Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-12
EXPLOSIONS AT QUEBEC.
THE PARLIAMENT BUILDING
TWICE SHATTERED.

! Dynamiters Believed to be at the Bot
tom of the Outraxes, But the Affair
Still ShrOuded in My ystery-NO One
Seriously Injured, But the Building
Badly Damaged.
QUEBEC, Oct. 11.-About O'Clock this
| afternoon an explosion occurred at the
new Parliament building, destroying a
considerable portion of the masonry and
windows of the new structure, which was
just being rooted. The explosion at first
was supposed to be that of the boiler of
the engine used for hosting, but this
proved not to be the case. Neither can it
be attributed to gas. The general i'm
preston appears to be that the explosion
was caused by dynamite, but as none of
that material is used on the works the
mystery is how it came there. Aa
investigation was begun Immediately.
The workmen all being away at the time
at dinner no one but one man was injured,
and he escaped with only slight cut
from a piece of stone. The shock was
very severe, and was felt all over the city.
The windows of houses in the vicinity of
the explosion were badly shattered.
SECOND EXPLOSION.
At O'Clock this afternoon a second ex-
plOsion occurred at the Parliament House,
but the building sustained no damage of
any consequence. Carpenters wOI king
on the building say that they noticed a
box lying all the morning close to the
wall where the first explosion took place,
but they supposed that it was placed there
by the plumbers. After the explosion no
trace of the box could be found. 1t
is now believed that the box contained
dynamite and an Internal machine. The
second explosion was about 80 feet from
the place where the first one occurred.
The new building is said to be so badly
cracked from the first shock that it is
feared that half of it will have to be taken
down and rebuilt. After the first eX-
plOsiOn men were sent all through the
building to look for other suspicious
boxes, but found nothing.
AS MYSTERIOUS AS THE FIRST.
The cause of the second explosion is as
great mystery as that of the first. The
explosion did considerable damage to
windows in the vicinity of the Parliament
House, and all the windows in the house
itself in the section under construction
where the explosion occurred, are shat
tered. The only persons injured are
Martel, workman, who was struck by a
small rod which flew from a portion of
the shattered wall, and Mr.. Charlebors,
the contractor, who suffered a slight
bruise on the hand. The damage by the
first explosion is considerable. A hole
about II feet high by feet wide was
blown out of the wall on the third story
from the basement, and directly over the
right entrance to the Assembly
Chamber, and near the place where
the Speakers chair is situated. The Sec
Ond explosion occurred in the northeast
corner Of the same building. The corner
stones forming the support of the build
ing are badly bulged, and it is doubtful
IT it can be repaired without letting down
the whole wall. Whatever the reason
may be for wishing the destruction of the
building there is no room to doubt that
dynamite was used. Everything is quiet
in the neighbOrhood tonight, and a pOr-
ton Of 6 battery is patrolling the grounds
around the Parliament building. The
government was only awaiting the CON-
pletion of the building to call the House
together for the dispatch of business. The
building had been so far advanced that
only a part of the roof remained untin-
ished. 1t is not known whether or not
the explosion will delay the meetings of
the House in December.
SOME OF THE THEORIES.
Several rumors are current regarding
the causes of the explosions. French
employees state that the work was done
by Irish dynamiters, while some Irish cit
izens say, and the opinion Is
shared by great many that the French
workmen did the deed with a view to in
jure the contractor, but for what reason
is not apparent, as it is said that the con-
tractor and the men are on the best terms.
Serious trouble is feared between the two
nationalities. If these accusations be
carried much further there will be
trouble. The Telegraph, in its editorial,
says: Nationality must not be used to
screen any element of the community. Our
opinion is that the man who put the
dynamite in the new building himself was
seen hunting for the culprit, and when he
is discovered, that is, provided the police
are clever enough, it will be seen that far
from being an Irishman, or Rosa ennis
sary, the scoundrel was actuated through
other motives"