, 1866-04-17

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visible.
At first the cause of the explosion was
wrapped in mystery, and as no one was
saved from the wreck, who could give
any satisfactory explanation all was left
to conjecture. A boiler explosion was
impossible, as there was no steam on the
main boiler, and there was no necessity
to use the engines, as the ship had been
lying at the wharf over eighteen hours
discharging cargo. Gunpowder seemed
most plausible, but there was none
known to be on board, excepting a few
pounds in the magazine for ships use,
which could not possibly cause so much
destruction. If any were on board it
must be under a false bill of Iading, as
none appeared on the ships manifest.
Besides, it seemed impossible that pow
der could explode in such immense guam
titles without creating a cloud Of smoke,
aud leaving It's marks on everything
around, whereas in this case a few
minutes after the explosion no traces
whatever were visible, excepting the
general ruin. 1t was then discovered that
some seventy cases of GIonoine or Nitro
Glycerine, one Of the most powerful eX-
plosive agents known at the present day,
was on board under an ordinary bill of
lading. This at once cleared up the
mystery. This compound is used for
blasting purposes, and was shipped from
Liverpool for California. 1t is, we I'M
derStand, of a similar composition, if not
the same, as a barrel or box of oil which
exploded at Greenwich street New York,
a short time ago. It will be remembered
the package was accidentally dropped on
the street, and Immediately exploded,
tearing down two or three large buildings
and damaging many Others.
The amount of damage causedby The eX-
plosion is roughIy estimatcdat 81 200, 600,
which is about the lowest figure at which
it can be placed.
The wounded, so far as found, have
all been we'll cared for, and nothing has
been left undone that could add to their
comfort. Many of the poor fellows had
TO undergo severe surgical operations.
Several only survived a few hours after
reaching the hospital.
Some remarkable instances occurred in
Which property apparently exposed to
the full force of the conclusion escaped
uniniured, whilst some less exposed was
destroyed. One of the most remarkable,
is that of the American brig Kremtin, of
the Boston Ice Company, which lay not
more than one hundred feet astern of the
European, Immediately between her and
the freight house. The brig escaped al
most uninjured, her deck cabin was
strained a few inches out of place, whilst
the freight house is a complete ruin.
Fortunately at the time of the accident
only four of the clerks connected with the
freight department in A%spinwall were at
their posts. Two on the wharf, as sta
ted above, were instantly killed, the other
two Mr.. Burnham and Mr.. Forman, were
in the freight house, but with wonderful
presence Of mind on seeing the roof fall
ing, one climbed over a Car and shelter
ed himself in a window, whilst the other
stepped into a doorway, and both were
saved. The balance of the clerks were
in the neighborhood of the ticket Office,
seeing the train start for Panama, which
by some good Providence had been de-
tanned nearly half an hour behind time,
and thus saved the lives of most of the
young men connected with the freight
Offices. Had they been in the building
many of them must have persisted.