The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-02-18
FUNERAL FIRE WORKS.
EXPLOSION At CHESTER, YESTERDAY,
OF the Jackson PIrotsehsIs E,.nSllsAmsat- Death
In Most Prlghtul Shape Lays Low Score
Of People and Mains aud Wounds as
VI AAsI More = IIsartrspdlns Scenes

in this city. The building was badly shat
tered and took fire and was consumed. AT
least fifteen and probably more lives were
lost and many dangerously wounded. The
building Is The old homestead OF Admiral
Porter.
A number Of Colored families lived in the
old Porter mansion. 1t seems It first took
tir6 and while the lircmen were playing on
the flames and u large crowd surrounded
them the explosion occurred, scattering de-
struction fur and wide. The number killed
is between 10 and 20, and 90 dangerously
and 50 more or less seriously wounded.
The dead arc being laid in tho City Hall
and the wounded cared for in various drug
stores, Noaccurate list can DO obtained Ut
present.
Following is the list Of the killed and
wounded: Killed-John LampIugh, Thos.
Dallison, Thomas Anderson, Alexander
Phillips, John Pollock, Joseph Kestucr,
George Taylor, James D0ugherty, Benz.
Gartstde, Perry Williams lCOlored), An
thony Barber, William Wood, fireman;
John Drivers and Edward Shropshire. All
the killed lived here, Fifty, more or less,
were injured. Part Of the mansion has
been used by Professor Jackson, q pyro.
technist, for some years as place for man
liacturing explosive commodities. The
tiremen, after being assured that there was
no explosives in the place, went to work,
and after playing on the flames for about
half Qn hour terrific explosion occurred.
The bodies OF the men were thrown in
every direction, the air was filled with
ri IN II
with the victims. Some were killed,
some seriously injured and others badly
hurt. The dead bodies ofmen 10y cold on
the ground and others labored in the
agonies OF death. A number writhing in
their blood, moaned md grOanGd piteous-
ly for help. Many lay insensible 10 their
surroundings and others, bruised and
bleeding, groped their way from the
scene OF the terrible accident. The scene
beggared description. People prayed in the
open streets, and the shrieks Of the dying
was appalling. The fire was abandoned
and everybody in condition to do SO
turned their attention to alteviating the
distress. The houses in the vicinity Of the
explosion were converted into hospitals
and the wounded removed thereto,
CHEsTER, Pa, February 1.-THE follow
ing is the corrected list Of the killed: John
I4nmpIugh, Thomas, Donaldson, Thomas
Anderson, Alexander Phillips, John Pol
lock, James Kestner, George Taylor, James
T. Doughty, Perry Williams, Anthony
Barber, William Wood, David Daisrs and
Peter VisCate. Benjamin Gartside, report
ed killed, is still living William d, Frank
lin, William COwan and boy named
Oakes, have since died from their injuries.
The list Of wounded is increasing Po-
lice officer Blizzard, William Clifton and
Smith Nol5!ett, fireman, Alex. Hamilton,
Horace Lnrkin, A. Greenbaugh, W. Ford,
James Clark, Jacob Roth and John Wood
are dangerously wounded. John Wood is
"a brother Of Wm. Wood, who was killed.
Eli Watson, Samuel Rothwell, Mary Wood
ring, Geo. Williams and David Blizzard are
painfully hurt. The limbs OF Jane Kay,
colored, have been 0mputated, and her
life is despaired OF. Charles Dalton, son OF
Chief Engineer Dalton, is injured internally.
There is no hope oil his recovery. The
Chiefs injuries areserious. James Dougher-
ty's head was blown of. The families OF
many OF the killed and wounded are in
needy circumstances and relief commit
tees nre being formed.
At the inquest this evening Prof. jack
son testified that he was surprised on be-
ing told OF the explosion, as he considered
the place safe. There WIS no powder in
the room and the explosion must have
originated from gas from the stove. Stars
used ior filling bomb shells were the only
things OF explosive character and he didn't
believe them explosive, Strong Concus.
i sim will nynlAflp thi,Sa Hkdra
The shells are about inches in diam
eter and contain about two pounds oi
stars. think the explosion was caused by
these. II this detonation had been q
powder the roof would have been blown
Off but these stars must have exploded
with great force as the walls were torn
down. There were probably ten pounds oi
detODatinG stars in my manufactory.
New YoRH, February ia special from
Chester slys Of the explosion there: This is
the blackest day in the history OF our fail
city, Death in the most frightiul shape
has laid low near Y q score Of our people
and many more have been wounded. The
entire city is in morning. Following close
upon the destruction OF the Military Acad'
cmy, severe loss in itself to the c0mRuRi
IS, came this morning in,2n alarm Of fire
from JaCkson's fireworks tactorya and maya
zine. This was in the In the old Porter
mansion, on Second street and the rivel
front. Prof. Jackson had occupied It fol
: the past five or six years. He employed
; eight or ten hands and was running the
| place to the fullest capacity, in order tc
supply his large trade. At thirty min
: utcs past Seven o'clock the alarm wai
t sounded. In five minutes after the alarm
was sounded the fire department was
I throwing water on the burning building
/ Suddenly terrific explosion shook tht
, city, the noise reverbeatcd throughout the
country as iOr rs theIersey shore. A mas
oi flame shot high up into the air and tn
4 fragments Of the building were hurled
about A quantity Of cunPowder had ex
pIodcd. It was felt that the danger wa
over and the tlrGmen approached the flame
{ until within touching distance wtthou
apprehension, and a large crowd OF citi
9 zens gathered. At the time when tn
l spectators were surest that absolute con
trol had been secured, and that all dange
5 was pissed, another explosion, much more
D fearful than the last, gave terrific shoCl
. to the earth: The scene was awful. ant
1 Ilo horrible that it Is imposs
Q ihle to describe It, The GROVE
Of tiremen was scattered in all directions
r many Of them with their bodies mGnglet
, beyond recognition. Some wero SO badl,
. torn that 1t was impossible to tell Wha
part Of the body the shrcds Of flesh werC
!, torn from. On the spectators the ciIec
was scarcely less disastrous. Many o
them were killed, moro were wounded
y Those who were not rushed through tn
y city spreading the horrible news. Almos
: instantly thousands Of people, stricken
3 with terror, poured from ad Joining streets t
= the scene OF the disaster. TIL
9 news quickly spread to the countr,
Eaud hundreds OF people came ison
II there. The cries Of women and Childrel
+ who had lost husbands and fathers in til
u calamity and wild inquiries Of others adde,
It to tho terrible effect Of the masses OF blood
It corpsFs and wounded All the physician
u in The city and all priests and pastors wer
OIL the spot in a short time to dispose Q
L "A. FFSR