Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-07-17
Tcrrihle Explosion.

a catSS0n OF balteTJ i. rSSohu ~
tillery, United States army, exploded
with terrific force shortly after one
O'Clock yesterday afternoon, at Grand
and lakewood boulevards, Chicago.
Two artillerymeu and one trooper were
Instantly killed, nearly n score OF other
persons-trocps, residents in the vlc'n-
ity and passers-by were injured-some
of them fatally.
The troops left Brighton Park for a
long march around the city to exercise
the horses. They were in command OF
Captain Dodd, of Troop +, Third
Cavalry. -,
Everything went smoothly, and there
were no incidents until the column was
crossing Oakwook boulevard. Then n
terrific explosion occurred. The men
on the caisson were literally blown TO
pieces, and others were thrown many
feet by the violence Of the conclusion.
-Four of the horses drawing the calsson
fell in their tracks, shot through and
horribly mangled, while three others
were blown fifty feet ahead against the
trees of the boulevard. The caisson
was blown to atoms, not piece OF IL
larger than mans hand being found
The boulevard looked like battle
field.
There was a quick series of explosions
after the first report, and shrapnel shot
rained like hail among the trees of the
boulevard and pierced the surrounding
buildings. The conclusion broke every
window IN the houses for blocks around.
The walls and roofs of the dwellings
showed the terrific effect of the missiles.
The damage to residence and park
property in the neigeborhood of the
accident is estimated at about $4,000.
Unexploded shells of the rear part OF
the caisson lay strewn over the ground
With the explosion came great confu-
sion among the troops, and Tor a mo-
ment the men and officers seemed pow
erless to move. TO this was added the
fright of the occupants of the surround
ing houses, who ran screaming from
their dwellings only to be sickened by
the sight in the street.
A still alarm of fire had been turned
in, and with the fire department came
the stock yards police patrol wagon.
General Miles directed Captain Mich
Ter and Colonel Willitson to go to the
scene of the accident and secure re-
port of the affair. On the return OF
Colonel Wilitson he gave the follow
ing account of the accident:
1.-THE command, under the escort OF
the cavalry. was taking its daily march
exercises. The caisson consists of a
Timber. on which is chest, and the
carriage, containing two chests more OF
ammunition, making three chests or
the caisson. The explosion occurred
in the chest of the timber, and the force
of the explosion was to the rear, tear
ing away the caisson and igniting the
powder in the other two chests. The
first caisson carried l2 shrapnel and 4
cartridges. The shrapnel and loaded
percussion shell, containing illuminate
and small balls, are fired from the can
non by cartridge containing, as in thi
case. 80 pounds of powder.
My theory of the accident is tina
the screw plug at the base of one OF tn
shrapnel became loosened, some of III
powder leaked out and, being groun'
and pounded by the jolting of the lin.
Der, ignited, the powder in the cart
ridges exploded and the ignition Of tn
cartridges in the other two chests fol
lowed. In the second chest on tn
clisson were % time-shells, 16 shrapne
and their complement of A cartridges
in the third and rear chest were i
SHELLS and Al cartridges. The force c
the explosion can be more readily IN
derstood when it is remembered tina
the 132 cartridges contained 495 pound
II take no stock in the theory tina
dynamite had anything to do with il
The greatest precaution is always takel
about the ammunition.
II have no recollection of similar
accident in the United States artillery
aud it is the first on record so far as
cln learn The guns were the new
rAed field pieces recently introduces
Into the service and have never seel
active duty. The ammunition is
couple of months old and has been jolt
ed over the rough roads in Kansas, ant
yet when going at a light trot on tn
smoothest road in Chicago the explo
sion took place"