Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-12-28
SET FIRE TO DYNAMITE
TERRIFIC EXPI.OsION AT
LONG ISLAND CITY.
Several Persons Killed and
Others Injured-Great Damage
to surrounding PrOperty-Fran-
tic Women and ChilCiren.

LONG ISLAND CITY, N. Y, Dec. 2S.-
At o'clock this morning box Of dy-
Mantle exploded in shaft No. 7 of the
new East River tunnel, near the junction
of Jackson and Vernon avenues, this
city. The explosion set fire to six
story brick building adjoining, and shat
tered every pane of glass in buildings
for many blocks around. Three bodies
have already been taken from the shaft
and score or more of persons were
injured by falling timbers and glass.
The explosion was so terrific that
nearly every building on Jackson avenue
from Fifth street to Borden avenue, was
either dest royed or damaged. The
damaged structures include the post
office and Sylvester's factory.
A fire Immediately started in the ruins
and is now burning 6ercely.
The cause of the accident was this: A
great deal of dynamite is used in blasting
in the tunnel. Last night the dynamite
froze. The men needed some this morn
ing and placed three barrels OF cartridges
Just back of some tenements near to be
thawed out. Then they built bonfire
beside the cartridges. The fire burned
nearer to the dynamite than was intend
ed, and the result was the awful and
disastrous explosion.
All of the killed received fractured
skulls and were horribly cut by glass.
The injured were all badly cut by glass
from broken windows.
Directly opposite the scene Of the
explosion were row OF tenements,
occupied by fifteen families. Every
apartment was wrecked and the debris
caught fire from overturned stoves.
The scene following the explosion was
terrible. Men, women and children, par
italy clad, rushed wildly from every
possible exit, screaming loudly. The dis
trict where the explosion occurred, is the
most thickly inhabited section of the
city. For half a mile on Jackson and
Vernon avenues, hardly an unbroken
pane of glass can be seen. Gray srefrige-
ratory factory on Fourth street, oppo-
site the scene of the explosion, was al
most wrecked. number of people were
at work in the building at the time. but
how many of them were injured is not
yet known.
At noon the fire was still raging, the
fire department being inadequate'to cope
with the flames.
Wrecked by a Bomb.
MILWAUKEE, Dec. 2S.-A bomb was
thrown into the main b1ilding of the
Southside plant of the Milwaukee Street
Railroad company at 8 O'Clock this
morning. There was tremendous ex-
plosion and in moment the interior OF
the building was in blaze. In less
than an hour the entire plant was con-
sumed. Loss, $4,000.
The plant is on Kinnickinnic avenue
and includes immense storage stables
for electric motors, the machine shops
and stables. The buildings were the
principal depot of the Milwaukee Street
Railway company, and the fire greatly
cripples the company. The bomb
thrower is not known. He is supposed
to be the man who has started fully a
dozen other disastrous fires within a
month.
MUNcIE. Ind, Dec. 2S.-A 2 o'clock
this morning fire broke out in Delaware
county's new court house, and the build
ing, valued at 100000, was ruined.
The fire originated in court room.