The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-07-24
The Powder hili Explosion.

CINCINNATI, July 16.-Twelve people
were killed and fourteen injured at the
explosion yesterday at Kings powder
mills, twenty Blk miles East of this city.
Mr.. Josh Proctor, we'll known resi-
dent of Columbus, arrived in the city on
the Pennsylvania train at midnight.
He was an eye witness tc the terrible
affair, and gave a very vivid account of
the explosion. ghe gentleman was still
suffering from the effects of his expe.
ience and trembling visibly hen talking.
II hardly know how I can describe
the awful occurrence. I am still dazed
from the effects of the shock. I was
visiting friend near Kings mill, and
during the afternoon had saunte.ed up
the road to the cartridge factory. I in
spected it thoroughly aud chatted with
some of the workmen for quitea while.
When e eight train came along / star
ed towards my friends house, which is
over the hill overlooking the works. In
reaching the top of the hill I turned
around just as the freight train was max
ing a running switch to side track. I
sawa brakeman on one of the cars es
they shot on to the side track, and he
was waving his hand to some one on the
train.
"As I looked saw two detached cars
bump against what.I supposed was an
empty car on the side track. An instant
later there was q arumbling noise, and then
the very ground beneath me seemed to
open. I saw puff of smoke, followed
second later BY another, and the cars
disappeared, the station and powder
house and dwelling seemed tofollow, and
the: work of destruction had only just
commenced.
"All this occurred quicker than l can
relate it, and ! stood rooted to the ground.
had an idea, of course, of what occurr'
ed, but I could not realize it. L knew
that many lives were going ont,
but I was powerless to lend any assist.
ance. Then dense volumes of fame and
smoke came pouring from the doors and
windows of the cartridge factory, and [
saw men, women and children tearing at
each other in their frantic endeavogs to
escape. !. ezs,93
1.-THE explosion and fire at the cartridge
house seemed to be simultaneous. The
building did; not seem to catch on fire in
Che ordinary way, but the flames seemed
TO penetrate the doors and windows from
all sides. saw number of women
come out, but some certainly perished
in the flames. a dwelling house below
the cartridge house was blown from its
foundation and dashed to pieces In
this building a mother and child lost
their lives. How long I stood / do not
know, but Imanaged to mako my way
to the scene, and others: in the neigbbor-::
hood were also gathering. \
ne scene was one Of the most awful
i ever witnessed. Rsilroad tracks were
twisted and torn like go much paper and
telegraph poles and wires Tere burned
like 80 much ytinder.
s3i"sA carload of coal about sixty feet
distant caught. fire aud barned up We
got to work as soon as possible, and ]
know we got fully dozen women and
men from the powder house. There was
not one bnt was injured Or bruised.
They seemed Y to be oblivious of their
surroundings, and I do not think they
realized what had occurred Some we're
burned and Others were cut and bruised
by the force Of the explosion.
ITO add to the terrible scene, there
was q constant swapping of cartridges,
and the rescuers were in danger oi being
killed at any: tine. I do notwant snoth.
or such experience as long ss ] live, and I
hope I may never witrless another such
catastrophe. I don't know how many
were killed, but I am of the opinion that
|sat least ten lost their lives. The number
of wounded will be double that mum
ber."' .-..s.------- ----------- =