Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-30
LAST NIGHTS NEWS.
A TERRIFIC AND DESTRUCTIVE
EXPLOSION.
Western Crop Summary-Survey of
Crater Lake - -Cold-Blooded
Murder-Foreign News.
LsPscIAL D1sPATcHEs TO THE EEcoRp-u,uoN.l
SPECIAL DISPATCHES TO THE EEcoEp-u.uos.l
DOMESTIC.
Terrific and Destructive Explosion Caused
by I.iohtnip~

Terrific and Destructive Explosion Caused
by Lightning.
CHICAGO, August 29ih-At 915 o'clock
this morning, in the midst OF a heavy
thunderstorm, the powder magazine be-
longing to the Latin & Rand Powder Com
pany was struck by lightning. An ex-
plosion followed, which destroyed prop
erty valued at $40, 600 besides killing two
persons almost Instantly and fatally injur-
ing three, ana contributing painful injuries
to nearly twenty-five others The COM
bined efforts of q hard-fought battle, a
cyclone and the withering influences of
lightning, could not have presented pict-
ure of more abject desolatiOn and destruc-
ton than did the country for half mile in
all directions from the exploded magazine
The day had opened gloomy, and at s
clock the rain began falling fiercely from
immense banks OF clouds, Flashes of
lightning were seen chasing each other
across the whole armament, until The
heavens seemed ahlaZe. and the thunder
was deafenirg. At g:l5 flash, which it is
alleged was brighter than those preceding,
was followed by report'that shook the
greater portion of Cook couSty. 1t was q
sharp report, but, strange 10 say, By most
who lived in the vicinity Of the explosion,
II Was IdIulN tlSlIIISll llSiluDlt iIa1lil llG
series OF thunder ciaps which had been in
order during the morning. There was
Tremendous shaking of the earth,
and articles of furniture not stationary
were thrown about the rooms as if they
we're playthings in Il giants power. Men,
women and childen were tossed around at
will by the terrible resistless force released
by tie explosion. The scene of the Catas-
trophe is about two miles from the ex-
treme southwestern edge of the city, near
where Archer avenue settles down into the
conventional country highway On one side
wave great fields of ripening corn, on the
other broad stretch of prairie runs for
nearly Il mile in all directions. There are,
or rather there were, dozen plain but
strongly built houses. with walls of yellow
brick, roofs of slate and strong iron doors.
These were magazines, in which the bulk
OF the powder supply for Chicago and the
territory dependent upon her was stored.
Right in the midst Of the magazines rose
the home Of NJ. j. Tierney, Police Magis-
trate Of the town of Lake, in the limits of
which the corporation warehouses stood.
The house was, until to-day, an attractive
looking home, two stories high, with a
spacious veranda in front, and surrounded
by q number of substantial outhouSes. 1t
overlooked the Archer road, about forty
feet away. Three hundred feet northeast
of the Tierney residence was little cot
tage, rudely built and surrounded by ruder
sheds, stables and hog-pens, and the maya
zine of the Latin e Rand Powder Com
pany.
One of the largest structures in the
neighborhood was a substantial brick
house, 20 by so, with slate roof and an
iron door of great strength. The magazine
a., S.f - IL
Guilland, and 700 feet from the residence
of Mr. Tierney. When the rain began fall
ing this morning people in the vicinity were
all indoors, many of them prolongipg their
Saturday nights rest. An occasional wagon
passing along the Archer road was about
the only sign of life outdoors. Just pre-
cediEg the explosion q long, vivid electric
flame seemed to burst from cloud directly
over Latin Il Rand's magazine In an in
stant the air was filled with flying missiles
and masses of brick and clay, sheets of tin,
large stones and pieces of timber performed
indescribable gyrations hundreds 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 laws of gravitation. A
long flight of stones, weighing from one to
one hundred and fifty pounds, were thrown
were stripped of their foliage, fences by the
mile were laid, telegraph wires snapped
like fragile threads, and the prairie bore
seams as of the work of thousands of steam
plows. Not building within 4 mile of the
explosion escaped damage. The little cot
tage of John Gubl, with lis surrounding
outhouses, was laid low without warning,
and in q moment part of the exploded ware
house began falling on the debris of the
cottage.
Guhrs family consisted of himself, wife
and Carrie Ahrenworlh, II years old. The
latter was instantly killed, while Guhl and
wife were dragged from the ruins fright
fully mutilated. Their horse, cow and
swine were all killed by the conclusion,
and their bodies blown full of dirt, sand
and powder. The ruins of Guhls house
Immediately took fire, and fragments
burned out during the day The body of
Carrie AhrenwOr,h presented a sickening
spectacle, half of her face being torn away,
the eyes almost blown from the sockets,
and there was gaping hole in the fore
head large enough 10 receive mans fist.
The left arm was torn from the shoulder.
Fatally injured are: Miss Carrie Ahren-
worth. killed instantly: Peter Kenn, &
farmer, ribs broken and severely burned
John Guhl teamSter for Oriental Powder
Company, ribs fractured, right leg broken
in two places, and internal wounds; Mrs.
Guhl, Skull crushed; Mrs. Elsie Deyine,
right leg crushed to jelly, and the breast
uanshxed by strip OF glass. The shock
caved in two magazines of the Oriental
Powder Company and also those belonging
to the Warner Powder, Hazard Dupont
Company and the Forciie dynamite Store
house of Latin & Rand Company, only
one of which exploded. Where it stood
there is an immense excavation of nearly
fifty feet in depth.
The exploded magazine contained. 1t is
estimated, 10000 pounds of powder, and
half as much dynamite. In the neigbbor-
ing ten store houses were 900 pounds of
dynamite, and twice as much powder Not
one of the eleven buildings had lightning
rods or conductors.
Increase of Pay Demanded.
New YORK, August 29;h-A demand for
au increase of pay for the New York Gen.
trail employees has been made by District
Assembly No. 5, Knights of Labor. The