The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-01-22
Further Particulars Of the Railroad
Horror.
The Latest Dreadful Catastrophe, LEX.
pIOsion of the Giant Powder Works.
The Cold Wave Passing East,--General
News of every Description.
CASUALTIES.


the boiler at the Ledger paper millers ex-
ploded with terrific force. wrecking half
the immense building, Patrick McCor
mick was killed, John Garrett missing and
Others injured, one of whom will probably
die.
SAN Francisco, Jan. 22.-The loss from
the Susanyille fire is not as great as at first
supposed. 1t win probably be about 500
0O0
CINCINNATI, Jan 22.-The residence of
j. r. Smith of the firm of Smith 81 Nixon.
on Gleway avenue. Clifton, burned early
this morning The inmates escaped
Loss 80 600; insurance. $4,000.
SAN FRANcIsco, Jan. 22.-The total loss
by reason of the explosion VIII reach not
less than 100000. The Giant Powder
works sustain a damage of 800, 900; the
acid works of JudsOn 81 Co., SAC, 600 1t
is impossible to ascertain the exact loss of
life, but it is estimated to be between 30
and 40. The first explosion occurred at
about O'Clock in the packing house, in
which about 300 pounds of powder was
stored. 1t is not known whether anv one
was killed by the first explosion or not.
AS soon as the packing house exploded
number of Cinnamon employed in the other
departments fed for their lives, and had
reached the open space when the mixing
house exploded.
KILLING MOST OF THEM
in their tracks. 1t is thought that Ferlirak
KOmpf superintendent, was killed by this
explosion. In about minute one of the
smaller houses exploded followed immedi
ately by fourth explosion, which doubt
less killed the rest of the employees. A
worman named Augustus Tongofsky, was
very seriously injured.
All the other white men have been &C
counted for and the dead are all China
men There are some thirty or forty
houses on the point. occupied by employees
at the powder and acid works, and most
of the windows were shattered and the
doors and sides in many instances dashed
in by the force of the conclusion. After
each explosion the woodwork in the build
ings caught fire and burned steadily for
several hours but the efforts to prevent
the flames from reaching the main m9ga
zine containing an immense quantity of
powder were happily successful The
consequences would have been most fright
full had the large magazine exploded, as
one of the superintendents stated that
there was enough powder stored there 10
have destroyed every living thing
ON THE PENINSULA.
The cause of the first explosion remains
mystery. This evening Twelve bodies
have been counted living in the debris and
the coroner's Investigation TO morrow viii
probably disclose more than double the
number A fsrce of men were engaged
to might in exlingnishing fire and recover
ing the bodies.
SAN Francisco, Jan. Telegraphic
dispatch: The c0r0ner's jury found the
verdict In the train disaster case: That |
the victims came to their death by neglect
of Conductor Reed aud Brakeman Patten." |
The verdict is not yet approved by the |
coroner Two bodies are identified as |
those of Thos. Keegan and Ferdinand |
Gramfort. discharged soldiers of company /
H. 9th cavalry. john F. Cassen, one of |
the sleeping. car passengers, arrived in the /
city yesterday. He reports: - think it
must have been but few moments after |
the train started that / awoke. / realized |
we were in'danger, but now I could not tell. |
We were rushing along the mountain side |
at
FEARFUL VELOCITY
and in few seconds the crash came. |
Over we went and thousand spliuters
aud pieces of debris completely buried US. /
AS quickly poss bic | was my feet
working to make an exit through the |
masses under which we were buried to
save myself and the occupants OF the
train. When hope had left me men work !,
ing from tue outside suddenly and acci-
dentally came upon me and drew half of my
body out but there l became lodged. Our
combined efforts proved unavailing to
free me from the debris. Finally [ succeed I
ed in dropping through hole made for me
by the rescuers. | was the only one who
ever reached the light of day from under
that heap of ruins
Everywhere l found myself hemmed in
by masses of wreckage. My wife, ! think,
was killed by the first shock, as her hands
were cold when / touched them, and my
calls remained unanswered l cleared
passageway along the hog chains for some
seventeen feet, till reached the place near
where Miss SQuires was imprisoned.
heard her scream for succor.
She told me that she was
not injured but merely unable to get out of
the window The flames began breaking
where was working aad / was