thrown down and
seriously wounded at a distance OF half mile
from the explosion. Many Lersons are known to
be buried beneath the ruins and the command.
inc General has used all available labor 10 rescue
- o1Tv 4 ha hrflG
from 81. Louis street up, including Water. Con-.
merce and Front streets, are a0Out completely
demolished Tn steamer Kate Dale was living
at the wharf, OppOs the shippers Press, and with
another steamer were torn to pieces, and it is re-
ported that every soul on board them was lost.
The shock made the city tremble like an aspen,
shaking every building . the foundation; the
crashing OF broken glass was heard in every di-
rectiOn. and the falling walls made the eayth re-
sound like the rumhllng Of an earthquake. There
are al least four entire squares Of buildings blown
down az the burning ruins. Shortly after was
witnessed q scens which no tongue or pen can
describe, or Imagination conceive. -Four or five
blocks entire were one cOnglomerated mass Of
ruins twO-thlrds Of which were on fire, while
every two " three seconds shells exploded, and
fragments and bullets whistled through the air,
which prevented the braves. men from going
near. Added 70 the flames Of demolished build
ings, were burning steamers along the leveC, aud
dered the scene still more grand. Not ware.
house in that portion Of :he city was lett stand.
ing and thousands of men worked hour after
hour among deb-is, b.inging forth one after an.
other OF writhi0g aud dead victims. A nun.
Der Of bodies recovered are so burned snd
mutilat that recognition IS impossible. Il is
estimated that the number killed will reach
$50. When II Is taken into consideration that
nearly all ths workshops, fOundries, cotton
presses ETC., which covered vast area. were
DESTROYED, in VIII h were employed q large mum.
Der Of men, from whom 50 far no accounts have
been received, il will be seen that the estimate OF
three hundred viii be below the proper tigure.-
A great amount Of damage Is done 10 The city in
o pecuni4ry point Of view, variously estimated
Of from I'VE 70 ten millions of dollan. Eight
squares Of large and costly buildings were en-.
tiely destroyed The windows Of the custom
house were completely demolished not whole
pane r. naming. The news Offices shared the
same fate. All the buildings on Royal street. from
Cont street to the chile and ohio Railroad depot
had the windows knocked out the glass being
strewn in minute particles al over. Various par
titiOns were blown down The Tribune building
as made q complete wreck Of inside by the en-.
trance Of a she'll weighing about sixty pounds,
through the roof, Whtt feel amOcg the material
OF the once smashing things generally. Cabs.
carriages, etc, on Royal street, were capsized.
and horses in some instances fe as If
shot dead. The shock seemed u Affect
the horses = great deal more than human
beings. Those that were not knocked
down instantly seemed stunned and paralyZeS
and did not recover for some minutes :
The force Of the shock may be imagined chen
il is known that man was killed insta,,tl, ON
board the Nate Dale by The conclusion, Not a
mark was visible upon his body, wnen takan
up few minutes after. The loss in propertv ia
immense. Below ST. Michael st,pet doors and
windows suffered most. continued wrecS
meets 40 eye LOOKING up this street GROWING
more confused and losing sembiance of buildings
entirely a. the vision nears the square nearest
where TIRE magazine stood. On Commerce street
warehouses aud cotton sheds, which lined the
upper portion are now bat a mass Of ruins. Build.
lnga On corners seemed 70 suffer most SomA
OF them being Tazed within few feet of the
ground. various ofices and commission hon ses
on Front street sustained comparatively little
damage, OR the river facing, the doors and win
dows were all smashed and broken in, bat beyond
this the injury done them was slight Nearly an
the cotton was destroyed belonging 10 private
citizens. Some Government was also turDed
The steamers Col. COWlea and Kate Dale were
entirely destroyed. Thefo we're about 200 tons
ammunition, cOnsiuing Of mnsket cartridges
cannon rOWder, AAd . large number Of blank mus
ket Cartridges and a quantity Of loaded shells
grape. canister and solid shot principally for
field and siege guns. the amount Of powder reach
ing 50 tons, and was contained in the warehouse
y was brougkt nom Gainesville, and Is ahout one
third Of the ammunition surrendered by the rebel
General Taylor.
The 10Th Regiment New York RiRAlanders