The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-07-17

then telsphoned to Hyde Park for rein.
forcsments, and Captain Dollard arrived
with rs more man. Later, Inspectors
Hunt. Fitzpatrick and Springfield or
rived.
1t was some time before the two desd
artillerymen could be found. One OF
them, mangled beyond recognition, sup
posed to be Doyle, had been blown over
a board sign Or feet high and was found
in the vacant lot behind it. One leg and
an arm were gone. One other man, sup
posed to be Donovan. had been thrown
about 500 fest, diagonally to the right,
and was found in q vacant lot near
the Lake Shore tracks. Joseph
Baylor was found near where he was
struck.
AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION.
General Miles directed Captain Mich
Ter and Colonel Willotson of the COM
missary department, and former COM
msnder of the battery, to 60 to the
scene OF the accident to secure report
of the affair. On the return of Willot-
con, he gave the following account OF
the accident, previous to writing his re-
port:
1.-THE command under escort OF cav.
airy was taking its marching exercise.
The caisson consisted of Timber on
which is q chest and the carriage coz
tanned two chests more OF ammunition.
The explosion occurred in the chest on
the Timber and the force of the explo-
sion WAS to the rear, tearing away the
caisson aud igniting the powder in the
other two chests. The first caisson car
| ried AZ shrapnel and Al cartridges.
nj a
| cont aiming Eliminates and email balls
and are fred from the cannon by =
cartridge containing, as in this case,
three and three quarters pounds OF
powder.
"My theory OF the accident Is that the
screw plug in the baae of one of the
Strapped became loose, some of the pow
der leaked out, and being ground and
pounded by the jolting OF the timber,
ignited the powder in the cartridges,
discharging them, and the ignition OF
the cartridges in the other chests fol-
lowed. In the second chest on the Gals.
son were 26 time shells, Is shrapn oil and
their complement of A cartridges; in
the the third and rear chests were AZ
4 shells and A cartridges. The force OF
the explosion can be more readily under
stood that the 1872 cartridges contained
495 pounds OF powder. The men who
were in the detachments said they
recognized two distinct reports. SEEM
ingly almost simultaneous. This was
the timber chest. followed almost in.
stantly by other chests. The rattle OF
the explosions that followed the great
defamation was the bursting OF the
shrapnel as they struck together. The
men on the ceisson were lifted by the
explosion, while the horses we're killed
by tho missiles from the ahrapnel.
81 take no stock in the theory that
dynamite had anything to do with it
The greatest caution is always taken
about ammunition. Each chest ia
locked by Yale lock especially made
for the government. There are no keys
in any battery that will unlock any but
one cheat, and do not believe there is
key in Chicago that will unlock any Of
our artillery chests.
| 1.-THE ammunition is couple OF years
old and has been jolted over the rough
roads in Kansas, and yet going at a
| light pace ON the smooth streets of Chi
cago the explosion took place."
ONE MORE VICTIM.
Fred Stoltz of the Second artillery
died tonight. He was terribly burned
and bruised by the explosion.