The Portland daily press., 1889-09-07
CRASH! THEN DEATH AND DISASTER
Explosion of Dynamite In an Antwerp
Cartridge Factory.
The Number of Dead May be Found
To Be 800.
Two Acres Of Buildings Become a
Great Sea of Flame.

ANTWERP, September 6.-Dynamite ex-
ploded today in a cartridge factory in the vi
cinity Of the Bourse. killing many persons
and doing much damage to property. Por-
tions of the Bourse were struck by burning
fragments and set on fire, causing panic in
that building, which was at the time crowd
ed.
The cartridge factory was situated behind
the docks. upon which millions Of cartridges
were being loaded, and was adjacent to the
petroleum stores. Two large Russian petro-
leum warehouses we're set on FIRE and are
now burning. The other stores are endan-
| gered. Police, gems d'armes and troops are
| assisting in the work Of extinguishing the
flames, while priests and sisters OF charity
are looking after the injured. The city Is
| enveloped in dense smoke. Eighty thous-
and barrels Of oil are burning.
The number of deaths will probably reach
200. About 500 persons were injured. The
loss will be many million fracs. II will be
impossible to extinguish the flames in less
than "a hours. Several vessels have been
burned. Owing to the intense heat the fire.
men are unable to approach the flames near.
or than 100 yards.
The explosion occurred In the workshop
where the old cartridges were being taken to
pieces. Men and women were actively at
work breaking them up and 5000 had been
partly broken.
The fire covers two acres, Beyond the
Russian tanks and Nobeles sheds, numerous
houses are burning. Shipping at the African
and American docks is in danger.
Midnight-The latest estimate Is 800 dead
and 100 injured. At the American docks all
ships have been saved. owing to the favora-
BILE direction Of the wind. The stained win
dows Of the cathedral have been smashed
aud 1t Is feared the steeple will collapse.
The whole vicinity is strewn with debris.
England VIII Not interfere.
OTTAWA, Ontario, September 6.-Sir John
Macdonald returned to the capital yesterday
in consequence. 1t Is understood, OF the re-
ceipt by the Canadian government of impor-
tant dispatches from England. The text of
these dispatches, though not positively
known, Is said TO be a practical refusal on
the part Of the imperial authorities TO allow
the Pacific squadron OF the British fleet to
Interfere in the Behring sea difficulty. Can
ada, they say, must settle the difficulty her
self. A cabinet meeting was held yesterday
afternoon and lasted over two hours. The
stood, are OF the opinion that the United
States will rellnquish its claim to exclusive
sovereignty la Behring sea. The claims for
compensation for the seizure will aggregate
at least 100000 These will be transmitted
to the imperial government without delay,
along with a strong demand for decisive ac-
tion tending toward settlement Of the ques-
tion.
Fifty Dead.
EDINBURGH, September G. The colliery
explosion yesterday resulted in the death Of
fifty miners, only fourteen of the sixty four
men in the pit having been rescued. The
scene Of the disaster is Peniquick. ten miles
| from this city.
Foreign Notes.
A new imperial train has Just been built
| for the Emperor of Russia. The saloons are
| covered with iron outside and then comes
| eight inches Of corn Instead Of steel plates
with which the carriages Of the old train
were protected. All the saloons communi-
cate by covered passage, and are exactly
the same in outward appearance, so that no
outsider may be able to discover in which
carriage the Gar Is travelling. During the
Emperor's journey last autumn he passed
most Gf his time In carriage that from the
outside looked like baggage car.
1t Is reported that seventy men Of FL. NJ. S
Bellerophon. at Quebec, have deserted
The Temps says the French government
will not reply to Gen. Boulanger's demand
for trial by court martial.
Gold has been discovered at Princes Lodge,
seven miles from Halifax, N. s.
A man named Dopoghue, shot by a con-
stable at Timoleague, County Cork, Is dead.
Donoghue was quietly standing at street
corner when the constable fred at him.