The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-25
gaashrille 2niull.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY TIE
NASHVILLE UNION PRINTING co
WEDNESDAY, APRIL %, 1866.
From the Nes YORK Post, Fndsy afternoon.
TERRIBLE DISASTER AT ASPIN-
WALL.
Another Explosion at NftrO-GIyce-
TiBe.
WEDNESDAY, April .. 1865.

The steamer Arizona, which arrived here
this morning from Aspinwall, brings news
/ Of fearful disaster at that port, caused by
an explosion of nitro-glyeerine on board
| the British steamer European The steamer
was blown 10 pieces, the freight depot Ofthe
Panama Railroad Company was destroyed,
and fifty persons are supposed TO have been
/ killed. Twenty-six bodies had been re-
covered and buried when the Arizona left
Aspinwsll; seventeen persons we're lying in
! the hospitals, and twenty others were mis-
| sing.
Full particulars OF THIS dreadful disaster
are given in the Panama Star aud Herald,
from which we copy:
THE EXPLOSION.
The European arrived at Aspinwall on
| the morning Of the ID inst, and on the at
ternoon Of the same day came alongside the
/ Railroad COmpany's wharf, generally used
I by this line, and commenced diseharging
her cargo. Nearly, if not all the local
freight had been delivered, when about
seven o'clock on the morning Of the 3D., a
terrific explosion occurred on board, which
tore away the upper parts of the ship and
blew several large plates off the side.
The wharf at which the vessel was IN
loading, and which was some four hundred
feet long, was literally torn to pieces; the
superstructure was completely demolished
10 within a hundred feet of the freight
house, and hardly plank remained in The
entire length Of the structure that was not
wrenched from its iastenings. Immedi-
ately in front of where the vessel lay a gap
was cut through the wharf, piles, plsnking,
&c, all disappearing. The ship and wharf
both caught fire, and the latter was saved
from entire destruction only by the exer-
lions Of several citizens, who got the fire
engines to work, and after few hours ex-
tnguished the flames, regardless Of the risk
they incurred from another explosion Of the
burning ship.
DESTRUCTION OF THE PANAMA RAILROAD DEPOT.
The Panama Railroad Compsny's SPLEEN
did freight house is left pile Of ruins. The
force Of the air caused by the conclusion
seems TO have raised the rool-which was
constructed Of iron and slate-upwards a
few feet, its own weight bringing it down
with immense force into the building, and
carrying with it both the end walls, leaving
the house, excepting the side walls, which
appear but little, if at all injured, a mass Of
ruins. 1t would be difficult to imagine
more complete wreck than that presented
by the freight house and wharf.
OTHER BUILDINGS INJURED.
Scarcely building in the place escaped
without m re or less damage, those of a suo-
stanHsl nature suffering most. early all
the brick and stone bu ldings were badly
injured, but the freight house is the only
one we heard Of which had been rendered
uninhabitable. Hardly a whole window OF
glass remains in the city; and the destruc-
ton Of glass ware and croekery, and such
like, is really wonderful.
VESSELS INJURED.
Although many vessels were lying in
close proximity to the European at the time
of the disaster, none, except the caribbean,
Of the same line, sustained any serious
damage. The last named vessel was mOored
al the opposite side of the wharf from the
European, and received very serious injury.
Her hull externally, appears untouched,
bat the effect Of the conclusion, internally,
was very severe. We are assured that some
immense iron girders, nearly twelve inches
deep, were snapped of like pipe stem,
thirteen Of her frames were broken, and
knees and braces of the heaviest timber
were torn from their places. The strain
upon the ship must have been Of immense
force, and nothing but the superior build
and structure Of the vessel saved her from
being knocked 10 pieces. All her boats,
and, in fact, every thing of a fragile nature,
were rendered useless.