The daily gazette., 1882-02-18
CHESTEE'S HORROR
Further Particlars Of the
'''J 'iJ Terrible Calamity.
sHvENTEEN KILLED ANN Pity.
Aso EHs1nF WOUNDED.
scenes ArOuna the RuiIdinw Last
Might.
4 PUBLIC MEETING AND sUBscRIr
TIoNa- nEaINNINe OF THE
coRnNRR'a INnuRar

TIoNa = bKGTNNIEe OF THE
coRoNER's INQUEST.
The terrible calamity that visite,
Chester yesterday morning in the de
struction Of Prof. jackson d Som
pyrotechnic mandatory, and tn,
great loss Of life was fully reported il
the GAZETTE up to noOa. Last eve
ming u reporter " this paper agair
visited the scene Of the disaster in or
der to CLEAN all the facts possible il
the AFFAIR.
SCENE OF THE DISASTER.
The building wherein the Gre start.
cd was still burning mp to II O'Clock
last night, and the wind would every
once in a while blow sparks ont to.
ward the river. Piled up against the
wall was LOT Of burning logs around
which were seated two special watch
men, who upC the approach of any
one would stop them. One of the
watchmen was John B. Brown, kwho
had resided ia the building where the
fire broke out for q number of years.
When asked what occasioned the fire
he replied that he was unable to say,
as he had no idea, and he believed it
would never be known.
THREE EXPLOSIONS.
Those who were near the bI ildin1 at
the time state positively that there were
three distincs explosions. The first
sounded like pack of IRE crackers. the
second like a number OF rockets, and the
third and last, the one that did the fatal
damageis described as sounding like IN
to the simultaneous discharge Of q uIl-
lion cannons. The explosion was fol-
lowed BY display Of pyrCtecbnic,
which we're seen by people al q distance,
ra HURLED IN THE AIR.
At the COroner's inquest that was held
during The afternoon, Prof. jackson, tbe
owner testified that there was no DOW
der tn the building, but there are hun
dreds Of citizens why freely express
themselves that they do not believe such
. abatement.
Whatever 1t was tat exploded II had
sufficient force to bur human bodies
higb in the cir, and also stones and
bricks distances Of hundreds of Yards.
Stones and bricks could be found four
squares from the building. Houses in
the immeSiate vicinity were battered
up from the falling missiles. A frame
house standing on the corner of Second
and Welsh streets, seems to have su-
Hered most. The side facing the ruins
looks Is though an army had been di-
rectinR battery against it, Numbers
OF window panes were broken out for
HANGING IN A TREE.
When the fatal explosion occurred,
"Tony" Barber was standing on the
root holding q branch of the Hanley
Hose Company. His body was hurled
high In the air and through the limbs of
q large poplar tree. In gong through
the limbs his clothes we're torn from his
body, and his cot and pants were still
hanging there last night, no one SEEM
ing desirous to go up after them. The
deceased bad large circle OF friends
and was well liked by all who knew
him. During tie late rebellion be was
q member Of The staff of Gen. Slonewau
jackson.
Another man whose name could not
be ascertalned, had his watch blown
from his pocket, but escaped unhurt,
He offers reward of $50 for its re-
covery.
sF NARROWING SIGHTS,
Immediately after the accident many
narrowing sights were witnessed. Que
man was seen walking away frsm the
scene carrying portion Of mans rains
In an apron, whilo another had the low.
er jaw and grey whiskeTs of man In a
basket. AZ quickly as possible ambu-
lances repaired to the scene, and the
dead, dying and wounded were taken
either to the City Hall or their homes.
Persons were instantly killed while
standing half square away. Blood
could be found on The pavement where
men bad been knocked dead, and lay
bleeding. The door of the frame house
mentioned was bespattered with the
brains of one Of the victims. Such q
horrible sight has never been witnessed
before In Chester, and an air of gloom
and sorrow seems to prevail over the en-
tire city.
Last evening the streets of the city
did not present the usual scene of gal
ETY., but all who could be seen seemed
to walk along strongly impressed that
there had been terrible calamity.
CoRoNER's INQUEST.
In the afternoon Coroner A. J.
Quinby, Of Media, arrived and sum-
moned the following jury for the pur.
pose Of holding an inquest: John @.
Price, Daniel Robinson, Samuel
Greenwood, Joseph Ladomus, ex-
Postmaster w. Ii. Martin and Edward
Barton.
The jury viewed the bodies and at
once commenced taking testimony.
Only three witnesses were examined,
when the jury adjourned until to-day.
Prof. jackson was the frat witness
sworn, and he was examined at great
length. The gist Of his testimony was
to the effect that there was no powder
10 the building when the explosion
took place. The explosion in his
opinion was occasioned By ''stars' |
stored In tin cans in one of the upper |
rooms. OF themselves they will not |
except from ooncussion.
There had been some powder put in !
the magazIne on Wednesday last, buE
1t had been carried out before the OK |
plosion occurred. He did not oonr
slder that there Was any danger in the |
building WhntaVar ttTR a meth -.