The sun., 1895-01-17
BUTTE'S GREAT CALAMITY.
AB0UT sIxIY People KILLED Nv
the TERRIBLE EXPLOSION.


Thirty Tons OF Ex xptosivcs BLOW Cp-Nenriy
the Eatire Fire Department tSiiied-Frng-
mcnt- OF Hunnn Bodies Scattered Far
aud Nsar-A Grcnt Hole Seventy Feet
Deep Duz In the Earth Ex piosives Had
neen Stored In the Heart OF the city.
BUTTE. Mon. Jan. 1o.-This town is just be-
ginning TO recover from the stupor into whicn
It was thrown by the overwhelming calamity OF
last night Up to daylight this morning little or
nothing could bc learned with accuracy as to
the full extent OF the disaster and even yet 1t is
impossible to give complete lists Of tho killed
and wounded. Many Of tho former were so
mangled and dismcmb bcred that Identification is
impossible, while the wounded arc distributed
throughout tho city in private residences. so
that complete census cannot DC moue.
Enough II known. however, TO warrant tho
statement that the death roll will reach sixty vt
least while the injured number nbout fifty.
The excess of the killed over the wounded is due
to the terrific force Of tho explosions three in
number-whch mcrcifully killed the victims
outright instead OF manning them, and which,
in many cases, swept completely out OF cx-
isteuce human bodies and substantial buildings.
IL was about 10 =. VI. when the first explosion
occurred. small fire had started in n storage
shed near the tracks Of the Montana Central
road. 1t was not suspected that explosives were
stored in the structure as such storage is in vo-
lation OF the city ordinances, which arc particu-
larry strict In this respect, owing TO the danger
high ex plosives used in mining operations.
Ihe nrem"a ahereiore wSnt % 10 h wGTK & w.nTae Ima'
sion occurred killing at least twelve OF the fire
men. the calamity was wholly unexpected. The
men rallied bravely, however. and with such OF
tho fire apparatus IA had escaped destruction at
tackled the flames. which during the confusion
had gained great headway. The work was pro-
crossing favorably when a second explosion oc-
Cured. The first, IL Is believed. was caused py
was ro Sad be benSnf IGNITION O "f @ ,o
cars OF giant powder. standing on the side
tracks beside the blazing building. was abso-
tered buildings. knocked down chimncys, and
rent limb from limb men within 800 yards OF IT.
II wiped out OF existence what remained OF tho
Fire Department, killing men and horses. and
converting the fire engines into heaps OF twisted
This explosion was the most fatal Of the three.
for the reason that when quantity OF giant
powder stored in the warehouse of the Butte
later there was practically no one left To be
killed. The last explosion. however. was fully
as powerful as the second. The warehouse was
wiped out, not one stone being left upon another,
and where the building had stood great BLACK
hole IKE the sratsr 81 volcano told OF the
The ex xplosions coming in rapid succession ter
rified and bewildered rescuing parties and few
buildings Unit! 1: was certain that no further
danger was to be apprehendcd. 1t was not until
service was organized and the work OF removing
the dead and INJURED was begun in earnest.
that s y %eat oocE @as
thought that all the dend had been recovered;
except the dismembered fragments-torn and
bleeding limbs and particles OF tlesh-that were
to bo found everywhere within radius of
a quarter OF mile from the scene OF the explo-
The families of tho dead firemcn and police
men will be taken care OF by the city. Public
subscriptions will be started for the relief of
There is the greatest Indignation over the
storage OF ntro-glycerine giant powder. and
CATION will bo instituted 10 discover who is re-
sponsibie. and II II is found tina, any public
city ordinances they will find this climate too
warm fer them. The amount OF explosives that
went up in the three explosions was nearly
thirty tons. There were twenty tons OF giant
powder alone that went up in one blast.
a hole seventy feet deep was cxcavated IN the
giant powder II is believed that some bodies
were thrown into this chasm and that they have
some of the spectators were instantly killed.
and several were hurled back some distance and
rendered unconscious. Many people living in
distant parts of the city have lost the power of
hearing and speech from the force OF the shock
The damage TO property VIII be more than
At O'Clock this morning forty-three bodies
had been found and removed 70 TIE morgue:
mutflated as to he unrecognizablc.
: A small boy. about 10 years Of age, was found
explosion. A woman was killed in house half
a block away by an anvil thrown through the
roof. Heads. legs, and arms were scattered for
1t is believed that a complete list of the dead
cannot be secured for several days
The first explosion brought every living per-
quake. The terrors aroused by the first shock
were multiplied to an. awful degree by the ex-
plosion that followed Immediately after. In an
instant from every house in the city the entire
The natural horror of the scene was intensi-
fed by the surrounding DARKNESS outside the
circle lighted by tho flames Tbs pisiabdem m cries res
wailing OF women and children.
Only three firemen escaped being killed. Chief
thing found of him was his belt attached to a
charred portion OF his body. The hremen who
TS.fipfFa s. H. pFannery Gs MCGEE tss this story anu
After reaching the fire we laid 1000 feet OF
hose and FianherK stayed a. tng & hydraantSi IRA
drove back about 200 feet and stopped, A mo-
ment later the fret explosion occurred in the
but no one was hurt by this explosion. The boys
then went back to the building again, thinking
lack Sloan came over to the wagon and got
an axe and started: to eut an opening TO the
building. MY brother William got IN The back
away for fear OF another explosion. ! told him
there was no danger and got down 10 blanket the
Il
the fire, but this time the horses were
between inc and the fire, and 1t Is fortunate for
me that such was the case. Just Ms pulled the
blankets down from the seat and spread one OF
them out to throw IL over the horse, the second
explosion came. | did not SEQ anything. and
only remember hearing the awful roar and be-
ing knocked down.
"When recovered a moment later found
the wagon partly on top OF me with the tongue
across my breast and The of horse WAS lying
right on Top OF me- The blankets had caught
fire Pieces OF wood were burning all around
me and | was momentarily Choked and bewi-
dered. struggled 70 get loose. but was unable
10 free myself. People were screaming all around
me. and crying for help. | could hardly make
After while a man came along. and begged
him for Gods sake to help ms out With his
assistance, managed 10 get out from under the
weight that was pinnlng me down, and strug-
gled to my feet. l limped along, but was get
Ting on slowly. when a couple of men came
and carried me 10 the Harrison House.
From there was brought home, The last
| saw OF Jack Sloan lie was pounding away at
the door, and when saw Cameron last he was
taking the kinks out Of the hnse between the
wagon and the burning building. All of tho
other boys were close behind Sloan, and they
ali all ~