The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-09
THE GREATEST KNOWN EXPLOSION.
Whole City Devastated and Thousands OF
Women and Children L ntombed.


Women and Children ntombed.
Chambers Journal
Some few miles to the north OF Agra, between
the rivers Ganges and Jumna stood, in the
carly part OK this century, the town and fort OF
Hatrass The town was the center of the do
minions of an independent Rsjah, and was sep
arated from the fort by distance of less than
half mile The town one Of great
strength. and the fort was not less strong
in its defenses. The walls were thick
and high, strengthened by several immense
bsstions, while bitches thirty yards wide aud
twenty-five feet Deep with FIVE fset of water,
surrounded both the town and the fort. The
conduct of the Rajah, Dyaram Jacbor, had
given cause Of apprehension to the East India
government as to his designs against some OF
their possessions Accordingly, In 1917 he WAS
summoned By the Marquis of Hastings to dis
mantle his Notifications and disband his troops.
AT first he made pretense of complying, but
afterward refused the demand. A considerable
force was therefore dispatched against him. under
the command of Major general Mar
shall The town first at
incessant shower Of bombs, shrspnel shells and
Congreve rockets The courage of the defenders
was far inferior to the strength Of the fortlica-
tions. or the besiegers would have found their
undertaking very difficult. IL not impossible. AS
it was, in three or four days. before any i'm
portant breach had been made, the garrison
evacuated the town and took refuge in the fort.
On entering the town. which they could do only
the gates barrcaded with stones and immense
bales Of cotton.
The full force Of the cannonade was now d.
rected upon the fort, the defenders returning
the fire with much energy. They seemed de-
termired to resist to the last The British gen.
eral molly offered TO guarantee the preservation
OF their property il they would send their
wives and children to be guarded out Of the Ra-
jahs dominions. They were deaf to all his en-
treaties and were resolved to face the worst
The worst soon came. A dire ard unexpected
calamity saved them the horrors and suffer
ings OF protracted siege. large shell
from enc or the British mortars penetrated
the great powder magazine of the fort; a
tremendous explosion vas the result. The
store or powder In the magazine was immense,
the account lation of many years, amounting to
at least 4. 600 maunds or 80 pounds each, or 320.
900 pounds ayolrdupois. The magazine con-
sisted largely of stone vaults. extending far
under ground This will account for sorne OF
the phenomena and for the distance TO which the
agitation OF the ground extended 1t 10 sup
posed That many OF the garrison, with the major
part OF the women and children, had sought ref
uge in these vaults from the British shells,
which were very destructive, and that many of
these were entombod beneath the ruins Of the
building
The English guns suddenly ceased firing, few
knowing why, until the dreadful explosion al
most paralyzed every observer. From the mar
rative CT officer. We cite few Interesting
particulars 81 was on a working party with
tool-yard, about three hundreds from the left of
the trenches. when was thrown fiat upon my
face by some violent shock OF the earth. Before
the general shock, the earth seemed in violent
commissions. The walls surrounding the tool
yard were propelled forward from the fort and
fell to the ground. Stones bricks pieces OF wood,
and. nearer the fort, bodies aud limbs were to be
seen soaring in the air in all directions For
the moment CONSERVATION aud dsmay were de-
picted III every face When arose felt much
alarmed; the earth seemed still TO move under
me; and at first thought something had hap
pened to me alone but. on looking round,
found my men, some in the attitude Of prayer
and others lying down, hiding their faces with
fear. Having recovered my senses, / looked
toward the fort and saw it enveloped In one
dense cloud of smoke or dust and new and then
streaks of fire issuing from its battlements. In
the midst of this momentary alarm there was
an indistinct bnzZing that the grand magazine
Of the enemy bad been blown up.
This report having reached my ears
i ran, or rather rolled, along the
trenches, aud was informed that their grand
magazine had really been blown ND by of
our shells. Again looking toward the tomb of
destruction. what a sight met the eyel The
smoke which arose from the ruins seemed TO be
solid and substantial structure, gradually and
majesteally ascending to the skies, bearing on
its top vAriegated volumes of vapor that seemed
to ride upon il. From this ascending mountain
were ever and anon vomited forth sheets Of Wv
Id fire, and glittering sand fell in showers upon
the spot Through this dense but really upsub-
stantisl mass TO be seen the setting sun,
spreading his luminous beams through the
gigantic phenomenon. and the beauty Of the
sight was beyond human fancy 10 imagine.
The tremendous volume Of smoke seemed to
rise almost perpendiculsrly, bearing of q little
with the wind. which scarcely breatbed. When
il had assembled so that the sun was visible under
II, the mas above changed color, and you might
trace on it the most brilliant rays OF the rain
bow. This continued ascending in various
forms until at last it was lost in the distance;
after which every eye was directed to the de-
etruction below, and the sight was friehtful. in
deed. Heads, bodies, legs, arms, hands, spears,
guns, muskets, planks and coors lay indiscrim-
inately among the piles OF ruins"
The shock was so terrible that 10 was distinct-
~ felt as Neerut, a distance of $50 miles
The interior Of the fort, some four or FIVE
hundred persons. horses and cattle of all descrip-
tons were destroyed, but the dsfensss of the
fort were very little injured. SO that the firing
on the part of the besieged was soon renewed
and kept up the remainder of the day with even
greater spirit This q ruse, however, to
cover the intended evacuation of the fort which
took place the same night. Many of the fugtivss
were cut down by tho British, but many made
good their escape, among whom was the Rajah
himself The fort and the town were afterward
completely dismantisd.