The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-30
THE EXPLOSION AT VlNCENNES.
Terrible Sacrifice Of Human Life Outside the
Walls Of Paris.
The City Shaken-The Widest Excitement Among
the Inhabitants-The Scene Of Disaster
What Herald Correspondent
Learned on the Spot.
PARIS, July IA, 1871.

PARIS, July IA, 1871.
At halfpast one O'Clock this afternoon there was
q terrible conclusion, that shook all Paris. II was
repetition of the same sound that TERMED the town
on the evenul evening OF the cartridge factory ex-
posion IN the Champs de Mars. Immediately took
a carriage and moved toward Vlncennes, whence
the SOUND proceeded. On arriving AT the Porte de
Vincennes there was no means OF egress. Vast
crowds blocked all the avenues to the exterior Of
Paris, and great
EXCITEMENT REIGNED IN EVERY QUARTER.
The most exaggerated reports were aaOat; and
seemingly TO confirm them men came running
toward the fortiacatOns bearing pieces OF shells,
hot and OF large dimensions. Wounded were beng
brought into the town; carriages, seeking to get
out were forbidden the highway, and great confu
sion was apparent even among the guardians Of the
ramparts. AT last succeeded In getting ont by
gate nearer Clarendon, and then drove rapidly
toward the Bots de vincennes.
DREADFUL SIGHT.
Evidences of the vast injury done were apparent
on every hand Houses were mutlated by projec-
tIes windows broken and cnimneys HAD fallen.
Penetrating the Bols i behed vast numbers or spec
tators who had crowded about the destroyed
t0ucter5e. 1t now lay In heap OF ruins
THE SCENE OF THE DISASTER
Is q few hundred feet to southwark Of the great
square fort OF vincennes, and was the magazine
aud shell and ammunition depository Of the CITADEL
with which 1t was connected by bombproor
conduit. could observe nothing but mass OF
smoking, molten deDrls ana every instant
stood surveying the spectacle there was shell
bursting ana
THOUSAND CARTRIDGES EXPLODING
as in battle. wide circumference was kept all
around the ruin, and the guards kept back the
crowds and allowed no one to approach the DANGER
Gus depository, mingled as lt was with bursting
shell, exploding casks OF powder, and the dead
bodies of at least five hundred victims. The suffer-
ings must have been terrible, though OF course In
the majority Of cases
DEATH WAS INSTANTANEOUS.
A few, however, escaped after the first explosion
and were attended to by the ambuances. But hun
dreds, it is Supposed were lying at the very moment
no relief could be offered, though thousands were
ready TO afford 1t. Ii Will
NEVER BE KNOWN HOW MANY SUFFERED
and died horribly, lingering through prolonged suf
1erlng until despatched Oy one OF the Oft recurring
eCldtS dObuS. Sti no cries could be heard, no suf
1erers could be seen. The cracking OF cartridges
and the bursting OF shells drowned all other sounds
and heavy, dense smoke held itself over the fated
acre OF death. Such scene has
No PARALLEL.
A beautiful warm sunny day, in one OF the most
charming woods in the world, but people dying
within 100 yards OF you and you cannot succor them.
l found many stories a1Oat as 10 the cause OF the
disaster but at this writing nothing Is known. Some
say that 500 were killed; others that 500 women
alone persisted, ana again, that the factory con-
tanned few wOrkmen. As LEFT, at five p. NJ,
SHELLS WE'RE STILL BURSTING,
ana the murder0uS fragments were flying all over
Vlncennes, entering cafes, hotels and private houses
and constant battle was going on. entered seve-
raj houses amt found furniture smashed and ruined
heaps OF broken glass. 1t may be midnight before
the 1000, 900 cartridges and 5000 shells yet sup
posed uneX plOded shall have been burned to use
lessness. This calamity has spread great terror
throughout Paris causing the feeling that this suffer
ing city Is not vet through her warllke trials.