Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-09-02
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION.
lightning Strikes q Powder
Magazine.

CHICAGO, H., Aug. CA severe
shock like that of an earthquake was
felt in every portion OF the city this
morning. The cause was the explosion
of the Latin & Rand Powder Compa-
mss magazine on the Archer road, near
the Mccormick Reaper Works. 1t is
supposed that Il bolt of lightning struck
the magazine, and the conclusion set
off the dynamite and the gunpOwder
stored there. The shock caved in the
two magazines Of the Oriental Powder
Company, and those belonging 10 the
Warren Powder Company, the Hazard,
the Dupont and the Forcite dynamite
storehouse. The .Ena, which stood
about quarters Of mile distant.
was uuharmed. The Latin u Rand
COmpany'S magazine WAS the only one
which exploded. The house Of John
Guhl, driver for the Oriental Powder
Company, was tlatteued out upon the
ground Il mass of kiudling wood. Guhl
and his wife were fatally injured, and
Carrie ErnWurth, their servant girl,
was instantly killed. The residence Of
Mrs. DeVine was demolished in The
same way. Mrs. Deyine had her leg
broken and her boLy bruised, but suf-
fcred no other injury. She was dragged
out flom under .he ragged heap of
splinters and taken TO the hospital. a
farmer, whose name could not be learn
ed, was drying past toward the city
when the explosion occurred. His
skull WAS fractured and his back badly
lacerated 10y blocks of stone. He can
not live. The horse he was driving was
instantly killed and the wagon smashed
TO pieces. The whole side of Justice
Michael Terney's house, near the ORR
entail magazine, WAS ripped off and tie
roof caved in, but none of the house
hold were injured. Little Tom Ternty,
8 years old, was lifted bodily from the
stoop and landed on the out house, a.
bout ten feet from the dwelling. The
clubhouse collapsed, but the boy came
out unhurt. Several people received
slight wounds from falling stone, and 4
number of barns were riddled.
The scene of the disaster was crowd
ed with people this afternoon. Where
the Latin Il Rand Powder Works had
stood was deep hole in the clay in
which not a viStage of the building re-
manned. Over the prairie for half u
mile were scattered bits Of stone and
sliyers from the roof tlmbers. y block
Of stone, said to weigh nearly $50
pounds, went through the wall Of the
Grand Trunk round-house, about Il
mile north, and another dropped
through the roof, smashing in the cab
of an engine. The Chicago and Alton
round-house, nearly mile northeast,
was ridded with small fragments, and
every window smashed to pieces. John
Shannon, aged 15, and Willie and Dan
Kelly lads of about the same age found
a can of block powder on the prairie a.
bout three-fOurthS Of a mile from the
explosion. 1t was still hot, and they
had a curiosity to know its contents.
They pried it open and the powder eX-
ploded, scorching them seyereIy about
the face and hands. They may lose
their sight on account Of their burns.
Throughout the southern and west
ern portions of the city many thousand
dollars damage was done by the eXplo-
sion. Plate-glass windows all along
State and Halstead streets, and on
Clark, Madison and several other
streets, fully six miles distant, were de-
moliShCd.