Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-17
THE POWDER EXPLOSION
LIST OF THE VICTIMS OF THE
KINGS MILLS DISASTER.
An Eye-Witness's Graphic Description of
the Awful Catastrophe-Dazing Effect
of the Fearful Concussion.

CINCINNATI, July Following is the
list of the killed at the explosion yester-
day at Kings mills: Mrs. James Dea-
con, Henry Reynolds, Samuel Stephens,
Mrs. James Moss and child, Mrs. Fred
Keller and child, VIM. Franey, brake
man; Ralph Williams, Baby Elsyne,
Nick Snyder, and an Unknown man.
A dozen were injured, some of whom
will die.
Joseph Proctor, well-known resident
OF Columbus, was an eyewitness of the
terrible affair. He gave a very vivid
account of the explosion. The gentle
man is still suffering from the effect Of
his terrible experience, and trembled
visibly when talking. "I hardly know
how can describe the awful occurrence.
am still dazed from the effects of the
shock. l was visiting friend near
Kings mills, and during the afternoon
sauntered up the road to the
cartridge factory, when freight train
came along. I started toward my
friends house. On reaching the top Of
the hill 1 turned around, just as the
freight train was making running
switch to the side track. l saw brake
man on one of the cars as they shot
onto the side track. He was waving
his hand to some one on the train. AS
1 looked l saw two detached cars bump
against what supposed an empty car
on the side track. An instant later
there was rumbling noise, then the
very ground beneath me seemed
to open. 1 saw puff of smoke,
followed a second later by another, and
the cars disappeared. The station and
powder house and dwelling seemed to
follow, and the work of destruction had
only Just commenced. stood rooted to
the ground. had an idea, of course, of
what had occurred, but could not real
ize it. I knew many lives were going
out, but was powerless to lend assist
ance. Then dense volumes of flame and
smoke came pouring from the doors and
windows of the cartridge factory.
1 saw men, women and chill
dren tearing at each other in
their frantic endeavors to escape.
The explosion and fire at the cartridge
house seemed to be simultaneous. The
building did not catch on fire in the or
dinary way, but the fame 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 it's
foundations and dashed to the ground.
In this building mother and child lost
their lives. How long l stood don't
know, but 1 managed to make my way
to the scene, and others in the neighbor-
hood also gathered there. The scene
was one Of the awfullest l ever wit
messed. The railroad tracks were
twisted and torn like SO much paper,
and telegraph poles and wires burned as
so much tinder. We got to work as soon
as possible, and 1 know, we got fully
dozen women and men from the
powder house. There was not one
but that was injured or bruised. They
seemed to be oblivious of their sur
roundings, and don't think they real
lied what had occurred. Some were
burned and others cut and bruised by
the force of the explosion. To add to
the terrible scene was the constant
swapping of cartridges, and the rescuers
were in danger OF being killed at any
time. l don't know how many were
killed, but am of the opinion that ten
at least lost their lives. The number of
wounded will be double that number" +"