The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-01-18

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During the progress of fire at the
Kenyon-Cornell Hardware Company's
warehouse in Butte, Mont, Tuesday
night terrific explosion occurred, as a
result of which it is estimated that sew
eDty-hve persons have lost their lives
When the smoke had cleared away the
terrified survivors were sickened at the
sight of the ground for n block around the
scene of the explosion strewn with the
quivering and dismembered flesh of men
and horses, pinned down by fragments
of the fire engines and burning brands
from the demolished warehouse. Upon
the site of the warehouse there was a
CHASTITY hole filled with debris, blazing in
hundreds of places, with here and there
the fragments of an unfortunate fireman
The noise of the explosion broke all the
glass in the city and caused the houses to
rock so violently that the residents were
stricken with fear. They did not know
from what quarter the disaster had come,
ana as the explosion had almost destroyed
the burning warehouse there was little
TO mark the scene of terrible destruction
The news spread like wildfire, however
ana hundreds were soon around the spot
Second and Third Explosions.
After the first explosion hundreds of
people FASTENED to the scene and this ac-
counts for the great loss of life While
they were endeavoring to render assist
ance to the injured the second explosion
occurred moving down the crowds of
men, women and children, as with n
sickle of death. The survivors were has
tening from the scene when third ex-
plosion occurred, adding to the list of
victims, as many of the terror-stricken
people, fleeing from the scene of destruc-
ton, were moved down by the flying de-
bris
Ii was speedily learned that the entire
fire department, including the chief. pen,
horses and all the machines had been
utterly swept out of existence. Owing
TO the nature of the fire and its dangerous
locality the entire force was called out TO
prevent a spread of the flames to ad-
joining warehouses and all of the men
were at work. Three policemen were
detailed 10 keep the spectators back, and
they were also killed. Many of the spec
tators were instantly killed and several
were hurled back rods from the scene of
the fire and rendered unconscious by the
force of the shock. Dozens of men were
found rods away from the warehouse
bruised, bleeding and unconscious, and
a number of them will not recover.
The fire started in the Royal Milling
Company's warehouse and spread to the
KenyOn-C Cornell warehouse in which was
stored carload of giant powder. The
first explosion was the most terrific and
killed every fireman in the immediate
vicinity save two belonging at the Central
station. One of these was standing be-
hind the hose cart horses and the other
was ut u water hydrant some distance
away.
1t is estimated that about 100 addi-
tional persons were injured, several of
whom died after being taken to the hos
pitfalls. The list Of dead will possibly
reach seventy-five. and the damage done
to property will be more than 81 900, 900.
In all three ear loads Of powder exploded,
one OF which was stored in the Butte
Hardware Company's warehouse, which
adjoined the Kenyon Cornell warehouse.
Every Fireman Killed.
The iiremen who had escaped the first
explosion Immediately rallied and were
beginning another attack when second
explosion, more violent than the frs.
took place. The people in the vicinity
were moved down as with great scythe,
and tie streets for half block around
looked like a great battle field. Debris
was thrown high in the air. coming down
half mile away. Many people on the
streets in the center Of the city were thus
injured.
few of the remaining firemen were
gathering themselves together and at
tempting 10 escape TO a place of safety
when the third and last explosion occur
red. This, too, killed and injured many
people. There were several ears of the
powder and all of them exploded. The
whole heavens were lighted up and the
city shook as if an earthquake was in
progress.
Immediately after the first explosion
the entire hospital corps and police force
were summoned, and many Of the detach-
mcnts of these companies are among the
killed and injured in the subsequent OK
blossoms.
The giant powder which was for use
in blasting i'm the mines, was stored i'm
the warehouse contrary to law, md the
firemcn had no warning of its presence
After the first explosion il was supposed
that there had been single car of the
explosive, but the subsequent horrors de-
vcloped the fact that there were several
ears stored in the warehouse sheds.
Sixteen bodies were taken out of one
spot. clingng together. as if welded by
the hand OF cruel death, and so manned
and disiigurcd as to be totally unrecog-
nizable.