The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-04-20
GIANT POWDER EXPLOSION.

GIANT POWDER EXPLOSION.
Fearful Destruction and Loss o Life.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 16.-The giant pow
der works in the district of Berkeley, across
the bay, exploded this afternoon, killing
twelve whites and twelve or fifteen China
men. This is the third explosion the com
pany has sustained, all attended with loss OF
life. Tho explosion occurred in the picking
room, and all at work there were killed.
About 5000 pounds were i'll the room. All
the victims were blown to atoms. The largest
piece found was part of the skull of a China
man and the queue attached. There were six
houses inside the works all blown to shivers,
but the men in them escaped, with the excep-
ton of one man in the magazine, no trace of
whom was found. Outside of the works are
six houses including the boarding house of
the hands, all of which were more or less
damaged, but not entire. The cause of the
explosion is supposed to be carelessness. The
workmen are hired by the piece and directed
to use wooden mallets in picking cartridges,
but they found they could work faster and
make more money by using iron hammers,
which have no business around giant powder.
1t is supposed that some man hit once too
many, and his cartridge went of, igniting the
powder before him, which communicated
with the adjacent package with the terrible
result noted.
Cold Weather.
SAN Francisco, April 16.-The storm
which has prevailed throughout the State for
several days has been the severest ever known
on the line of the Central Pacific. Through
J the mountains the snow sheds are broken
down between Emigrant Gap and Cisco. The
eastern bound express has got only as far as
Elko. the Virginia lightning express stopping
at the same point. The snow plow train, with
eight engines which left Summit this morn
ing to effect connection with the pillow from
Emigrant Gap when half a mile west from
l Summit jumped the track and dashed through
the snow sheds for q hundred feet. The west
bound emigrant and freight train due at
l Sacramento last night stopped by the slide
; two miles from any station, where it still
remains. Every effort is being made to clear
the track.
Arctic Explorer.
COPENHAGEN, April 1G.-The steamer
Vega has arrived with Prof. Nordensljold Oh
+ board. Arrangements are making to give the
5 Professor a brilliant reception. A banquet
will be given tomorrow by the Danish Geo
h graphical Society, and Nordenskjold will dine
e with the KIN. on Sunday. On Monday the
+ Bourse gives a banquet, and afterward the
t Professor will be feted by the Association OF
Students. The Vega, escorted by a Flotilla,
vas received with ii man-ot-war salute
20, 900 persons assembled to witness his arr.
e val.
I1ancocN.
y CHICAGO, April 16.-The Washington
special to the Tribune says: If Gen. Hancock
were placed in the field by the Democrats
the Readjuslers and Bourbons of Nirginis
e would unite in his support, otherwise these
IS three parties are likely to be arraignet
1t against each other. A gentleman high il
+ politics says he knows absolutely that thu
il main reason why John B. lIawley resigpee
d the assistant secretaryship of the ~treastr.
was because Sherman wished to dictate ever,
appointment in Illinois and elsewhere, ant
Ii reducing him to the position Of mere appoint
af ment clerk.
h -Eugenic.
LONDON. April 1G.-The Co-operatiy
" stores at Bedford Street Strand, were paltl
81 DESTROYED by fire. The building and stoc
were insured for I1o0,0OO.
Ex-empreSs Eugene has arrived at Cape
is town, South Africa.
err The North German Gazette of Berlin say
f. that the Ultramontanes by supporting til
w government or the customs questions were q
I'd one time on the way to secure a position {
H. influence, but subsequently by their strongl
.d hostile attitude on political questions, in II
~ way connected with religion, arrested the pr
10 motion of the improvement which would haV
v been so useful in promoting religious peace
al and asks in conclusion. "How can the Pruu
rs sian government possibly feel encouraged b
H. such proceedings to meet the views of IL
nd ullamontanes."
lis Tho Whitaker Mystery.
WEST POINT, April 1G.-At the a~flernoo
session Colonel Lazelle gave reasons why /
ial thought Whitaker shamming. He W;
en- strongly impressed with the idea that Il
MS handwriting IN the note of warning and Il
It, finding of the necktie was against Whittake
lat because no person III civilian dress wOu
,ot have brought it there. Whittaker's mann
as since the occurrence has been of unifol1
in traukness and candor, extremely so with Il
he the cadets.
No Way House.
WASHINGTON, April 12.-ln a c%ontercu
rs in Losan's room last night Washburne l.
o, marked, Il recognize the fact that all roa
of out of The Grant camp lead into the Mail
lie camp. Some Of my friends, | see, propose
pit make me the halfway house, but | dor
he propose to he put in that position"
-, Anti-Third Termers.
err. ST. LOUIS, April 1G.-Bluford Wills,
IN writes that the anti third term managers II
only will not support Grant but will tai
steps against him. If the gathering shou
result in placing in the field some anti-Gra
'n- man like Gen. Cox, Gen. Hawley, or Geor
~ William Curtis, they could give hearty 81
IL port.
he CHICAGO, April lG.-The Times Indians
ay- oils special states that the Democratic Sta
gas central committed received a telegram fire
iii New York confirming the assertion that I
it den declines.