The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-03-02
A Terrible Explosion.
CHESTER. Pa. Fcbrua

CHESTER, Pa, February II.
This is the blackest day in the history of our
fair city. Death in its most frightful shape
has laid low nearly a sco.e of our people, and
many more have been wounded. The entire
city is in mourning. Following close upon
the destruction of the Mil tlry 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 front
Prof. jackson had occupied it for the past five
or six years. He employed eight or 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
Peverberated throughout the country as far as
Nhe Jersey shore. A mass Of fame shot high
into the air, and the fragments of t! c building
we're hurled about. A quantity of gunpowder
had exploded. 1t was then felt that the dan
ger was over, and the iremen approached the
flames until within reaching distance without
apprehension. A large crowd of citizens
gathered At the time when the citizens were
sure that tolerable control had been secured
and the danger was 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 fremen were
scattered in all directions, many of them with
their bodies mangled beyond recognition.
Some were SO badly torn that it was impossi-
BILE to tell what part Of the body the shreds of
flesh were torn from. On the spectators the
effect was scarcely less disastrous Many of
them were kilIed-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 was 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 he 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 a short time to dis
pose of the dead and to assist the wounded
The nearest house was about a huadred yards
away. Many of the sufferers were taken
there, and every other house in the vicinity
was thrown open, aud kindly hanls 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 will 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 coiIed on the ground while others la
bored in the agonies of death. A number,
wrthing In their blood, moaned and groaned
piteously for help. Many lay insensible Of
their surroundings, and others, bruised and
bleeding, grOped 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
condition to do SO turned attention to allevi-
ating the distress. Houses in the vicinity of
the explosion were converted into hospitals
and the wounded removed thereto