The weekly Arizona miner., 1873-07-12
Great Loss of Life and Proper ty in Virginia City, Nevada"

The Gold Hill News of June Both, gives the following account of calamity that has brought mourning to many Virginia house
 shortly after II o'clock last night, the | most fearful and CAlalnitous explosion ever occurring in this section took place at 'r. ninia City, whereby many lives were lost, and much valuable property destroyed. It was an explosion of giant powder, and occurred in large brick block, at the corner oi B anu Taylor streets, immediately back of the Bank of California, the upper part ot when "ns occupied as lodging rooms. Fronting on street the block ot buildings was two stories high, and so fierce was the explosion that it blew away both stories completely, down to level with the sidewalk. from the Taylor st. corner to Douglas building on the south. Even the last mentioned building was badly shattered, and large portion of the north side blown in, the greatest force of the ex- plosion being evidently to the south and downward The north wall, near the place of the ex osion, was thrown into and across Taylor street, breaking in the side ot the wooden building opposite to a considerable extent, and the fronts of the houses on the Oupogite side Uf E street were also badly battered The windows and doors of all the surrounding houses were smashed in bodily and glass was broken in windO gs nearly down to Union street on the north, and those oi the new Odd Fellows Hall building on the south, by the great cOncussion, which also threw several people down who were on the street near by. It being the hour when most people were retiring for the night, the loss oi | life was among those rooming m the building although one man was mortally wounded m the stable on the opposite side of E street by an iron shutter which was hurled across.
 A raging fire immediately kindled from | the explosion and well completed the work of destruction, extending through c st. Armo- ry Hall, and Kennedy & MallOn's store were completely destroyed. The explosion made a terrific sound which WAS heard to the ut- most limits Of the city and Gold Hil. The alarm was quickly sounded by both bells and steam whistles, and all the machines of the ! fire department, both steam and hand en- gines were got to work soon IS possible. 4 ! perfect deluge of water poured iu from all sides and the raging flames were soon con | quered and confined to their original location | Those steamers did splendid work, never get | ting tired, and in reality paying for them selves on this very occasion, for, had the tire got across Taylor street, there is no telling where it might have stopped.
 l struciion heard grOans and voices calling from the basement, at the Taylor street corner, be- | meath the ruins. One was that of Charley ! Knox, well known in thls section and former
 merly Story county commissioner. He
 said bis feet were caught and he could not ex,ricate himself aud that Wm. Lowe was
 near by. The approaching fire and sutioca- ting smoke soon silenced his earnest appeals
 for assistance, although water was got upon
 the flames as soon as possible.
 The following comprise list Of those who lost their lives by this most dreadful calamity
 as far as known Major General Jacob l.. Van Bokkeen; ]. F. Smith, the well-known
 hardware dealer on C street; Wn. Davis, a
 clerk in Smiths store ". l.. Lowe, Super intendent of the Silver It'll mine Charles II. Knox; Benj. Mandell, clerk in Blocks
 store; Mrs L. r. O'Conner, Mrs. Susan Dean
 of Gold Hill, and her child. James Divine,
 was the name of the man m Derby Gear
 hart's stable, who was mortally injured by
 the shutter hurled across the street. He Wal
 cleaning harness when the fatal missile cams
 flying through the window, knocking hm
 nsensible, and he now has but little chancs
 of recovering.
 Simon Schieweck, who keeps the Congel
 House, on the opposite of E street. was
 standing in his doorway and received severe
 cuts and bruses. George Hill and Mrs. Fay
 Tor, who kept the lodging house destroyed
 and several of the roOmers received seSerS
 bruises. Frank 0biston and wife made nar.
 row escapes. Mr. Thompson was with q
 friend enjoying a social game Of billiards ir
 the Douglas building when the crash came
 Strange to say, neither of them were killed but escaped from the ruins with few cut, and bruises.
 Various causes are assigned for the explo sion, but the most reasonable one Is that Van BUkkeen, being agent for the giant powder, had lot of it in his room. Eye witnesses state that the explosion evidently
 proceeded from his room, which was adioin
 ing that of Smith and Davis in the Taylo street corner, on the first floor from the side walk. The body O! Smith was blown acroS Taylor street, against the building opposite
 and that of Davis lay in the middle of th,
 street, while that of Van Bokkelen laJ across the brick wall of the basement.
 The rooms on the level of the street ? sidewalk occupied by the California Banl
 were not much damaged, and the damage tC , Daley & Quinlan's saloon on the south wa principally confined to the billiard depart
 ment at the rear. All between, includinI . Kennedy < MalloU's grocery and provision ! tLOTe anu DhTItIln CIOtilIlp stOTt, aiS essen tially destroyed. Tue street wall stand all right, although somewhat shaken in places and portion of the front and upper room , still exist. The whole loss is variously esti mated at from Sl50,oC0 to S2OO.OOO O ; which Kennedy 6 Mallon lost S70,O00. Thel had S30, 600 insurance
 Many of the citizens of Virginia City ar
 of the opinion that this terrible calamity va T the result of a conspiracy to involve the citl n in general conhagration for the sake o ], plunder. At the time the explosion tool 5 place, the rear portion of the Enterpris building, Smiths saddle shop, and the Col
 lin's House, were discovered 10 be on fire. fRop TUCsoS.-A letter from Govemo