Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-01-22

The design of this method of con
struction may be readily SEEN If an
explosion occurs the boarded roof and
side of the building readily yield, and
are blown into the river, while the
massive walls of the other three sides
Withstand the shock. The building is
like huge mortar. By this additional
precaution the lateral effects of the ex
plosion are prevented, and the build
ings on either side are measurably
protected.
These precautionary measures, how
ever, are not always effectual As
general thing-for explosions of greater
or less violence are not infrequert-a
single dull, heavy defamation is heard
and it is almost unnoticed by those
residing in neighborhocl. If slight. it
may readily be taken for the noise of
blast in the quariies near by. As, in
certain STAGES of manufacture, the
machinery is set in motion, and the
workman leaves the room when the
danger is most imminent, life is not
necessarily lost by the accident. The
only harm that has occurred is the loss
of the simpl. machinery, the materials,
and the lighter portion of the building
Sometimes the case is very different
l have very vivid remembrance of
one 1t was the first and the most
severe of which | had any experience.
was sitting with some friends in
the parlor of my house, at about eleven
o'clock in the morning when there
came a sudden far and a fearful shock
Of some very heavy body falling, as l
thought, upon the pizza, which ran
along the rear of the house | started
from my seat and toward the door, to
see what had hppened there, but had
scarcely risen when another concussion
and mighty defamation came. | sup
posed that a very heavy piece of
artillery had been discharged in the
street, Just in the rear Of the house
Before could reach the door, but a
few feet away, there came another
terrific jar, which shook, as the others
had done, the house to it's foundations.
The three reports were in such rapid
succession as to be almost simultaneous
but thought was quicker than they, and
leaped from supposition dissolved my
doubts as to the origon OF those that
had preceded it, and l at once looked
in The direction i'll which knew the
powder-miils to lie.
A spectacle of exquisite beauty and
sublinity met my eyes, which will
abide in my memory forever. | can
hardly expect to convey to the reader
the impression which it made upon me
Towering in the heavens, sharply de-
fined against the deep blue sky, was a
column OF dazzling white, perhaps a
mile in height and thousand feet in
diameter. It's sides We're evenly cut
and in perfect symmetry through the
whole length Of the marvellous colun,
till they spread out on either side at the
top in broad, palm like canopy. The
mid day sun was shining upon it and
lighting it up with an unearthly splen-
dor, while it seemed to stand almost
over us. We gazed awe struck and
entranced upon it, and could easily
think Of that piller OF cloud that, in the
olden time, stood in its awful majesty
in front Of the camp of Israel
1t was SO vast that ii seemed close at
hand, although it was three miles away.
We watched it silently till it slowly
changed its form, and gradually drifted
in great cunuious clowds away. 1t
was vision OF singular and glorious
beauty such as never expected to see
again.
In this instance three buildings hal
been destroyed. The shock Of the ex-
plosions was exceedingly marked and
peculiar, different from anything tina;
had previously known. It had
sort of pervasive character that sugges-
ted the cause as being Immediately al
hand. My first impression was not OF
something at distance, but rather OF
the jar Of heavy body falling within
four or five feet OF where we were
sitting, and, when it was repeated. Of
cannon discharged close by the house.
It seemed to be underneath and all
arouud-to fill the very earth and air.
was curious TO witness the effects Of
an explosion at the place where it oc-
cured, SO | set out at once for it. All
great concourse was thronging the a
venue leading toward the powder mills.
and dotting the fields which lay be-
tween them aud the city. There was
no time to be lost in hiring vehicle:
so, giving some specimens of tall pedes
trianism, learned of yore in the streets
of New York, | was soon in advance
of the crowd and,- in company with a
young and wiry Scotchman, whom !