Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-08-30
A Terrible EXPLOSION.

A severe shock like that of an earthquake
was felt in every portion of Chicago yester-
day morning. Tie cause was the explosion
of the Latin and Rand Powder Company's
magazine, on the Archer road, near the Nc
Cormick Reaper Works 1t is supposed
that bolt of lightning struck the magazine
and the concnssion set of the dynamite and
the gun powder stored there. The shock
caved in the two magazines OF the Oriental
Powder Company and those belonging to
the Warren Powder Company, the Hazard,
the Dupont, and the Forcite dynamite store.
house. The 11tna, which stood about three
quarters of mile distant, was unframed.
The Latin and Rand Company's magazine
was the only one which exploded. The
house of John Guh!, driver for the ORR
entail Powder Company, was flattened out
upon the ground mass of kindling wood.
Gubl and his wife were fatally injured and
Carrie Ernworth, their servant girl, was in
stsuty killed The residence of Mrs. De-
vine was demolished in the same way. Mrs.
Devine bad her leg broken and body bruised.
She was dragged out from under the ragged
heap Of splinters and taken to the hospital.
A farmer, whose name could not be learned,
was driving past toward the city when the
explosion occurred. His skull was frsc
tured and his back badly lacerated by blocks
ofstoue He cannot live. The horse he was
driving was instantly killed, and the wagon
smashed TO bits. The whole aide Of Justice
Michael Tearney's house, near the Oriental
magazine, was ripped off and the roof caved
in, but not one of the household was IN
iured Little Tom Tearney, 8 years old,
,r,, boIilx, Froo, tho hocl- ctnop M, n
an clubhouse about ten feet from the dwell
ling. The outhouse collapsed, but the boy
came oat unh,lrt Several people received
slight wounds from falling stone, and q
number af barns were riddled. The scene
Of the disaster was crowded with people
yesterday afternoon. Where the Latlin II
Rand powder works had stood was deep
hole in the clay in which not q vestige Of
the building remained. Over the prairie
for half mile were scattered bits of stone
and sivers fran the roof timber. A block of
stone said to weigh nearly $50 pounds went
through the wall ofthe Grand Trunk round.
house, about mile north, and another
dropped through the rooi, smashing in the
roof Of an engine. The Chicago and Alton
roundhouse, nearly mile northeast, was
riddled with small fragments and overy
window smashed to pieces. John Shannon,
aged Is, and Willie and Dan Kelly, lads of
about the same age found a can Of black
powder on the prairie about three.quarters
Of mile from the explosion. 1t was still
hot and they had curiosity to know its
contents They pried it open and the powder
exploded, scorching them severely about
the face and hands. They may lose their
sight on account Of their burns. Through
out the southern and western portions Of
the city many thousands of dollars damage
was done by the explosion. Plate lass win
dows all along State and Halstead streets
and on Clark, Madison, and several other
streets fully six miles distant were demol-
ished Two plate-glass windows in the
board of trade building and ono in the John
son building opposite were destroyed.