The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-01-26
Situation "Wednesday.

situation Wednesday.
BUTTE. Mont, Jan. l6.-This town Is
just beginning to recover from the
stupor into which it was thrown by
the overwhelming calamity of
last night. Up to daylight this morn
ing little or nothing could be learned
with accuracy as to the full extent of
the disaster, and ever yet it is impos-
sible to give complete lists of the
killed and wounded. Many of the
former We're so mnngled and
dismembered that Identification
is impossible, while the wound
ed are distributed throughout
the city in private residences. SO
that a complete census can not be
made. Enough is known, however, to
warrant the statement that the dcath
roll will be sixty ut least, while the in
iured number about fifty. The excess
of the killed over the wounded is due
to the terrific force of the explosions
three in nnmber-which mercifully
killed the victims outright instead of
manning.
The First Explosion.
1t was about 10 o'clock when the first
explosion occurred. A small fire. had
broken out in storage sheds near the
tracks of the Montana Central road.
1t was not suspected that explosives
We're stored in tho structure, as such
storage is in violation of the city ordi-
nances which, are particularly strict i'll
this instance owing ito the danger
arising from the presence of
large quantities of high explosives
used in mining operations. The fire.
lien therefore went to work without
any idea of danger. and when tho first
explosion occurred, killing at least
twelve of the tiremen, the calamity
was wholly unexpected. The men raj
lied brnvely, however, and with such
OF the fire apparatus MS had escaped de-
structiou attacked the flames, which
during the confusion had gained great
Roadway.
il Second Explosion.
The work was progressing favorably
when n second explosion occurred. The
first, it is believed, was caused by nj
troglycerine. 1t wa bad enough, but
the second, which resulted from the ig-
milton of two cars of giant powder
standing on the sidetraclls beside the
blazing building, was absolutely APP
palling in its force. The shocks
shattered buildings, knocked down
chimneys and rent limb from limt
men within three hundred yards of it.
1t wiped out of existence what re-
manned of the fire department, killing
men and hcrses, and converting tho
fire engines into heaps of twisted and
discolorcd metal. This explosion was
the most fatal of the three, for tho
reason that when IL quantity of giant
powder stored in the warehouse of the
Butte Warehouse company blew up q
few minutes later, there was practically
no II i'll range to be killed. The las,
explosion, however. was fully
warehouse was absolutely nnnil.il-
nted, not one stone being left
upon another, where the building had
stood a great blacllened hole, like the
crater of n volcano, told of the force OF
the ignited explosives. The explosions
coming in rapid succession terrified and
bewildered the rescuing parties, nnd
few dared venture within range of the
burning building until it was certain
that no further danger was to be APP
pretended.
Work of Relief.
1t WI not until nearly 3 o'clock thai
II systematic ambulance service was or
ganized and the work of removing the
dead and injured was begun in earnest
From that time the work went OF sys
tematically and earnestly. and by {
o'clock it was thought that ali the
dead had been recovered, except the
dismembercd fragments that We're tc
be found everywhere within {
radius of a quarter of q mile from
the scene of the explosion. The dead
have been taken to the underwriters
where the relatives and friends have
gathered to identify the remaingA The
wounded are distributed among Tho
several hospitals and nearly every citi
zen in the city has appointed himself {
relief.
The Identified Dead.
The dead who have been identified
are:
j. b. Miller, attorney, Salmon City
Idaho.
j. D. Cameron. fire marshal.
George Fifer. fireman.
Jack Sloan, fireman.
VIM. NJ. Mctihee. fireman.
G. Z. Tracey.
c. w. Englister,
Fred kremback.
Albert Goddard.
j. J. Enright.
j. j. Mclalc.
-- Robbins.
- Conzagna.
Mike Meade.
Will Smith.
George Melton.
Jack Charles.
The housing of the City.
The entire city was in the depths o
,cpose when the first alarms OF fir,
were sounded. Only Il few people i,
the Immediate vicinity had beef
aroused by the departmentdashing by
The first real warning of the catatas
trophe was tho shock that brough
every sleeper to his feet. 1t was Xix,
an earthquake in it's sudden impact
the answering blaze in tho heav
ems seemed to verify the wors
Years and before the real truth wa
fully known, terror stricken pcopl
were dashing huff crazed through tn
streets shouting IN unjntelligibl,
alarm. The terrors aroused by tn
"hSe NSIS hANleiplaGu W All lWltl
degree by those that followed imme
dintely after. In nh instant i
Sc cmcd from every house in til
city the entire population poure
forth and, possessed of nm unitnow,
terror, ran into the streets. They ra,
like an army put to ront anu in head
long retreat they rushed in the dircc
ton of tho flames. At intervals cou,
icrs half crazcd with the awful new
were met. These were generally dies
tired to tho homo of some stricke
family md only stopped Ion
! enough TO answer their eage
qnestioners. Tho scene of the TRACED
was soon surrounded by IL dense mas
OF people. All seemed to TO PAM
stricken by the extent Of the calnmit
and few were able ut first to bccom
sufficiently composed to render practt
cal assistance. Tho natural horro
Of tho sceno was intensi
fed by the surrounding dnrl