Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-09-16
FEARFUL EXPLOSION.
Vivid description of the second Explo
sion of the Powder Viii mt Warren.

We had hardly got quoted down from the hor-
rid scenes of Wednesday, when to-day the alarm
OF fire called our attention to the ruins Of yester
| day. Through carelessness, or a proper knowl
edge of the dangers of smoudering ruins, fire
| had been left in the deblIs of yesterday. and
famed by a strong breeze, broke out into a blaze
and called out the fire company, about IL o'clock.
| The c. mpany had proceeded about one half the
distance, when the sparks set fire to the dry house
| and store room, where small quantity of pow
| der was placed, and exploded them The wheel.
house and additional buildings ruined yesterday
togc Their with the flames of the last explosion and
| the knowledge Of the quantity of powder in the
| other buildings, prevented the company and
others from making anything like close approach
| to the ruins. Not more than ten minutes elapsed
before the two press-h houses, containing tons
| of powder, exploded with terrific effect shaking
everything to its foundations. Inc rafting OF
broken glass and the cries of the frightened
enough to shake the nerves of the strongest. Then
came the statement that IL ton of powder was in
| the granting mill and that it was very much en-
| dangefed. We knew that more less powder
had been blown in every direction, unburned, and
| lab C 10 be the means OF communication 10 the
woodwork any time. Also that the walls and
| trees in direct line to the remaining dan
ger. People ran out o. their houses leaving DIN
| watched the progress of the flames. None who
| were not present could tel the eff ct upon the
people, or dt scribe the fearful waiting for they
| knew not what 1t might be compared to
| looking upon volcano in state Of activity,
when the bolng lavaaud premonitory earthquake
| had not Il, fined its course.
| The people knew not where to turn. For two
| hours this state of affairs lasted when it WAS
| found that the fire made no headway. Then the
eugIne was put INTO place, the dangerous building
| we'll flo lded and its contents dumped into the
| river. Mr.. l'url gave $50 to four to tear
| down TWO rods of the walks, al, er which the en-
| CINE played upon the burning RUNS At 6 o'clock
| 10 night everything seems to be flooded. We
| hope so, hut knowing that the ground is covered
| with uuhurned powder, that the building contains
much dust and that fire will Last so long, we shall
not feel easy. Yet there can be no danger to any
extent from the remainder. Many the eX-
plosons and describe the n magnificent The
| spluters and timbers wese thrown many feet into
the air and streSn in all direction. Especially
was his so in the press mill. This mill was COM
posed of large, very large oak timbers, and con-
ana silintered, we're thrown up over the banks, a
distance of 100 feet, and the press moved from its
bed up an out dozen or IN re feet
We saw large tmbers at least 400 feet away and
one brace iven end first in'o the opposite bank.
Many left their marks where they struck The
penstock was raised bodily into the air and car
Iird several rods toward, the river. We had our
school 10 quiet after the first snock and dismiss in
order to avoid accident and was attending to the
fainting mes when tie second shock sent the
glass rafting down all over the building and
shook it like ship in storm.
Alter we were somewhat quoted we began 10
look at er the damages. Mr.. 81 udley had one Of
the front windows of his store damaged. The
own house lost some bricks from the chimney