San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-06
HE WAS SHOCKED.
THE GALVESTON EXPLOSION,
ITS EFFECTS AND LESSONS.
John U. Bodenmann is Seer and
Interrogated but was Silent.

the torrid atmosphere that has been al
most uncomfortable, especially in the bust
ness parts of the city.
OF course Galveston was greatly shock
ed by the powder house explosion and
too felt considerably uneasy at the time
for IL seemed as IL IL was q volcanic erup-
tiOn and | would not have been surprised
TO find that | was taken an involuntary
sea bath in search for the mainland of
Texas. / was at the time three miles from
the scene OF the explosion and yet it was
OF sufficient force 10 shake the buildings
in which / was then standing, and ratified
the windows violently. AT the Washing
ton Hotel Just opposite, 1t had the same
effect and shook off plates, dishes, and a
large quantity of plaster from the office
| ceiling. Similar and more striking effects
were observed in adjacent buildings.
Huge structures swayed under the force,
doors were forced open, stocks of mer-
chandise were thrown down and dam
aged, windows were broken and general
CONSERVATION created.
A visit to the scene showed that the
| lightning had struck the powder houses
aud completely annihilated -four out of
the six located there. The place was
strewed with timbers, %unrooted ~shrubbery
and trees, dead and dying cattle and pOul-
| try and everything seemed quite chaotic.
The main sufferer was Alex FachaH, a
butcher. He lived about 10 yards west of
| the powder houses, and he, his wife and
five children were in the house when the
explosion occurred. An employee,
Arthur Anting, and a boy, jim LIE Case,
were in an adjoining out house. Both
buildings were blown TO to pieces but
| strange to say only one child Alice Frach-
an, Anting and lie Case were injured.
Anling was fastened down by timber and
had a CHASTITY hole made in his side.
Alice Fachan had her leg crushed. and
lie Case got a ugly, but o dangerous cut
on his neck. None of the injured parties
are seriously hurt and all seem to have had
a remarkable escape case. The cable
in Facban'S pens were either killed or
fatally injured. A barn owned by Mr..
Nillanueva, 300 yards eSSt was also blown
to pieces. AT that time a man was sleep
ing in the upper story, and was TIL.
u and, beyond the shock was uni" dreL
| As far as could be learned the loss vas
about $4,000 and the insurance is COM
paratively nothing.
This and the Dallas explosion ought to
teach San Antonio the reality of the can
ger of its powder house. Independent
of the danger to life and limb, of the
citizens and their property, an explosion
would be peculiarly narrowing as the
powder houses are so near the cemeteries.
1t is safe TO say that If such an explosion
were to occur few, If any. monuments
would escape damage and the graves
would probably be disturbed. | am there
fore glad TO notice by your papers that
efforts are being made TO remove the
powder houses further out and thus TO
minimize the danger.
Whilst taking supper at the Washing
ton hotel the other evening | had a sur
prise, for | came face to face with MI.
John Bodenmann, formerly of Austin
-N.,AA - l. 10 L. Vaf.aw 90. - =
Tampico or San Luis PotOSi, he did not
say which, was in the city to purchase
goods and to meet his friend Jacob Plant,
of San Antonio, who was then with him.
His skin was so tanned by the Mexican
climate that first | hardly recognized him.
for he looked more like a Mexican than
a German. ! tried to interview him in le-
Spect to his business troubles in San An
tonic, but John would not talk, nor say
more thar he sent his regards TO all en-
quiring friends Next night BOdenmann
and Plant left on the Sante Fe train.
BOdenm&nn looked well in health, but
was not such a dude as when in San An
tonic.
Mr.. w. NJ. Rosy, an old San Antonio
boy, is located here and has a fine grocery
and saloon business on Avenue |.
Capt. Boyle, the new British consul, has
arrived and brings with him a charming
bride. They have quarters at the Beach
hotel. The consul is a genial gentleman,
but is Il typical Englishman and, of
course. somewhat eccentric.
There is a large colony of EngliShmen
here and most of them doing well; some
of them being the leading business men,
and others occupying good positions. The
BritiSher seems to flourish better here
than in any other city of the state. There
l is a large numb r of dudes who think
they are aping the English aristOcracy,
when in fact they are only trying to be
English cadS." Why any American,
his country is, as Lord Dundreary would
say, lone of those things that no fellah
can understand"
The street car system here is q good
one and works well although | confess
do not like the belt line. Electric cars
are nov on most lines and the streets are
far worse cut up than in San Antonio.
The men have a better time too than the
San Antonio's Street Railway Cos men
and are better paid. For two days they
work for II or Is hours but on every
third day they do not work,
except for one hour or so
that they are required 10 relieve. This
makes about IL hours per day labor. They
are paid S45 per month at the start and
are Soon raised to $50 which is the normal
salary for motor men and conductors, |
though some few old hands get more. The
recent strike was mainly on a question of
over time and in that the mel failed, |
because it was ill-adyised and 1t the
wrong time.
Visitors are arriving here at a lively |
rate but most of them hug the beach as |
much as possible. There are not many
from your section now, as since they have |
learned the advantages of Corpus Christi
and Rockport, they patronize those sea-
side resorts, and even people from this
section go there.
Galveston is usually dull at this season
but now its exceptionally so. The princi-
pal streets generally present each day a