The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-01-30

lcal from Northampton, and all the
decorations and sculpture were ruined
1t might be said that the place where
the explosion occurred was literally
blown to pieces. Those in the House
at the time say the shock experienced
was something akin to that of an
earthquake, that the building in its en-
tirety seemed to be giving way.
THE WHITE TOWER WRECKED.
Hundreds of yards away-some say
half a mile the tremor which follow
ed the explosion was felt. While the
visitors in the Commons were fleeing
from the building, panic stricken, many
persons on the streets were trembling
with fear. Its force was such that one
man was blown to the earth who was
as many as 900 yards from the point
where it occurred.
But the end had not come. The
Tower, the famous building which ia
an object of the greatest interest to all
foreigners, was to be a victim. This
outrage was,in fact, the most successful
which has vet been made upon any of
the public buildings since the present
era of dynamite warfare. The famous
old building was crowded with visitors
at the time, and large number
were injured. The White Tower was
almost completely wrecked, the roof
being completely blown off the struc-
ture. What investigation has already
been made by the police tends to the
conclusion that the explosives in this
case were handled by persons who
gained access as sight-seers.
The ruins show that the explosives
were operated from point somewhere
in the inner bastion or on the espla-
made, near st. Thomas tower The re-
port made was far more terrific than
either of the others. 1t was heard for
miles up and down the Thames, and at
once attracted an immense crowd to
the spot
The scenes that followed are almost
indescribable. There were at least
sixteen persons injured, several of them
children of tender age The pale faces
of the little ones, their bloody heads
and broken limbs reused the great
crowd congregated in the neighbor-
hood to frenzy. Yells We're heard on
every side to ''lynch the villains roast
the fiends."
The police, the moment they realized
the nature of the explosion, effectually
barred all egress from the Tower and
grounds. They subjected every per,
son whom they succeeded in OBTAINING
to a most rigid search, upon the theory
that the attack was perpetrated by
some person or persons inside the
building. Surgeons were promptly
summoned to the assistance OF the
wounded, who received all the atten.
tion practicable. The excitement grew
as the news spread and the crowds mo-
mentarily increased.
There was no delay on the part of
the authorities to track the perpetra-
tors of all three outrages. 1t was soon
found that just before the explosion in
the Commons, man and woman, the
latter carrying a handbag, engaged a
cab outside of Parliament Yard and
drove rapidly away, giving no direc-
tion as to their destination. They had
not gone very far when the explosion
happened. The driver hearing this
stopped the cab and the man and wo-
man at once leaped out, Fastening
quickly from the spot. The cabman
went in pursuit aud the fugitives were
soon overtaken and arrested by the po
lice.
The man is Canadian and appar
emily seafarer. He was thoroughly
searched, but nothing of an incrimina
ting nature was found on his person.
The Tower of London is, perhap,
the most ancient fortress 10 the world
Tradition even carries its erection to
the time of Julius Caesar. 1t stands il
the Eastern extreme of the city proper
and in the very heart of the life of the
great metropolis. 1t covers, with it.
many towers, buildings and moat
about twelve acres of ground aud facet
the Thames River, between two anc
three miles below Westminster. In it
time fortress, palace and prison
it now possesses the honorary title Of
being all three, but il is doubtful If tht
old structure will ever again be use(
for any one of the three purposes Ii
Difference to its past history, however
paid to it. A constable, generally 1
field marshal of the army, is in com
mand, the Office dating from the time
of the Conqueror, and a battalion Of
guards are in garrison. The greal
Duke of Wellington was at one time
constable. A relic of the days when
royalty, in the persons of the Tudor
monarchs, inhabited the Tower is pre-
served by the presence of beef eaters