The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-12-15
AFFAIRS ABROAD.
rHELoN0oN BRipeEExpLosloN.
No ew Light ON the Mystery-The Ger
man Nhite Book and Its Anglo
German Contents - Congo,
France, China, Etc.
London Bridge Explosion.

London Bridge Explosion.
LONDON, Dec. H.-6.0O a. m.-~ Beyond
the undoubted fact Of an attempt made
to blow up London bridge the police
have absolutely no information of the
affair. 1t is now supposed the dyna-
mite used in the explosion was dropped
over the bridge and alighted ON the but
tress. The damage done consists chiefly
in the broken windows in the houses IN
the vicinity.
THE Root BLACKS STORY.
A boot black relates his experience OF
tho explosion as follows:
Eli was cleaning Il gentleman's boots
when suddenly Hi felt the hearth shake
for about minute. Immediately hat
forwards there was q terrific explosion
and Iii was stunned When Hi reooV.
cred consciousness the gent had dlsap-
peared."
The buttress on which the explosive
is supposed TO have alighed WAS ouly
slightly damaged. Persons cros>ingthc
bridge at the u ne Of rhe expiosion were
thrown, and many gas jets eXtiuguished
by the concussion.
ITS ALL A MYSTERY.
A careful iespection OF the London
bridge was made 20 day. 1t was found
that the structure sustained 40 injury
whatever. Nothing could be found
about the bridge to indicate that an eX-
plosion had occurred. The police have
discovered nothing likely To assist thor
inquiries as to the origin Of the eXpiu-
sion. The heads OF the Ge
tective departments were concerning
with the home office during tie entire
day. The absence Of any clew is para
lying to the action OF the police, who
were unable TO tell the nature Of the TX
plosive used. IL appears that the ex-
plOsi0n occurred nearer the Surrey end
OF the bridge than was 81 first supposed,
aud YET tho most Of the houses dam
aged were on tho Middlesex side,
whore Windows W re smashed Ss far ~
Billingsgate market. Several panes Of
glass were broken in Fishmongsr's hall q,
but otherwise the building received NO
damage. Several squares OF lofty
glass screen in Cannon street depot tell
to the ground with a crash, greatly toy.
riiying passengers in the building, al
though nobody was injured. The eH-
plosion forms a staple t0pic of converse
zion, and thousands visited the scCue
to-day,
THE INTELLIGENT p)LCE AGAIN.
A policeman who, at the time Of the
explosion WAS standing on the top Ui
the steps leading TO tho Steamboat uier
on the Surrey side OF the river, with hi
back to the stream, says ne saw blind
ing glare like a sheet Of lightning which
was followed by terrific report. lie
WAS almost stunned, and his helmet
was blown some Yards away by the
conclusion. He ran to the police station
ana gave the alarm. Soon Afterward th
river police were making ~ minute au
eXamlnakan as possible of the butttssS
OF the bridge and wharves on each
bank of the river. Their search, how
ever,was Ruthless. Daylight showed thai
not q single stone had been displucei
by the shock. Taking this fact into con.
slderatiOu, experts are unanim 'usly ot
the opinion that the explosive agan,
used was thrown over tho bridge and
exploded in the air or on striking the
water. Towards noon, however, & wharf
man informed the police that q lew
minutes before the explosion he saw "A
boat containing three men under an
arch on the Surrey side. He took no
particular notice of them, thinking they
were river police, and did not see the
boat afterwards. 1t is supposed that they
proceeded down the river. The police this
afternoon learned thata piece Of cbarrtd
sacking, about foot and half square,
had been found on one of the buttresses,
and they are now of tho opinion that the
explosive was placed there. Thuy at
tribute the smallness of the damage To
the extraordinary air currents beneath
Inc span, where no arch had been made.