The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-07-25
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION IN CHICAGO.
A Csissan Expiodss- Three M"n Killed
and Several Irjnred.

of the Second Artillery exploded at For
tie!h street and Grand Boulevard, a resi-
!ence district. The following are the
casualties: Joseph Caller, farrier, Troop
B., Seventh Cavalry, head bio zn Off;
Csnnoneer Donovan, Battery F., Sec
ond Artillery, Fort Riley, Kan. killed;
jeremiah Doyle, cannoreer, Battery F.,
Second Artillery, Fort Riley, Kan..
killed: Herbert Andres, trumpeter,
Troop B., Seventh Cavalry, fatally
wounded. taken to Mercy Hospital. In.
jured: Sergeant King, Sergeant Liner,
Private O'Sonnell, Private S!olz, Prj-
vste Eoke, Private Uuqunart, oil Of
Battery F., Second Artllley, Fort Riley,
Kan. Several other soldiers we're made
def by the explosion.
A lady in house Of Frank Devil,
at the corner Of Grand Boulevard and
Fortieth street, was struck with pro
iectile and badly wounded. She was
taken TO a hospital. Seven horses were
killed aad three wounded. The battery
was making a practice march down
Grind Boulevard when the explosion oc.
Cured.
There is no explanation OF the eXplo.
sion except conisctural. The caissOn
had just ratified across the Lake Shore
Road track on Fortieth street when the
explosion occurred inside the caisson
sending hall of projectlles in all dicec.
tions. Every paue OF glass within two
blocks was broken. 1t is conjecturad
that the jo!LiDg over the railroad tracks
ignlted fuse or some loose powder set.
ting IF all the shells in the tox.
The troops left Brighton Park for
long march around the city 10 exercise
the horses. They were in command Of
Captain Dodd Of troop F., Third Cav.
alary, and consisted OF troop F., Third
Cavalry, forty men, troop E, Sixth
Cavalry, Lieutenant Tate forty men;
platoon of Battery F., Second Artllle.
ry, two guns. Lieutenant Gayle, tWen-
ty-three men; troop B.. Seventh Cav
airy, Captain Varnum, forty men.
The men marched in this order. Every
thing went smoo thly and there were
no incidents until the column march
Ing South on Grand boulevard was just
crossing Oakwood boulevard then q
terrific explosion occurred. The men
on the caisson supposed to be Donovan
and Doyle, were literally blown to pie
ces and others were thrown many feet
by the violence of the conclusion. Four
of the horses drawing the calsson tell In
their tracks, shot through and horribly
mangIed, while three others were blown
fifty feet ahead against the trees on the
boulevard. The caisson was blown to
atoms, not piece of 1t larger than a
mans hand being found. The boulevard
looked like a battlefield.
There was quick series OF explo-
sions after the first report and schrap.
mel shot raiued like hail among the trees
on the boulevard and pierced ths sur
rounding 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. Unexploded shells of
the rear chests of the caisson are streWn
over the ground. With the explosion
came great confusion of troops and for
moment the men and officers seemed
powerless to movs. To this was added
the fright Of the occupants of the sur
rounding houses " 10 ran screaming from
their dwellings only to be s'ckened by
the sight in the street.
A still alarm Of fire had been turned
in and the fire department arrived with
the stock yard patrol wagon. The wagon
was sent back to the station and it re.
turned with twenty-five men under COM
msnd of Lieutenant MorrisseY. He
then telephoned to Hyde Park for rein
forcements and soon Captain Dollard
arrived With twenty-five more men.
Later Inspector Hunt and Fitzpatrick
and Lieutenant Bonfeld arrived. 1t was
sone little time before the two dead
men could be found. One of them
mangled beyond recognition, but sup
posed to be Doyle. had been blown over
q board sign twenty-five ieet high and
was found in q vacant lot behind it. One
leg and an arm were gone. The other
man, supposed to be Donovan, had been
thrown about 300 feet diagonallY to the
righs and was found in vacant lot near
the Lake Shore tracks. Joseph GaYlor
was found near where he was struck.
Great damage was wrought by the ez-
plosion to neighboring property. Win
dows in most Of the surrounding houses
we're broken. The damage to residences
and park property in the neighborhood
is estimated at about $40, 900.