Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-12-15


Great excitement was caused yesterday
afternoon at about $40 o'clock by tremen-
dous explosion, which proved an apparent at
tempt to blow up London Bridge with dyns-
mite. The lamps in the neighboring railroad
depots were extinguished, but the structure
of the bridge was uninjured. No one killed !;
but one pedestrian and two children were
injured.
The police have been searching all night
with boats and lamps for a clew TO the exact
nature OF the explosion or to the persons
guilty of the outrage. Nothing has been dis
covered tending to throw light on the sub
ject. Nearly every window in the vicinity
was shattered. The officials have q theory
that the explosives were thrown from the
abuttment of the bridge, the contact with the
water causing it to explode. In this event
dynamite could not have been employed,
though nitro-glycerine might have been ex-
ploded in such 9 manner.
Midnight-The explosion is still involved
in mystery. Inquiries at various police Of
fees elicted the statement that no serious
damage was done. The general belief is that
some explosive article was thrown on or be-
meath London bridge.
The explosion was heard 10 miles outside
of London. At Woolwich the arsenal gates
were shaken.
The explosion occurred about 8. 40 o'clock.
The police now think that boat containing
the explosives with fuse attached, was al
lowed to drift beneath the bridge. An eye
witness SAYS that the flames. shot up stimuli
taneously from each side of the bridge,
showing that the fuse mnst have been nicely
timed TO cause the explosion when half way
beneath the bridge. The damage is believed
to be slight, although darkness prevented a
thorough examination.
1t is beyond an undoubted fact that an at
tempt was made to blow up the London
Bridge. The police have absolutely no in
that the dynamite that was used
in the explosion was dropped over
the bridge. and allighted on the buttress.
The damage consists chiefly of broken win
dows in houses in the vicinity of the bridge.
A boot black relates his experience of the
explosion as follows: II was cleaning Q
gentleman's boots when suddenly felt the
earth shake about me- Immediately after
ward there was terrific explosion and was
stunned When recovered consciousness
the gentlemen had disappeared" The but
tress which the explosive 10 supposed to
have allighted on is only slightly damaged.
The persons who were crossing the bridge at
the time of the explosion were thrown down
and many gas jets in the vicinity we're ex-
tinguished by the conclusion.
LONDON, Dec. IA.
The Observer, speaking of the explosion,
says: "The crime partakes of the chsrac-
ter of murder. 1t is difficult to conceive
what possible end or purpose the authors of
such outrages hope to obtain. Utter absence
Of correlation between cause and effect
mainly confirms the theory that the crimes
are of hibernian origin"
A careful inspection Of the London Bridge
was made today and il WAS found that no
structional injury whatever yss done. Moth
ing could be found about the bridge to indicate
that an explosion had taken place. The po-
lice have discovered nothing likely to assist
them in their inquiries as to the origin of the
explosion. The heads of the detective de-
partment were comforting with the home of
flee. During the entire day the absence of
any clew has paraized the police, who are
even unable to tell the nature of the explo-
sve used 1t appears that the explosion oc-
CURED nearer the end of the bridge than was
at first supposed, and yet the most of the
houses that were injured were on the Mid
dlesex side, where the windows were
smashed as far as Billurgate market Several
panes of glass were broken in the fish-mon
gers hall but otherwise the building received
no damage. Several squares of lofty glass
screen in Cannon street depot fell to the
platform with a crash, greatly terrifying the
passengers in the building, although nobody
was injured. The river traffic had luckily
been suspended at the time of the explosion,
owing to darkness. The explosion forms the
staple topic of conversation and thousan of
persons have visited the scene today.
A policeman, who at the time Of the ex-
plosion was standing on top of the steps
leading to the steamboat pier on the Surrey
side of the river, with his back to the stream
says that he saw binding
glare like sheet of lightning, which was fol-
lowed by terrific report. He WAS almost
stunned, and his helmet was blown some
yards away by the conclusion. Experts are
unanimously of the opinion that the explosive
agent was thrown over the bridge, and ex-
ploded in the air or on striking the water
Towards noon, however, a wharfer informed
the police that few minutes before the
explosion he saw a boat containing three men
under an arch on the Surrey side, but took no
particular notice of them, thinking them
mere river police, and didn't see the boat af-
terwards. He supposed they had proceeded
down the river. The police this afternoon
learned that piece of charred sacking about
foot and half long had been found on one
of the buttresses and are now of the opinion
tina the explosive was placed there. They
attribute the smallness of the dammsge to
the extraordinary air currents beneath the
spans. No arrests have been made
Several persons who were passing over the
bridge at the time of the explosion say that
a column of water was thrown to a great
height by the shock, and a number of persons
we're drenched.
LONDON Dec Is.
The newspapers throw no light on the ex-
plosion. A telegram says: "The newest
fenian outrage fall far below its predecessors
in actual mischief. Some persons are in
clined TO believe that gunpowder and not
dynamite was used. 1t is noteworthy fact
that yesterday was the 18th anniversary of
the Clarkenwell explosion.
A customs officer states that after the ex-
plosion he observed q small steam launch
pass at high rate of speed down the river
Strangely enough, at the time of the explo-
ton an inspector and two constables were
watching the bridge from the boat, precau-
sion which has been adopted nightly for two
years They saw nothing before the explo-
sion to arouse their suspicious, and made q
minute search afterwards, but could discover
nothing of suspicious character.
Some witnesses saw three distinct flashes
Several horses drawing heavy loads were
thrown to the ground. Engine drivers sitting
in shed in Cannon street were blown from
their seats.
number of detectives recently with
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