Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-07-05
S,vASNAh, June 30.-Half of the bus;:
ness portion Of Townsville has been
burned,
NRvADA.


Terrible Explosion and Loss OF Life.
VIRGINIA, NV. June 3O.-Last NIGHT
at 1915 O'Clock a terrible explosion of
nitro-glycerine..and giant powder occur
red in this city, near the corner of Tay.
lor and B streets, killing ten persons
and wounding many others. A large
number OF persons are missing, and
are probably buried beneath the debris
The explosion, it is supposed, was
caused by six cans of nitro-glycerne
exploding without any apparent cause.
and the conclusion of that exploding
one hundred and fifty pounds Of giant
powder, all of which was stored in or
beneath the room of General Van Box
kelen, who was the agent In this city
for the giant powder.
The following buildings were shat
tered and partially thrown to the ground:
Bank of California and the buildings
to the rear of it; Kennedy & Mollon's
grocery store; Douglass building, used
IN the upper part as a lodging house;
Daley's saloon, and Armory Hall.
The number of persons now known.
to be killed is ten, among whom is
Major General jacob L. Van Bokkelen.
J. p. Smith, hardware merchant; VIM.
Davis, clerk with J. p. Smith: Bon.
Nlandell, dry goods merchant; Charles
II. Knox, of San Francisco; John
Devine, Mrs. Emily o 'Connor, formerly
OF the International Hotel in this CITY:
Mrs. Ed. Dean and daughter, eight
years OF age, OF Gold Hill. The body
OF General Van Bokkelen was found in
the corner of what was his room, his
features so bruised and charred as to
he hardly recognizable. j. p. Smith
and his former clerk were found on
Taylor street between B and G streets,
about fifty feet from the room occupied
by them. Both bodies were covered
with the debris of the fallen walls, and
were not gotten out till this morning.
Some of the fremen saw Mr.. Knox
last night and spoke to him. Ho
asked for water, and said: "Boys, it is
no use; you can't save me-" His body,
with the exception Of his head, was
entirely covered with fallen timber and
bricks. John Devinc was killed by an
iron door, which was hurled distance
of about one hundred feet. A large
number of workmen are now engaged
in removing the dirt and timbers from
the bodies of the remaining seven
known to be beneath them, and are
working with almost superhuman eff
forts. Buildings in all directions are
shattered, and many narrow escapes
were had. Samuel Doak and Charles
Higgins were thrown down from
their room in the Douglas building to
Daley's Exchange, and were got out
witk difficulty, both being slightly
injured. d. l.. Blanchard was thrown
from his room to another several yards
distant, yet escaped with slight injury.
The city is all excitement; business
has been suspended, and MI the schools
dismissed. Tho streets arc crowded
with men, women and children. Ropes
are drawn across the streets, as tho
walls of the buildings are considered
dangerous. The vault of the Bank of
California is cracked in several places,
and their business has been moved to
Driscoll &Tntle's banking house.
1t is now understood that there will
be no celebration on the Fourth Of
July, and that the money collected for
that purpose will be expended in bury
ing the unfortunate dead, and the re-
mainder distributed among tho diff
ferent fire companies of the city. Tho
city will so into mourning. All tho
flags are now at half-mast.