Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1886-09-02
FEARFUL EXPLOSION.
Lightning Creates Havoc Among
Chicago Powder Houses.

| NhiCAdO Liz mug. Ov-at S.lO CaOCA
yesterday morning in the midst of heavy
thunder storm the powder magazine be-
longing to tine Latin Rand Powder Com
pany in Brighton, a suburb. was struck by
lightning. An explosion followed, which
destroyed property valued at $4,000, bo-
sides killing one person almost instantly,
; fatally injuring four others, and inflicting
| painful i'll urieS on nearly twenty-five moro.
The combined efforts of hard fought bat
tie, a cyclone and the whitening FISHES Of
lightning could not have presented a PIC
ture of more terrible desolatlon and de-
sructiOn than did the country for half
mile in all directions from the exploded
magazine. Yesterday opened glOom;Iy.
At eight o'clock rain began falling furious
| ly. Flashes OF lightning were soon chas-
ing each other across the whole armament
and the heavens seemed ablaze, while tho
| thunder was deatening.
| The dead and fatally injured are: Miss
Carrie Ahernworh, killed instantly; Peter
| Kenn, farmer, ribs broken and fearfully
burned; John Guhi, teamster for the ORR
entail Powder Company, ribs fractured, right
| leg broken in two places, internal wounds;
Mrs. Guhl, skull crushed; Mrs. Eliza De-
vine, right leg crushed 10 jelly, breast
transfxed by strip Of glass.
The shock caved in two magazines of the
! Oriental Powder Company and also those
! belonging to the Warren Powder Company,
| the Hazard and the Dupont and the FOrcite
dynamite storehouse. The Latin & Rand
| cOmpany's was the only one which ex-
plOded. Where it stood is now an Immense
excavation nearly fifty feet in depth.
| The magazine of the Latin & Rand Pow
der Company was one of the largest of a
dozen structures in the neighb0rhood. II
was substantial brick house 7Oy30 feet in
dimension, with slate roof and one iron
door OF great strength. The magazine was
300 feet east Of the cottage of John Guhl
and 700 feet from the residence OF Mr.. Tier
nan. Just preceding the explosion long
electric flame seemed 10 burst from cloud
directly ever Latin & Rand's magazine.
In an instant the air was filled with flying
missiles. Masses of brick and clay, sheets
of tin, large stones and pieces OF
timber performed indescribable gyrations
hnndscas Of feet in the air, some falling
back close to the points from which they
started, while others shot off through space
with frightful velocity, only conforming
to the laws of gravity after long flights.
Stones weighing from ten to fifty pounds
were thrown into fields two miles from the
scene. Trees were stripped, fences by the
mile were laid low, telegraph wires snapped
and the prairie bore seams as Of thousand
steam plows. Not building within mile
of the explosion escaped damage.
A FAMILY TERRIBLY MANGLED.
The cottage of John Guhl with its sur
rounding OuthOuses was laid low, aud in
moment parts of the exploded warehouse
began falling on the cottage. Guhls family
Sto nf wv
AhernwOrth, fourteen years of age. The
| latter was instantly killed, while Guhl and
his wife were dragged from the ruins
frightfully mangled. Their horses, COW
and swine were all killed by the conclusion
and the bodies blown tull of dirt, sand and
powder. The ruins of Guhl's house i'm
mediately caught fire and the smouidering
fragments burned OAt during the day.
Directly south of Latin & Rand's powder
house facing the Archer avenue road TO the
northwest stood the modest little frame
house of Mrs. Eliza Devnc. 1t had only
one room but WIS enough for its only cccu-
pant She had reached the age of sixty
five, had seen her children marry and had
hoped to spend her remaining days in the
peace and quiet of her little home. What
little was required for her support she
earned by making dresses for the women i'll
the neighborliood. What the old woman
experienced when the explosion took place,
about seventy-tive feet from her, will
never be written. When the frightened
neighbors were satisfied that the rain
OF stones had ceased they found
that Mrs. Devine's house was total
wreck. 1t did not have tho appearance
which characterized the ruins Of Guhi's
house-that of having been blown away by
strong wind-hut il had simply collapsed
melted as It were. The debris was not
scattered, but it occupied tlle same amount
of space as did the house before the ex-
plOsiOn. The presence OF a stone weighing
about three hundred pounds on the top Of
! tho ruins indicated that the house was
squeezed together like a she'll and its in
mates caught without chance to escape.
Willing hands were soon at work, and after
much labor she was extricated. Her right
leg from the knee down was crushed into
sllapeless mass of flesh and bone. A
large piece of glass had entered just under
her left collar bone, and had been forced
out through her arm pit.
Peter Kenn. farmer from Orland, was
driving past in his wagon on the Archer
road, and was Immediately IN front of the
great magazine when the bot struck. lie
was blown 200 feet in the corn field, and
when picked up was found to bc frightfu'ly
injured. One of his horses was killed out
right and hurled into ditch at the side Of
the road. The other animal was badly
hurt and the wagon was reduced to bits.
The exploded magazine contained, it is
estimated, 100000 pounds Of powder and
half as much dynamite. In the neighbor-
ing ten stOrehOuses were 100000 pounds Of
dynamite and twice as much powder. Not
one of the eleven buildings had lightning
rod or conductor.
When the first shock of the magazine ex.
plosion reached the Jesuit Church of the
Holy Family at Twelfth street and Blue
island avenue. five miles distant, ten o'clock
mass was going on in the basement OF the
edific.. The rafters shook and the build
ing trembled like an aspen leaf. There
were between 1000 and 1000 people at the
service. Rev. Father Legae was the cele-
brant. The wOrshipers got up on the
benches and made an indiscriminate plunge
for the staircase and windows. The latter
were knocked out castings and all. The
utmost confusion prevailed. Men fell in
heaps over fainting women and children 10
get out On the grounds adjOing the church
and In the excitement many were knocked
down and trampled under foot Father
Legae's admonitiOn to the congregation to
remain seated was drowned in the passionate
appeals for help from women and chill
dfen. Strange to relate. no one was hurt
"A correspondent says that when
MasSOod Mira the Persian heir. is