The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1895-01-24
Giant Powder Explosions Strew
the City With Dead.
THE POPULATION IS STUNNED
Fire In "A Warehouse Ignited Dynamite
and an Awful Wreck Was
the Result.
Especial Telegram.)


plosion took place, killing n large num-
Der. While efforts were being made to
remove the dead and wounded, second
explosion occurred. The entire fire de-
partment was wiped out, including the
chief and all the horses. Three police
men We're among the killed, who num-
Der at least rs.
Plate glass was broken all over the
city and the damage to property Is
enormous. All the ambulances are
rushing to and fro from the scene OF the
explosion. Relatives of the killed are
frantic and the city Is in CONSERVATION.
The powder in the warehouse was in
est explosion in the history of the west
At $50 p. m. the fire department re-
sponded to Il call from box H. the call
of death to nearly the entire depart
ment. The fire was either In the Ken
yon-Cornell or the Butte Hardware
Company warehouse and both con
tanned powder There was a rumor
that there was powder In the building
but this was denied, and after a mo-
ment's hesitation they began fighting
the fire. At 10 o'clock when the men
had barely started to work. there was
an explosion which shook Butte to its
foundations. The powder in the ware
house blew up, spreading death and
ruin to all who were near. All but three
or the hremen were killed. 1t Is believed
that In the first explosion only the fire
men were killed. There were heroes
among the spectators, however, and
as soon as the stun of the shock passed
away, while some ran In terror, others
began pulling the mutilated bodies of
the firemen and the injured from the
proximity of the flames. From all over
the city people began moving toward
the fire and the crowd had greatly in
creased within five minutes.
SECOND EXPLOSION.
Within about five minutes after
the first explosion second explosion
almost equal In volume to the first
heightened the terror all over the city
and spread death and desolation at the
disastrous scene. In this. explosion
scores Of citizens were killed and in
Jured. Parts of bodies were hurled
scores of feet away. One man near the
Northern Pacific water tank was al
most struck by the leg and thigh Of a
human being driven by the force of
dynamite from the fearful scene. There
were still heroes left to help pull the
shrieking wounded and the grooming
dying to distance, but the people up
town hesitated. There had been two
explosions and there might be more
There were rumors of carloads of pow
der being In the vicinity, besides that
stored In the warehouses. Five min
utes later a third explosion did come,
but II was mild one. and it is believed
that very few. II any. were Injured in
this.
FRIGHTFUL SCENES.
This had all occurred in Is minutes
the most horrible quarter of an hour
In Buttes history. The awfulness of
the scene after the explosions was be-
yond description. Words could give no
Idea OF 1t. 1t presented more the APP
pearance of a field of battle than any
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was brought into service TO carry away |
the scores of dead and the hundreds of |
injured. The hospitals were filed. the |
spare rooms in the hotels were taken |
and private houses We're thrown open
where necessary.
The dead body of a small boy. name |
unknown was picked up ON East Gold \
street by James Thompson after the
second explosion had occurred. There
were no marks on his body and he evil |