New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-24
A TERRIBLE EXPLOSION.
A GOVERNMENT ARSENAL BLOWN UP--MUC
DAMAGE DONE But no LIVES LOST.

GOVERNMENT ARSENAL BLOWN CP--MUCn
DAMAGE DONE But no LIVES LOST.
WASHINGTON, July 22.-At o'clock tlis
morning explosion occurred in the small magazine IL
the Washington Arsenal which is used for the prepare
ton Of rockets lights and shells for the Signal Corps
causing q serious cOn1agration The flames commune
Gated to a frame building near by and were carried
thence to what is known as storehouse No O. and IN
which stored all kinds Of cavalry and artillery
equipments which total loss. storehouse No. l
was also i'll danger and would probably have been &c
stroyed but for the fact of the windbeng southwest
sergt. Flint was at work in the magazine last night
and when he left his work all things seemed TO be In
good order and 1t is supposed tht explosion was the
result OF spontaneous combustiof Tic buildings to
which the flames communicated re totally destroyed,
and several small houses thdarge buildings were
injured by the flames.
There four barrels OF powdet In the magazine 10
was IA feet square, double was Jh slate roof IE!:
building was only entirely dest1yed but the founda
ton injured several feet below the level Of the ground
and the bricks scattered In all dlrectons Of them
went through blacksmith shop about quarter Of
q mile distant from the place Q. fSp.oslon.
The storeh0Ises nea11 ~ were so much ,.''""I..'l
that only the cracked walls are standing. The
building in which is stored stand OF arms was con-
sideraby damaged. The slate roof, for distance Of
nearly 800 feet looks though It had powed
regular burrows. All the windows were shattered. not
only IN TINS, but III Otner nelgn3orng structures. Tho
cehouses leyelcd nearly the ground, and tho
trees by stripped OF their bark, their branches
broken and their fe perhaps destroyed Fuses caTtr
ges &c. in profusion, scattered all the ground
Although several families live within 60 feet OF the sto
OF the magazine, OF them sustained any injury in
person. They were, however considerably alarmed by
the peting Of the flying bricks against their frame
ments Fortunately, the large quantity OF shot au3 g,,u
stored in one Of the buildings were empty.
The following incidents related In connection with
the explosion In the house occupied By scrce ~
in which children sleeping was overturned,
and they thrown out and s.gnaed. Tlc doors AMI
windows smashed, and but ttso % tie t.t.cTiu.
left Tho most miraculous escape bOwcy'r, wa
that OF Mrs. HenngSey ait two .artu who E,o asleep
In her house about 100 yards south uf tho meg -p. \
brick from the building forced directly lrJI -I
window, and knocked Two knobs from the pss- g. no
bed, while piece OF glass from He Wa luW $40 Ter
two children unharmoG. bu.eau in tlci. Yooal
overturned, and tie glass si1sLcG a4s ias door
driven through the ll!. Tie h0use aso other
wise injured In the garden, pieces OK BRICK proved up
the vegetables
While the hle was IN progress there &ere a numhorot
explosions OF shells aud loaded wuskCts, cut f, i.e
stood their ground hrayGy battling VITA the flames,
and Fortunately none OF item wcTo Injured. IEe one
story stone house north OF tie magazine entirely De-
stroyed, and in II was Large number az shel, wEch
were unloaded. In No. siOre-hOuEc there was au I
quantity OF cavalry ana artillery stores and
courenents in the lower pOrt0l aud ~ the upper story
OF the military ~ modern and ancient tm61 ~
GLIDING ancient weapons Of warfare, aruOrOf TIC W..
die Ages shot and shell and c0lOrs from our rev Htl
war; and specimens OF arla ana unllotMa OF aiinrS
replaced. Oh the curosics oled here but ie~ c'n 10
found