The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-08

buildings arc TO DO repaired immediately. Mr.. Griffith,
master carpenter the railroad inspected The houses
yesterday ana decided tho Improvement and repairs
required.
IMPRESSIONS FROM THE SHOCK.
Owing to the lacncss OF tho hour not many people
werc abroad at tho tne OF the explosion but those
who witnessed II speak OF the memory OF
which Will last lifetime Il was in Chicago at tho
time OF the arc,n said Mr.. Rodgers, whose house
SO badly damaged, s'and l was present during many
horrible scenes there; but never did behold such
terrible sight that Witnessed last
night had fallen asleep just before tho explosion,
and was awakened by a shower OF glass, mortar and
debris falling all around There awful rum
bio and outside, and hurried 10 tho window,
from which every pane OF glass had been blown, .
dark cloud Of smoke rushed in. and was barely abc
TO discover through the murky air a column of na.nc
shooting up 10 the sky. Perhaps IL was through cx-
element, but for some moments iancicd the
ground hcavcd All about the house heard the crash
ing glass and furniture Outside and In tho darkness
intense, aud every moment shower OF dust came
rafting down upon the house. 1t time be-
fore could divine the OF tho upsoar but when
went out and ruin all around fancied that lie
well property had been very generally sacr,fced
Mr. Charles Rowe, clerk Of the Board OF Free
holders. coming home with Mr.. G. 7. Staples,
opposite the magazine when the explosion occurred.
In conversation which the writer had with Mr.
Rowe. no said eve had reached the and
convcrsing when strange burst of sound, unlike
anything ever before heard, rung out, and
Mr. Staples whose face was turned toward tho HILL ex-
claimed, My God, what can that bop Now, have
been opposed to having that magazine therc For
years l have spoken OF the dangerous consequences
likely result from It's proximity 10 tho houses Of tho
ncighborhood, aud at tho true state OF tho
flashed upon me
TT MAGAZINE
! crcd, and at tho same moment dark red flame
sprung upward fully tho distance OF milo. and that
terrible conclusion which heard far away oc-
Cured il seemed mid air. At the time all the
lights along the avenue went out and dense volume
OF black smoke rolled up the hill and spread all about
1.-THE first Mr. staples had hurried or to mis- house
and FOR instant stupcAed with tho noise aud
darkness. But, expecting tho dangerous shower OF
stones and missiles, ! crcpt under a fence and lay
there while from all sides resounded the crash OF
glass and the smashing OF furniture And then tho
mihss OF tho darkness began shower OF dust and
debris, which fell all around me and seemed 10 Gil
tho air The smell of powder too was very pcrccpti
tibc and for a short space Of time the glare OF tho
flames seemed playing ION the edge Of the smoke
wrcaths and casting strange red glow upon tho sky
curity and hurried home. But what sight that
nuc wasl People, with pac faces and dis
ordered Dress rushed from the houses or
stared In alright from tho shattered windows
and all tho piazzas and IN the gardens IN
front were broken shutters and fragments OF glass
and thing. reached the house only TO find the
strcwn with glass and mortar and tho ceiling Ia most
OF the rooms fallen down. This disaster has been very
damaging property, but through what only be
miraculous intervention OF Providence, not lite has
been lost This explosion IS only event that many
people living about here have anticipated
Mr. Staples story OF tho disaster agrees in the main
with Mr. Rowe's He says that the conclusion not
felt The ground, but seemed Ia take place IN md
air and he states tho conformation OF the ground
around the magazine the only thing that saved whole
blocks from bong swept down. From the spot where
the powder house s.ood tho ground rises into
a succession OF littlc bllocks up far Pail
SADIE nvcmuc, and these broke tho violence
OF the explosion and prevented the houses along
the street from suffering they might have. A
curious effect Of tho explosion action upon
doors and furniture the sntcror OF tho houses which
we're far removed from windows other openings,
and tho surroundings OF winch remain intact In
the residence OF John y. Pettqrcw an inner
door was partially taken from IT'S fastenings
recognition. In the same house portion of the WALL
directly opposite tho scene the explosion was shat
tered as IL struck by mass sone In ALI The houses
the walls we're studded with broken hits OF lass In
one case the glass covered portrait which had been
partially spatched from tho frame and driven into tho
ceiling above IL