Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-01-19
death and DESOLATION.
Large Quantity of Powder
ExplOdas ut Butte.
ABOUT SEVERTY-FIVE PEOPLE KILLED,
Nearly The Entire Fire Department OF
The City Wiped Out---Mangled
Bodies Everywhere.
ABOUT SEVERTY-FIVE PEOPLE KILLED,

BUTTE, Jan. 16.-By far tine most
disastrous accident to life and prop
erty that ever occurred in the west
took place in this city at 10 o'clock
last evening The accident was 10 the
nature of a fire and an explosion of
giant powder caused by the fire, CON
siderable of the explosive going off at
three distinct periods Of the confa-
grafton and scattering death and des-
olation IN its wake. The fire broke
out in the Royal Milling company,
situated near the depot, and spread to
the warehouse of the Kenyon-Connell
Commercial company adjoining. In
the building there was large quanti-
ty of powder and as soon as the fire
reached it the explosion occurred and
simultaneously with it at least thirty
five souls were hurled into eternity
without a moments notice.
Surprising that this was all the
damage that could be done by pow
der, those Of the spectators who had
escaped injury BY the first explosion
began the task of gathering up the
dead and wounded, when suddenly a
second explosion took place and al
most as many more of them either
fell before it or wer. driven through
the air to their death. The fire con-
tinued and soon burned its way into
another batch of the explosive with a
similar result.
The scene of the disaster beggars
description From what could be
learned last night no one suspected
the presence of powder in the ware
houses. and as is customary when a
fire is raging in Butte, people were
crowded around the burning structure
as close as they could get Bodies
were strewn for hundreds of yards in
, all directions. Some were thrown
against houses and mashed to a Jelly
while flying debris literally knocked
; the head from others where they were
: standing. One body was seen flying
; through the air at height of three
hundred yards. Blood, brains, arms
o legs and other parts of the body were
scattered all over the city. Many o
the wounded were a pitiable sight, fol
e after the first explosion occurred they
! remained near the fire and the hea
! only intensified the pain they wer'
. suffering. They begged to be taker
II away, but there was no way to mov'
] them all at once. q hackpan seeing
the terrible state Of affairs drove ~
and attempted to assist in the yemoy
,. al Of two or three, but while 10 tn
ir act the second explosion took plac
n and killed him and his two horses.
a. Notwithstanding the possibility 0
It more explosions, people couldn't with
it stand the temptation to aid the Injul
n ed and rescue the bodies Of tie dead
and rushed madly in regardless Of th
consequences that might follow. w
n hicIes of all classes were soon rushin,
at back and forth to the morgue and 10,
=. pitfalls. The wounded were attende
re to 6Fst, but while they we're being pu
Sc in wagons the bodies of the deadweF
o. being gathered up and placed side b.
lie side 90 the little plateau near tn
V burning warehouse. In one row ther
le were twepty-six and in an other fort
y. two, and the features Of only fe,
were reconizable.