Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-06-23
the EXPLOSION AND FIRE AT CHATTANOOGA

| Inc OnalldnooSa ud@ette Ol last Oat-
urdsy gives the following account of this
event:
"About half-past | o'clock Friday af-
ternoon locomotive, attached to long
train of empty cars, attempted to start of
from where it was standing, on the lower
track, at the river landing. The engine
was within a very few feet of an old
tumble down brick building, entirely
open at one end and on one side, which
has been in use for over year as a sort
Of powder magazine. Lately it has been
used for the storage Of captured ammuni.
ton, several tons of which were in it,
There was considerable powder open in
boxes, and even the floor had streaks Of
the inhamable article scattered over it.
The train being heavy, the engine gave
two or three short, quick puffs, the air
was filled with sparks from the smoke
stack, and in the same instant, the pow
der in the magazine exploded. From
the statements of some of the guards, the
powder on the floor seemed to ignite first,
but the explosion was instantaneous
The next moment the bursting of shell
and the whizz of the flashing powder at
tracted the attention of every one in the
neighborhood, but the whole building
was on fire in less time than ii has taken
us to tell it. Fast and South Of US, and
separated from the magazine by cross
street, we're three long warehouses-two
reaching down market street, and the
third one running westward toward the
new magazine. Two Of the warehouses
we're packed with hay in bales, of which
there were about 5000 bales in one and
1000 in the other. The other one was
about half filled with commissary stores.
The explosion and rush of the bursting
shells were so rapid that many were de-
tered from going in the immediate vicin,
ity Of the fire, but few men rushed into
the warehouses to see what could be done
to save them. Five minutes, however,
did not elapse after the first explosion
until the warehouses containing the hay
were entirely in flames, driving out the
firemen who had got stream into them.
West of the lower warehouse was a
new building, the magazine proper, con-
tanning an immense quantity of ammuni-
ton. Fears were entertained that this
would take fire, and if it had it is not pos
sib!e there would have been much left of
the lower end of this city. Fortunately,
the wind was quite calm, and the walls
OF the building were exceedingly thick
and strong. When it was erected it was
covered with a fiat roof; but a few
weeks agn enother roof raised 81 che
shape Of high ridge, was built over the
old one, and to this fact we may owe our
escape from total destruction. About
half past four the flames were got under,
and short time after the explosion of
the shells also ceased. About seven
o'clock in the evening a second smaller
explosion occurred. At the time it took
place large crowd of soldiers were
walking about among the ruins of the
magazine, and several of them we're SCI
riously wounded. Some six or eight
are reported missing, and at the time of
writing it is not known whether they are
dead or not.
There were 1000 bales in the two
warehouses destroyed. In the commits
sary warehouse there were 407 bbls. of
pork, all of which was saved 723 bills
Of flour, $4,000 lbs. hard bread, $1,000
bushels of beans, 900 lbs. rice, 3d.
500 lbs. coffee, $4,000 lbs. sugar, 25,00OI
lbs. mixed vegetables, $4,000 bushels
salt. About one-third of these articles
are lost to the government. The whole
loss, according to a rough estimate, will
probably amount to $4,000.
The magazine which exploded was I'M
der the charge of Captains Hogan, ord
nance officer, and we learn he has been
ordered under arrest until an examina-
ton can be had into the cause of the ex-
plosion and consequent loss of life and
property"
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