The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-09-07
The Terrible ExpIOsiea of Mag
.azine near Chicago.
Electricity Causes Ninety Tons of
, Explosives to Instantly Go on.
Many Persons Killed, Houses
Torn to Ruins and DeStruc-
ton Generally the
Result.

Chicago, ILL.,, Aug. 30.-A terrible ex
plosion Of the powder magazine belonging
to the Laffiin-Rand powder company, il
Brighton, suberb of this city occurred II
the midst of a heavy thunder storm yeSter
dav morning at 9 o'clock. The magazine
was struck by lightning and an explosion
followed. which destroyed property valued
at $4,000, besides killing one person al
most instantly, fatally injuring four other:
and inlicting painful injuries on nearly
twenty-five more.
The combined efforts OF 4 hard fought
battle, a cyclone and the whitening hashe.
of lightning could not have presented a
picture of more terrible deSolation and de-
struction than did the country for half a
mile in all directions from the exploded
magazine. j.,
To-day opened glcomily, at S o'clock
rain began falling fuEiously Flashes of
lightning were soon chasing each other
across the whole firmament and the heavens
seemeu ablaze, while the thunder was
deafening.
About 9:l5 fash which all agree was
much brighter than those preceding it
was followed by report thai shook the
greater part Of the country. /: was a
sharp report but strange to say By most OF
those who lived in the vicinity OF the ex-
plosion it was hardly distinguishable from
the series of thunder Chaps which had been
the order OF the morning. All agree that
there was a tremendous shaking D. the
earth. Articles OF furniture not station
sry were thrown about a. L they were
plavthings in giants power. Men,
women and children were tossed around az
the will of the terrible. res;stless force re-
leased by tie explosion.
The scene of the catastrophe is about
two miles from the extreme southwest edge
of the city where the Archer avenue settles
into a conventional highway. On one side
waved great fields OF ripening corn, OF the
other broad stretch OF prairie for nearly
a mile in all directions.
WHERE THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED.
On this prairie are, or rather were, a
dozen plain but strongly built houses, with
walls OF yellow brick. roof Of slate and
strong iron doors. These houses were the
magazines in which the bulk Of the pow
der supply for Chicago and the territory
dependent upon it was St0C d. 4 few peo-
pie of the humber class built their poor
homes on the prairie close TO the ware
houses containing the deadly stuff and
lived without fear OF disaster from their
proximity. Right in the midst 0! the
magazine space rose tie home OF ". J.
Herman, police magistrate o. the Town ot
Lake, in the limits of which corporation
the warehouses stood. The house was I'M
til to-day an attractive looking building
two stories high with a spa :ious veranda
in front and surrounded by number Of
substantial outhouSes.
The magazine OF the Latin x Rand pow
der company was one Of the larges: O. a
dozen structures in the neighbOrhool. II
was a substantial brick house .1x30 feet
in dimension, with q slate roof and one
iron door OF great strength. TIE maya
zine was 800 feet east o. the cottage Of
John Guhl and feet from the resi-
dence of Mr.. Tieruan.
When the rain began TO fall this morn
ing the people OF the vicinity were all in
doors. many of them prolonging their Sat
urday nights rest. An occasional wagon
passing along Archer road was about the
only sign Of life out Of doors.
Just preceding the explosion long cleo
trio flame seemed to burst from a cloud d.
rectly over Latin & Raud's magazine. In
an instant the air was filed with flying
missiles. Masses OF brick and clay, sheets
of tin, large stones aad pieces OF timber
performed Undesirable gyrations, hun
dredS of feet in the air, some falling back
close to the points from which they started
while Others shot of through space with a
frightful velocity, only conforming 70 the
laws of gravity after long flights. Stones
weighing from ten to fifty pounds were
thrown into fields two miles from the
scenes. Trees were stripped, fences by the
mile were laid low, telegraph wires snap
ped, and the prairie bore seams as of a
thousand steam plows. Not building
within mile of the explosion escaped
damage.
AFAMILY MASGLED.
The cottage of John Guhl with its sur
rounding outhouses was laid low, and in a
moment parts of the exploded warehouse
began falling on cottage.
Guhl's family consisted OF himself, his
wife aud Garlic Ahernworth, fourteen
wears of age. The latter was instantly
killed while Guhl and his wife were drag
gad from the ruins frightfully mangled.
Their horses, COW aud swine were all kill
: ed by the conclusion and the bodies blown
full of dirt, sand and powder.
The ruins of Guhl's house Immediately
caught nre ana the smOEloeflng fragments
burned out during the day.
Tho body of Garlic Ahernworth presente,
? q sickening spectacle. Halt the face was
: torn away, the eyes were almost blown
from the sockets and there was a gaping
hole in her forehead large enough 20 re-
ceiye a mans hst.
Guhrs left arm was torn from the shout
der. ...t
The body of the girl vas removed to the
home of her uncle, August Ahernworth, on
California avenue.
John Guhl was alive when taken out,
bat in a terrible condition. His right leg
was broken in two places, his back wa
severely injured, tbs flesh on his lace was
cut into ribbons, and powder, sand and
pebbles were blown into the ugly gashes
His suferings were agonizing TO behold.
tad oil hr,f