The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-02-25
A Terrible Explosion.
CHESTER, Pa, Februar.

CHESTER, Pa, February II.
This is the blacklist day in the history of our
fair city. Death in its most frightful shape
has laid low nearly score of our people, and
many more have been wounded. The entire
city is in mourning Following close upon
the destruction of the Mil Try Academy
severe loss of itself to our community-came
an alarm of fire from Jackson's fireworks and
magazine. This was in the old Porter Man
sion on Second street and the river trout
Prof. Jackson had occupied it for the past five
or six years. He employed eight OF ten hands,
and was running the place to its utmost ca
pacity in order to supply his large trade.
At 7:30 the alarm of fire was sounded In
five minutes after the alarm, the Fire Depart
ment was throwing water on the building A
terrific explosion shook the city. The noise
reverberated throughout the country as far as
the Jersey shore mass of fame shot higb
into the air. and the fragments of tie building
were hurled about. A quantity of gunpowder
had exploded. 1t was then felt that the dan
ger was over, and the firemen approached the
flames until within reaching distance without
apprehension. large crowd of citizens
gathered. At the time when the citizens were
sure that tolerable control had been secured
and the danger W. passed, another explosion
more fearful than the first, gave terrific
shock to the earth.
The scene was horrible, and it is impossible
to describe it. The crowd of firemen were
scattered in all directions, many of them with
their bodies mangled beyond recognition
Some were so badly torn that it was impoSsi-
bic TO tell what part of the body the shreds OF
flesh were torn from. On the spectators the
elect was scarcely less disastrous. Many OF
them were killed-many were wounded Those
who were not rushed through the city spread.
ing the news. Almost instantly thousands OF
people, stricken with terror, poured from ad-
joining streets to the scene of the disaster.
The news quickly spread to the country,
and hundreds of people came from there
The cries of women and children, who |
had lost husbands and fathers in
the calamity, and the wild inquiries of Others,
added to the terrible effect of the masses OF
bloody corpses and wounded. All the physi- |
clans in the city and all the priests and pas
tors were on the spot in short time to dis |
pose of the dead and to assist the wounded |
The nearest house was about hundred Yards |
away. Many OF the sufferers were taken |
there, and every other house in the vicinity |
was thrown open, aud kindly hands minis |
tered to the relief of the victims Wagons |
were hastily transformed into ambulances, |
and everything that could be done was done |
to mitigate the horror.
The killed number eighteen, and the wound |
ed nearly or quite fifty, some of whom viii die
of their injuries.
After the explosion the ground was covered /
with victims, some killed, some seriously in
jured, and Others badly hurt. Dead bodies of
men lay coiled on the ground, while others la
bored in the agonies of death. A number
VIZ thing in their blood, moaned and groaned |
piteously for help. Many lay insensible of |
their surroundings, and Others, bru sed and
bleeding, CROPPED their way from the scene Of /
the terrible accident. The scene beggars de-
scription People prayed in the open streets,
and the shr eks of the dying were appalling.
The fire was abandoned and everybody in |
cond ton to do so turned attention to alIevi-
ating the distress. Houses in the vicinity of
the explosion were converted into hospitals
and the woul ded removed thereto