Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-08-12
Sad Results from the Recent Ex plosion
at Newark, Ohio.
>ecial dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette.


Special dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette.
NEWARK, (Ohio.) July GA gentleman
connected with the Fire Department Of this
city, accustomed 10 the handling Of chemical
engines, was an eyewitness Of the terrible
disaster which bcfell the people of Newark
on Thursday evening. He gave the reporter
q graphic account OF the preparations for the
test, the precautionary measures which the
men managing the test on the part Of thc
engine company desired should be made, of
the terrible explosion, and the scenes after
ward
The Council Of Newark, desiring to pur-
chase chemical engine Of the largest size,
such as are used in our ire department, in-
vited the different manufacturers throughout
the country TO u test OF their machines. The
test was to be very severe, and for this pur-
pose the Newark Council had ordered the
erection of rough pine board structure,
twenty-five feet high. This Was filled with
tar barrels, dry goods boxes, shayings, straw,
and other combustibles, which were to be
thoroughly saturated with coal oil, the stipu-
lation being that not more than six barrels
Of this inhamm,iblc material were TO be used
In each gable end was to be g. hole three feet
square, and similar one in the roof, to pro-
mote draft, and making q rousing fire. These
preparations were being made under the
supcrintcndence Of Thad. Jones, Chief OF the
Fire Department, representatives OF the Coun-
Gil, and Charles Hamilton, Street Commits
sioEcr. In d consultation with the managers
of the chemical engine, the Newark commit
tee WAS told to use as much coal oil as they
desired, but warned against using any coal
extracts, such as gasoline or benzinc, for fear
of explosion. 1t appears no heed was taken
to the warning. Two barrels of gasoline were
opened, and men with buckets proceeded to
thoroughly saturatc the conlbuatihles in the
wooden shell with it.
The engine was to be stationed two squares
away. Fire was to be lighted at O'Clock in
the evening, and When il was found to be
issuing from the holes in the gables and roof,
bell was to tap, and the engine start for the
fire. The engine was il position, and the
work Of saturation going on. The two bar
rels were reduced to q few gallons. The test
house being built in q common, removed
some three hundred feet from other buildings,
was surrounded by . crowd of boys, men,
and women, estimated at 1900 persons, or
even more. Preparations were nearly COM
pletca, and the tour of 7 O'Clock was ap-
proaching. One If the floors of the building
&c. The air was filled with the fumes of
gasoline, unit. IL vas uncomfortable 10
breathe.
At this juncture some unsuspccting person,
seated on a fence hundred feet from the
building, struck a match for the purpose of
lighting his cigar. That cigar was never
lighted, but ins,antancously the air became
sheet Of fame, and as quick as lightning, had
communicated to the fated building. Sur
charged with gas, the building exploded with
q terrific sound, shiyering the timbers to
atoms, sending three children to untimely
graves, and Wounding. some very seriously,
forty nine persons more Not vestige of it
was left within 100 feet OF its original loca-
ton. Instead Of lighting fire in the debris,
not spark was to be seen. The explosion
was 80 violent that the flames were extin-
guisled Of their own force.
The scene after the explosion beggars de-
scription. The shreks and groans of the
wounded and dying, the frantic rush of faith
ers and mothers, brothers and sisters, hus-
bands and wives, in mad search for children
and relatives, the means of those burned,
were truly appalling Here lay a child black
ened from burning, the skin having peeled
from the hands, face, and feet. There an
other insensible, struck down by piece of
flying timber; others rushing frantically with
crisped and blackencd faces in search of
water to sooth their agony. The citizens
turned out almost en- masse to minister to
their sufferings. Never before was there
such excitement in Newark. Nobody could
sleep that night with this awful calamity
haunting them; and all night long the tramp
of untiriug feet, bent on errands of mercy,
could be heard by the watchers beside the
diving and the dead.