The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-30
FERBIBLE EXPLOSION In ENGLAND
twenty-five Persons Killed and
Fifty-seven Injured.
Tho Disaster at ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Of Gun
Cotton-How the Accident Took Place
Eeartrending scenes-Human Forms
Blown Into Atoms-An Excited
Town-Drsadful Shocks.
From the London Telegraph, August a.


1t would be difficult to exaggerate the degree OF
excitement ana alarm produced in the secluded
community at Stowmarket by the deadly explosion
OF Friday last. Unfortunately, the results OF the
catastrophe fully Justify this alarm. No fewer than
tWenty-twO persons were Killed; nity-seVen were
pected TO survive, ana two bodies are supposed to
be lying among the ruins. From the BRIEF reports
given on Saturday comparatively few readers
would understand the nature and extent or the
situation OF the catastrophe. Stowmarket IL town
OF about hve thousand inhabitants. 10 lies on tne
main line Of the Great Eastern hallway, twelve
west OF Bury ST. EdInunds. For many years
past the firm or Messrs, riennce ,rs WHOSE
but VINO were also corn merchants ana paper
makers, have been the leading men IN the town.
many, Switzerland ana France having come into
notice IN England Messrs Prentice started the man
nfacture OF that material al StOwmarket on small
scale. the business increased limited liability
company was formed with capital or 100000, the
whole Of which mas been paid up.
II IL unnecessary mere TO say more or the process
OF manufacture than that the raw material consists
OF cotton waste, which, after being carefully
cleansed, IS charged by saturauon aud other means
with the explosive compounds which constitute It's
force. After pelng dried It Is packed up and placed
IN magazines unii IL shall be sent out for service.
Considerable quantities are employed IN blasting
mines cartridges or charges are made for sporting
purposes; and Tor some time past this nrm, which
Is the only one In England engaged III the manufac
ture has supplied large consign ments TO the order
Of the War Ofce for the charging of torpedoes.
of the compound, It's superior force as an explosive
agent may be Inferred.
Early In the afternoon OF the day mentioned all
the hands, except those who were absent through
sickness or on leave, had returned from their mid
day meal, The weather was Intensely hot, ana the
suns rays were beating down on the nat plain or
the gun cotton factory. AT ten minutes past two
three tremendous reports, succeeding each other so
quickly Us to seem almost one rent the air; while
ct the same moment terrific conclusion shook
every house IN the town, broke in windows ana
doors tore on roofs and sent pantiles, bricks, wood
n o l.l.z a.
one general and universal crash In one house
q crystal chandelier was rven from its hold.
ing ana broken INTO fragments; In another house
valuable china and family relicS were dashed from
the sideboard; IN q third, where preparations were
glass was destroyed. In the same house, curiously
enough the VINE cellar door was forced Open MIR
rors were fractured, furniture broken; and in many
cases, where the sashes as well as the paneS were
hurled right through the room, the inmates were
either wounded or had marvellousy narrow es-
capes. To those VINO had husbands fathers or chill
dren employed al the factory, that fearful roll OF
smoke and The su1ocating gases that poisoned the
Sir, told "a dreadful lale Hurry1ng down toward
the works they came in view OF what but
few minutes before had stood a compact
model village, with It's magazines and sheds IN.
tacJ Now all was changed into a burning ruin,
enveloped In sulphureous tunes Its buildings utterly
wrecked and destroyed sheds were blown down,
WORKSHOPS unrooied and dsmanted, leaving the
gaunt outlines Of the machinery half oDscured by
tine smoke rom burning raters. Bricks, states and
Iron torn up into HhredS or broken were seen IN
heaps through an atmosphere thick with dust and
lire and nitrous gases the sites OF the three
magazines were sco0ped out alto deep holl0ws, and
the earth was heaped up into black mounds. Not
vestige OF the structures remained. Worse even
than this scene, appalling though II was, were The
cries OF the wounded scattered over the six acres OF
ruln the terrified aspect OF those who having been
IN the works had escaped with their lives, and the
lamentations OF those who were searching for their
friends.
