Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-05
Disastrous Explosion.

A Detroit ;Mich.) special says: The lit
Tie four-correr town OF EcOrse, eighA miles
below Detroit, was treated 10 a frst-class
sensation last night ut about o O'Clock,
when the general store and residence COM
bined Of Joseph Salliotte was blown 10
fragments with powder aud nineteen per-
sons projected in every direction and one
probably fatally injured. The store pro-
Der was two-story frame structure. and
was large Que for q country village. IL
contained the usual stock OF groceries,
boots, shoes, dry goods, &c. An adioin-
ing opo-story building under the same roof
contained "a quantity OF paints, oils, and
-four, and was used as a storeroom. la tue
rear Of this addition was an l.. The store
was fifty feet long from front TO rear.
The hands in large mill had been paid
of during the day and the store had been
unusually full all the evening OF men and
women paying their accumulated bills OF
the previous month OF fortnight. At the
extreme rear Of the store, under a counter
that extended across the end of the room,
on the floor stood 2j-pound key OF gun
powder, out OF which five or six pounds
had been sold. IL bad small ORR
fee for pouring out the powder,
which was generally covered with a
store was a cellar, and over IL In the Sc
cond story were bedrooms. Persons be-
longing TO the family, adults end children,
or customers who had not yet left were
scattered throughout the building 10 the
number OF nineteen. just after the neigh
boring clocks had struck ninea tremendous
explosion took place in the rear lower part
OF the store, while fierce and sudden blast
OF fire tore away the rear part OF the build
Ing and shattered the front and sides. The
grocery floor and the floor above were shat
tered into splinters.
The proprietor, Salliotte his son-in law,
Columbus Labadie Simon Labadie, his
brother; \. Morris. and Louis Preyort
ell into the cellar. Carrie, daughter OF
the proprietor, who was In an upstairs
room preparing 10 retire, was sent sky
ward. The five men were covered with
falling beams, boards, and df6ris. The
wreck below prevented the daughter from
falling further than the first floor, but she
was covered with fragments OF the roof,
The tremendous force OF the explosion
threw fcar boys stinding in the front part
OF the store into the street. G. A. Ferguson
was thrown through the window into the
road. but only received slight cut on the
hand from broken glass. Six others-Mrs.
Morris and her child, Alex Labadie. Felix
Cicotte, and two boys-were thrown
through the front door Into the street as
though projected from catapuIt. Lottie
Salliotte, girl OF thirteen, was blown into
the side yard. Mrs. saliotte and two young
children whom she was preparing for bed
were covered with dsbris and received
some bruises. Mrs. Salllotte was struck
by the door leading In from the store. Her
body was bruised and her face covered
with blood. Mrs. Columbus Lstadie, who
stood near the centre OF the store, had
nearly all her clothes stripped from her
body, but escaped without . scratch. A
bedroom which contained sleeping infant
was wrecked, but the babe escaped CON-
unhurt.
The people in the little village were
frightened by the noise OF the explosion
and rushed out In the darkness, adding TO