The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1866-05-05
The Cause Of the Explosion.

5
The 70 lowing is q portion of the dispatch
relative to the box explosion in San Francisco:
The great question as to what caHsed the
explosion and what it was that exploded still
remains without definite answer. Enough,
however, has been ascertained to fix its con-
nection beyond a doubt with one of the two
boxes that were taken yesterday from the
Pacific Mail Steamship dock to w. F. & Co. IS
office, as mentioned in last evenings dis
patches. n .faE5 sd s.
The facts relative to these boxes are IS
follows: In unloading the freight from the
steamer Sacramento, that arrived here on
Friday last, two boxes were found in some
what damaged condition. They were con-
signed to Wells, Fargo & Co., and one of
them were addressed to j. M. Moore, Idaho
City, and the other to W. Fl. Mills, Los An
gefoss They were shipped from New York,
Under the general. term |" merchandise" Be-
ing damaged w. F. & Co, refused to accept
them from the Pacific Nail Steamship Com
pany until the extent ot the damage was as
certained, so that it might be known to whom
the responsibility, if any, should attach. For
this purpose the boxes were yesterday sent
up to the Office of W. E. & Co. and were
placed in the back yard to be examined.
Mr.. Hayens, the freight agent of the steam
ship company was sent for to hold survey
of the damaged merchandise, and he, to-
gether with Frank Webster, one of the en-
ployes of w. F. & Co., and one or two other
persons, proceeded to the back yard to make
an examination of the boxes. The last that
was seen ofsthe party was by man in the
employ Of Mr. Bell, who says that there were
three or four men standing around the box
having in their hands tools, such as hatchet
hammer isel, etc. The cover of one of
the boxes ne thinks had been forced off be-
fore he left the yard. Soon after leaving he
heard the explosion, and the reasonable in
ference is that il came from the box that was
undergoing examination. This inference is
strengthened by the fact that Messrs. Webster
and Havens were almost literally blown to
atoms, aud by the additional fact that all the
appearances indicate, the explosion took
place at the precise spot were the boxes were
standing The next question that arises,
what were the contents of the boxes Until
this morning it was supposed that the con-
tents of both boxes were the same. 1t has
now been definitely ascertained that they
were entirely different, and the boxes proba-
bly, had no connection WITH each other, fur
ther than the fact that they both happened
to be more or less damaged on the passage,
and were on that account made subject to
survey before being accepted by the con-
signees.
Among the ruins were found a number of
silver spoons. copper-silver ware, which,
when found yesterday, were supposed 10 have
come from the dining room of the Union
Club On examination to-day they were
found to be all marked with the initials
j. M. NJ. and were doubtless a portion of the
contents of the box addressed to j. NJ. Moore,
Idaho. Mr.. Moore is now in New York, and
shipped the box himself. He is said to be
wealthy man residing in Idaho City. This
disposes of the Moore box, and renders it
almost certain that it was not the box that
exploded. Now as to the box addressed to
W. H. Mills, Los Angeles. This was un-
the box that Webster and Havens
were examining and must have been the
one that exploded.