Notwithstanding that the flames had selzed the
runs OF crying sheds and In spite OF the imminent
danger the people set 10 work to get out the
wounded, the dead and the dying. Chief among
those WAC were thus engaged, setting noble,
Mr.. Edward Prentice and William, his nephew, the
chairmans son, Observing the clothes or man
these 1entemea rushed forward in order 20 sos him
Out, urging others 10 help them, and assuring them
that there WAS no more danger. But wnile one OF
them was handing along package OF gun cotton 1t
some other material eXplOded and blew them
remain. People around were thrown down 10y the
conclusion, and IL Is feared that several who
had escaped the larger explosion were killed 10y
This. The report was heard In the town.
What WAS before fright now became a panic.
Whole families he'd from their houses INTO the deids
1t was known that there was sui fourth magazine,
and from the direction OF the wind and the terrible
extent OF the burning mass IL seemed In the highest
degree probable that this also would explode. Very
great therefore was the danger to those who,
though appalled, by the two SHOCKS ana by the scene
around them, did not shrink from the dute. en-
joined by humanity but manitllly eXerted them
selves to give succor where IL was most needed.
And with fifty persons writing III agony. some OF
them half buried alive and Others mcapabie oil NOV
Ing and exposed TO the deadly tunes OF nitrous gas,
there was much need for help Among those VINO
Slightly wounded was sir. Trotman, the manager
OF The works. On recovering MS ieet this gentie-
man again applied himself TO tne .ash ., iesounS
from the gas the most overpoweTlng, he hearu
moans and. fastening along at immlnent RISK 10
his own life, brought out living man who but for
his aid must In lew inmates more have expired
from surocation lnspidted by this example, a
young man named hewitt ventured along tue same
Route IL would, however DE Impossible TO chrol-
lce all the deeds or herolSm that were performed.
Need we say that at such crisis the medical pro-
fpsstD a.
IN the district, was, as 1t always Is, ready and
prompt with assistance Dr. spencer Freeman: OF
StowmarSet; DR.. Pearson Mr. Sheridan and Mr..
MOOdcock-Wells, who were early on the scene, were
subsequently reinforced by the arrival OF Messrs G..
mond and G. II. Moore, from Ipswich and Mr..
Beck and Mr. Cooper. from Needham. BY their
direction the wounded were laid In rows ON the
railway banks, and their necessities attended 10 as
well as circumstances would admit.
The majority were sent to their homes as soon as
possible, others were sent 10 the Union Workhouse
or to public houses, and few who could bear the
journey to Ipswich Hospital. The remains OF the
dead iearfuily charred and dsigured, and In seye-
raj cases dismembered, were taken to Mr. Boby's
mailing house. Meanwhile hre engines from stow
market Needham and COMBS arrived. iaying
thoroughly saturated the renal ming magazine the
engines played upon the burning ruins, winch al
inat time presented one vast range OF blazing or
other explosion might possibly arise by one
O'Clock on the saturday morning The lire had been
got under, but during all that day and night the
whole town ana approaches were pervaded
with their foutsmelhng smoke. The work OF
searching lOr the DEAD was continued, ana Dy
night twenty bodies, or portions OF bodies, had
been found The excitement In the town was natu-
rally very great, and II may not unreasonably be
feared that very many persons Will suffer from the
shock ana from the reaction that Will follow on the
subsidence OF their present evershly agltated con-
dition. Under the alarm caused by the possibility
OF third explosion precautions were taken to pre-
vent the possibility " such an occurrence. Pack
ages gun cotton found the factory premises were
thrown into the river. ana one young man was
chivarous enough TO enter the remaining magazine
and throw water on the stores contained therein.
IL f. impossible TO estimnte the amount OF damage
done TO property, or TO say by what means the sui
ferers are TO be recouped. Those upon whom
the loss will fan most severely are the
workmen Of the factory, who hved IN
newly built hamlet or suburb OF the town
called California. There houses windows, doors
and roofs have been demolished wholesale, and
during the nights nave elapsed since the occur
renee many poor people have been Obliged to i've
as they could In a wIndOwess or doorless house. IN
ali parts OF the town more or less OF damage wa
done, chieny 10 windows. In some cases whert
these were open the house escaped. The NAN iorc'
OF the conclusion seems to nave taken soutn'
western sweep towards Ipswich, and 10 nave car
NNsah