Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-03
DYNAMITE ON THE RAILS.
DASTARDLY WORK IN ENGLAND
AND IN OHIO.

AMI IN OGlO.
The British Metropolis Aroused by an
Explosion on the Underground Rail-
way People Thrown from Their
Feet, Lights Put Out and Horses Great
ly Frightened, but No Lives Lost.
LONDON, Jan. "A dynamite explosion
occurred on the underground railway be-
tween Cover street and Kings Cross sta
ion at $3.50 O'Clock this morning. The
windows of a passing train were shat
tered and the gas lights extinguished. Be-
yond this no damage was done. The
passengers were greatly alarmed, but no
one was hurt.
PEOPLE ABOVE STARTLED.
The shock of the explosion was felt by
residents OF EustOn road, between st.
Patrick's Church and Judd street. The
railway runs the whole length of EustOn
road underneath the roadway. A crowd
speedily collected at the vent shaft. at the
head of OshultOn street, from which. at
the time of the explosion a quantity of
smoke issued. AS soon as possible alter
the explosion a number of pOrters were
sent TO the spot with lamps and appli-
ances for clearing the line. The residents
in the locality were greatly alarmed.
NJ
The shock overthrew several wayfarers
on EustOn road. 1t was with great diff
Guilty that horses on the road were re-
strained from running away. The gas
lights in Cover street station were ex-
tinguished. The ticket collector in the
station was thrown from his box, and the
engineer working the incandescent cleo
trio light machinery was thrown from his
seat, distance of four feet, landing on
Tfrhf Nfh fhora
the tunnel were eXtinguished bv the eX-
ploGiOn. Many ladies on the train tainted.
The Cover street platform was literally
streWn with PROSTATE forms of persons
thrown down by the shock.
PARTICIPANTS DESCRIPTION.
Houses in the vicinity were shaken,
and the roadway Oscillated. Two trains
were passing each other at the time of
the explosion, and in both the lights were
eXtlnguished. Windows were shattered,
and the frame work of several carriage
doors was smashed. The green, red and
white lights at the front and rear of
trains were extinguished. The ticket col
lector at Cover street station describes
the occurrence as follows:
The report was sharp and ringing in
character like the discharge of a small
piece Of field artillery. the point where
the explosion occurred is directly under
the road leading to the main entrance of
the London and Northwestern Railway
station. A lady's nose was cut by glass,
and one gentleman had his side and face
and another his wrist cut. These are the
only serious casualties reported. All the
passengers left the trains at the Cover
street station. Many of them were in
half fainting condition.
THE INSPECTION OF THE POLICE.
Superintendent Williamson, of Scotland
Yard, and the superintendent and in
spectOrs of the various districts, ARRIVED
at the Cover street station a half hour
after the explosion, and Immediately pro-
ceeded down the line. They discovered
signal box eastward Of st. Patrick's
Church partially wrecked, the signal
wire separated and the clock stopped at
9:14. A close inspection showed that the
explosive material could not have been
gunpOwder, as the surrounding brick
work was hot blackened. 1t must there
fore have been either dynamite or gun
cotton. The locality of the explosion is
on the north side of the line between St.
Patrick's Church and Charlton street
The only clues are a few fragments of
paper, which were found strewn about
the track.
DAMAGE TO THE MASONRY.
At the site of the explosion there is a
hole in the solid masonry four feet from
the ground with diameter of 4 feet and
a depth of or inches. The masonry
is more or less damaged for some 8
feet all around the hole. The
effects of this explosion correspond almost
exactly with those of the explosion at the
Praedt street station IA months ago.
Both of the trains which met at the time
and place OF the explosion were fairly
crowded with passengers. The third
class carriages suffered most from the
shock. The locomotives of the two trains
sustained no damage.
THE SIGNAL MANS EXPERIENCE,
The signal man who had charge of the
wrecked signal box says that the floor of
the box was heaved up by the explosion,
and that he was half stunned. He speed
lily asccrtained that the signal apparatus
was safe and relit the gas and telegraphed
up and down the line. The fact of the
meeting of the two trains at the place of
the explosion is regarded as accidental.
The belief is general that some miscreant
dropped an explosive with a time fuse
attached from an early tram proceeding
to the city. Near the spot the police
found mans cap, some pieces of twine
and some burned fragments of rag.