, 1875-08-09
Account Of the Explosion at the Ar.
senal Near Philadelphia,
Ono Boy Killed and Eighteen
Boys Wounded.
Great Excitement at Bridesburg, the Scene
Of tho Tragedy.
Excuse Made that The BoYs Had Been Warned
hot to Destroy Themselves


PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 8.-Shottly after u'clock
yesterday morning tho scaldents OF Efldaabu'g
and It's Immediate vicinity vtre etartlod by hear
Ing loud rumbnG noiKe not unlike clap Of
thunder emanatHg from tho direction Of tho
Government Arsoual, Which, ii Situated near tho
Delaware River, sbovo tho steamboat faniinv,
Upon inquiry It VAS speedIly learned that al ct
plosion Of condemned shells had ta3en p'ace In
the amrnunition-room, wlIcro thcsc we're !atgo
number Of bore nt work. Tho building contained
upwards Of thirty boys, who weEe tn charge o!
Superintendent Colo. Tho structure was used
to empty condemned muAhet cartridges Of
their powder previous To melting the lead and
COPPER. The bullet is drawn from the carstislgs
aui the toy then Introduces wire and rctaEcs
the poader into bucket Of Mater. Tho "lro
has 4 wooden handle which undoubtedly caused
the explosion, ono OF tho boys must havc OK
ploded cartridge By hitting 1t SHARPLY on tho
top with tho wood. Tie boys lAvo been repeat
edIy watned not 10 d, this, 1u conveEaation
With enc Of tho sttacl,cs Of tho Arsenal your cor
respondent lcasnod that tAe1o wcro in all nineteen
pcrBuns injured by tho EXPLOSION. OF theso ono
lau, named John Mclaughlin. waH killed. Young
Mclaughlin waa killed just outhiJc Of tho bull-
| Ing from Which lo Ind run wleu tho explosion
| occurred. tbs cauAo OF bis death WAS tue
| Penetrating Of piece of wood about tho aizo Of
Tu!o JUS below tho neck, striking largo VEIN
| nud caihiug holuorrhaEo. Tho unfortunate lad
! wAn lG years of sgs. kilograms wete Immediately
sent to the University aud tic Homeopathic Hos
ritala asking for medical aid to to dispatched
to tho tceua Ct tho catab:rot hn In ret'ly, dis
patch was Eece!ye3 from the CLlytrsity 1iotl!-
tal, n4k,ng II lilo physicians SERVICES would
be paid for. To this question 10 reply WEB n.de.
Capt. Flipps. who IL stationed Ut tho arsenal.
received dispatch fro.u tue Homeopathic lios-
pltAl which stated that they would render eTory
assistance. For this purpose tuE-boat waa
kept waiting ut Walnut stroet wharf, while IN
e1ors was being MaIe to receive MEDICAL hAaiat-
anco 10 DO conveyed to tho sceno Of tho ckplo-
slon. At the expiration Ut Al hour thfco plysi.
c,ars prosenteI tAenlAclves and weFe steamed
up the river. On their arrival u
tie arsenal sho worst cases were tondcr.
ly wrapped in cotton. and evory attention was
Eail 10 tho sn1ercrs. After tho confusion Ind
solnonhnt subsidcd. large gang Of men wert
put TO work gathering tho shattered simberR aud
roztor.uE the building to its original condition
The structure WIZ what III ckl1sd laboratory. ate
built in sections, being an iron frame with wood
ou side. that will buw cut aud leaye tho iron in
tac.. Tho idea OF thin building was corccivoa
lar,ns the was but 1t has boon usel for like
|
building atood uninjuro1, but tue largo an.
heavy wooden panels orc s:httered around III al
directions. Soma were blown only fow feet
One. iu the corner whore tic oxplo ,ou tool
place, wos hutlel across q small crock some +
!, feet distant. It was reported that amal bo
, Ind been blown into tho creek, but this stor
lacss foundation. Suspended from tho iro,
, rAfso.s Of tho shattered building was pair o
. blue pautaloons that had been torn tsnm ono Q
| tho boys. 4 trcc noar by was riauled With cart
} ridges. 4 Alo1 Of tbcse cartridges nss found i
! d Geld sorcra! luares distant showing tho fore
Of tho explosion. Immediately after tie ex
: | ploslon dispatches wero sent to every quartz
Of tue city asking for medical aid. Tie doctor
OF Frankfosd aud DlideBlurg, numbering nest}
dozcu responded promptly 10 the CALL Hi
woro unrsmitt,ng in tlaelr efforts to Eoliaso th
sufferers, and in this work they wero nobly MD
: Cd by tho wives and daughters of tho post, VIII
b lid Ill In their poaor to alovisto tho pains o
!. Tho wounded. Capt. noiuh, with = poss
Of officers, arrived Oh tbs sceno 500
. after tue explosion, and took cla1f
: Of tho premises. The officers were stationed l.
i skirmist-hne diatauco, nud oply by using fore
:, wore they ablc 10 keep back tho excited cEowt
t To-day tue sufferers we1o doing AZ we'll as conl
= be expected. and hopes arc cnteztsined that the
i will all recover.
i DROWNED.
= Sp<4ial Dispatch to The chieado 7Tibt"s