The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-16
seventy-Five Are Killed.

Denver. Jan. ia fire near the Mon
tana Central depot at Butte City, Mont.
tonight caused explosion of giant pow
der in the store house, and a large num-
Der Of people have been fatally injurd.
A special to tn Rocky Mountain News
from Butte says:
The fire broke out in the Montana
Central yards and soon several cars
loaded with powder caught fire. Just
as the firemen were closing in around
the blazing cars an explosion occurred
killing a lumber of f1remen and specta-
tors and manning many others The
firemen who had escaped Immediately
rallied and were beginning another at
tack, when another explosion took
place more violent than the first. The
people in the vicinity were mown down
as with great scythe and the streets
for half block around looked like a
great battle field. Debris was thrown
high in the air, coming down half a
mile away. Many people on the streets
in the enter of the city were thus injur-
ed. The few remaining firemen were
gathering themselves together and at
tempting to escape to a place of safety
when the third and last explosion oc-
CURED. This too killed and injured
many people. There were several cars
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 attaches of these depart
ments are among those killed and in
jured in the subsequent explosions.
Fifteen dead bodies have already been
gathered together and there is doubt
less great many more in parts of the
yard that no one dares to approach.
Every house for blocks around has
been turned into impromptu hospitals.
Every member of the fire department
has been either killed or wounded
A special to the Republican from
Butte says: The fire started in the
Royal Milling company's warehouse
and spread to the Kenyon Cornell ware
house, in which was stored several car
loads of giant powder. The first ex-
plosion was the most terrific and killed
every fireman save two belonging to
the Central fire station. One of these
was standing behind the hose cart
horses and the other was at a water
hydrant several feet away. So far be-
tween fifty and sixty mangled bodies
have been recovered and more are be-
ing picked up on all sides. 1t is impos-
sible to get names tonight. 1t is esti-
mated that about 100 additional per-
sons were injured, several of whom
died after being taken to the hospitals.
The scene beggars description. At this
hour, 1910 p. m, wagons are still TAX
ing dead bodies from the scene of the
explosion to various undertaking estab
lishmepts and the woundede to their
homes and hospitals. The latter are
all full. The list of dead will possibly
reach seventy-five and the damage to
property will be more than 81, 100000.
In all three car loads of powder ex-
ploded, one of which was stored in the
Butte Hardware company's warehouse
which adjoined the Kenyon Cornell
warehouse. Large pieces of iron were |
thrown miles. Several bodies were |
hurled long distance and picked up |
in unrecognizable mass of fiess.