Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-16
A Graphic Description Of the Kings
Mills Explosion.
THE PATHFINDER'S FUNERAL
The Captain Of the Sea King in
Danger Of Lynching.
COW FORAKER OPENS A CONVENTION
IN AN INSTANT ALL WAS DEATH.
The Explosion Yesterday at King,
Mills, Ohio.

CINCINNATI, July 16-Mr. Joseph Proctor,
well-known resident of Columbus arrived in
the city on the Pennsylvania train at midnight.
He was an eye witness to the terrible explosion
at Kings Mills, and gave Q vivid account of the
disaster. The gentleman was still suffering
from effects Of his experience, and trembled
visibly when talking.
81 hardly know how can describe the awful
occurrence. l am still dazed from the effects
OF the shock. was visiting . friend near
Kings Mills and during the afternoon saun-
tered up the road TO the cartridge factory. 1
inspected il thoroughly and chatted with some
OF the workmen for quite . while. When the
freight train came along started toward my
friends house, which is over the hill overlook
ing the works. In reaching the top Of
the hill I turned around Just as the freight
train was making q running switch to the side
track. saw a breakmsn on one Of the oars as
they shot onto the side track and he was wav-
Ing his hand to some one on the train As I
looked l saw the two detached cars bump
against what supposed was an empty car on
the side track.
THE GROUND SEEMED TO OPEN.
"An instant later there was a rumbling noise
and then the very ground beneath me seemed
to open. saw puff of smoke, followed a sec
ond later by another, and the cars disappeared
The station and a powder house and dwelling
seemed to follow and the work of destruction
had only just commenced All this occurred
quicker than relate it, and I stood rooted
to the ground. / had an idea, of course,
Of what had occurred, but 1 could
not realize it. I knew that many lives were
going out. but was powerless to lend any
sistance. Then dense volumes of flame and
smoke came pouring from the doors and win
dows OF the cartridge factory, and l saw men,
women and children tearing at each other in
their frantic endesvors to escape. The explo-
sion and the fire at the cartridge house seemed
to be simultaneous.
THE building did not catch on fire in an ordi-
nary way, but the flames seemed to penetrate
the doors and windows from all sides. 1 saw q
number Of the women come out. but some GER
tainly perished in the flames. A dwelling house
below the cartridge house was blown from its
foundation and dashed to the ground In this
building mother and child lost their lives.
TO THE RESCUE.
"How long stood do not know, but man
aged to make my way to the scene and others
in the neighborhood we're also gathering
The scene was one of the most awful / ever
witnessed The railroad tracks were twisted and
torn like SO much paper and the telegraph poles
and wires were burned like 80 much tinder
A car load Of coal about 60 feet distant caught
fire and burned up. We got to work a. soon as
possible, and know we got fully a dozen
women and men from the powder house. There
was not one but was injured or bruised They
seemed to be oblivious of the surroundings and
do not think they realized what had occurred
Some we're burned and Others were cut and
bruised by the force of the explosion.
n N ferri
constant swapping of the cartridges and the
rescuers were in danger OF being killed at any
time. / do not want another such experience
as long as live, and hope 1 never may wit
how many we're killed, but am of the opinion
that ten at least lost their lives. The number
Of wounded will be double that number"
THE DEArH::LIsr.
The following is a list of the killed and in
jured: The killed are Mrs. James Deacon,
Henry Reynolds Samuel Stephens Mrs. James
Moss and child Mrs. Fred Keller and child.
VIM. Franey, brakeman: Ralph Williams Baby
Elstein, Nick Snyder and an unknown man.
The injured are Mrs. E. E. Tightesiser, Gin
cinnati, scalp cut, two ribs broken. hurt in
ternally; Mrs. Ida Elstum, foot and hand
badly cut and torn; Trick Sneider, badly cut
about head and side; Charles Collins, thought
to be fatally injured internally; Miss Claudio
Benn, arm torn OF; Frederick Keller, face
badly burned and scalp torn; Mrs. Barbara
Schneider, head badly cut; Miss Katie Schnei-
der, face badly burned; Miss Tode Behn, hips
dislocated left arm broken and scalp wound:
John Masga. face badly cut and burned;
Mother Dowdel. cut about face and body; Mrs.
Joseph Dowdell, cut about face and body; Miss
Ben A. Snyder, hurt about face and body;
Charles Moon, badly hurt about body; Miss
Moon, head, limbs and body cut by flying
timbers; James Deacon, badly hurt by fying
timbers; Mrs. John Snyder. hurt internally;
Mrs. John Flynn, arms and face cut by falling
house; Charles Thompson, ankle broken, and