Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-09
ooRoNEE's INQUEST.
a PANIC IN WILMiNa row.

People Rush Into the streets i'm
TerrOr-Danagc 10 Property.
Six sharp reports at Intervals of about
second like the booming o. heavy ord
nance, Brought Wilmington people into
the streets in terror yesterday afternoon.
Houses rocked to and fro and the people
terror-stricken rushed into the highways
in fearful anxiety least some great dis
sster had visited them. They fiocked
hither and yon in inquisitorial hope Of
solving the cause of the great disturb
ance. Every one had suggestion as to
the cause of the series Of tremendous
shocks and the belief, after people had
collected their thoughts settled into the
conviction that du Points powder mills
had blown up. In the height OF the
panic the fire alarm sounded from boz 20
and general stampede was made for
Second and Shipiey streets. It was
ascsrtained that the only commotion in
that Vicinity was the Issuing of smoke
from o store. Then speculation drifted
10 the belief that powder was the cause
of the deafeuing reports. Hou6ts in the
city rocked to and fro and tall steeples
threatened to tumble from their lofty
emineuce. Window panes broke and
the falling fragments rang out a
mocklng jingle at the wreckage.
Momen's faces were blanched with fear
and men were tsrrorized with the appre-
hension that more aud worse shocks
might follow and destroy this city OF cozy
homes. The panicky assemblage quieted
down only When ut last long de-
layed telephone message brought
the tidings Of the awful disaster a. the
upper mills OF the great du Pont conn.,
pany. This confirmation Cf the partially
accepted belief was without It's full mea-
sure of consolation, for everyone felt
that in the terrific fury of the powders
awful force, death had come at last
among those who were born, lived and
died in hourly danger of their lives.
Messages from ell parts Of the surround
lug country Gs far north as Camden, N.
j., came pouring in and cut of the iu-
Vulnerable replies was one translated by
the uncertain wire to read that Whining
ton had been destroyed by an earth
quake. And this got into print through
the misc4lled enterprise OF some Phia.
delphia newspapers and all night long
the telegraphers licked back and forth
the Inquiries and replies.
The heavy atmosphere and dense fog
powder and even after the assurance as
TO the location was given some doubt ex-
listed. Messengers for doctors and priests
to administer TO the physical and spiritual
comfort of the dying and wounded, were
promptly dispatched. The crowd took
this as positive confirmation and hoeked
to the scene of the disaster to find their
greatest fears more than confirmed
rNf sstaoo ia, he xyf,, ne
trial Church were broken and some women
who were holding meeting in the build
ing were almost panic stricken.
The bulk window of Brady's saloon,
on Pennsylvania avenue, was completely
broken out by the conoussion.
There waS panic in some of the pub
lilo schools when the explosion occurred.
At No. IS school tine children broke be-
yond restraint and rushed pell.mell down
stairs beyond the restraint of the teachers.
One OF the teachers swooned away in the
excitement and there was great commo-
ton for time.
SEVERELY FELT AT NEWARK
Special Correspondence of GAZETTE and journal
NEWARK, Oct. S.-About $3.50 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon the entire town wss
startled by four or five sharp reports of
some distant explosion. Tho shocks were
SO severe as 10 make windows shake very
noisily, aud in some cases communicate q
distinct tremor to large buildings. Many
persons rushed out of their dwellings,
believing another Charleston earthquake
at hand. Inquiry on the telephone was
at once made to confirm the natural sus-
picion thst the du Pont mills had ex-
ploded, and the confirmation snan came