The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-26
TWENTY TONS OF POWDER
IT BLEW UP AT THE INDIAN
HEAD PROVING
GROUNDS
THERE WAS NO LOSS OF LIFE
Buildings Destroyed Were Isolated
in a Ravine, and $4,000 Will
Cover the Property
Damage.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25.-At s o'clock
this morning Admiral O'Neill, chief of
the ordnance department and navy de-
partment, received q telephone message
from the proving ground at Indian Head
saying tEat about 10 o'clock last night
a fire and several explosions occurred
IN one of the filling houses and maga-
zines.
Later Lieut.. Strauss came up from
Indian Head on naval tug and at once
went to the navy department. where he
made a lengthy verbal report to Admiral
O'Neill, supplementing the earlier state
ment of the explosion by the following
details:
The explosion occurred in the SIN il
magazine of the proving ground and this
IN turn set fire to an adjacent building
where ammunition was stored. both the
magazine and the other building being
destroyed. At 10:15 D. m. the explosion
occurred without warning and without
the slightest clew as to what occasioned
1t.
There was in the magazine at the time
of the explosion 5000 pounds of black
powder, $4,000 pounds Of smokeless pow
der and a lot of brown powder, proba-
bly, about 1000 pounds. These repre-
sent various sources, for inspection, test,
etc. There also was a considerable
amount of ammunition in the adjacent
pulu1ng winch took ire, viz: Fifty six
pound shells, $50 three-pound shells, and
25,OoO rounds of small ammunition. After
the first explosion the fire found its Way
to the ammunition and this caused the
successive explosions lasting until after
midnight Most of the powder was de-
stroyed, but some of the smokeless poW-
der lies scattered about in heaps, not
having been ignited. Many of the shells
and smaller projectiles also are living
q Tln cd oft r.l,--
effects Of heat.
LOSS WAS THRILLING.
The loss is estimated by Admiral
O'Neill at between $25,0O0 and $50, 900 on
powder and ammunition. The loss 70
the buildings is considered trif1ing A
small photographfng plant also was de-
troyed. The damage was confined to
this spot, which is in a ravine, isolated
from the main buildings on the high
grounds. The officers quarters and
those used by workmen and their fanti-
lies were considerably shaken up. many
windows being broken and the plastering
of ceilings being shaken down There
was naturally much excitement, but at
no time was there a panic. The wives
OF the men were assured that there vas
no danger to the dwelling quarters and
maintained their composure throughout
the fire and explosions.
Admiral O'Neill directed Lieut.. Strauss
to assemble board of inquiry from
among those at the station who will
conduct thorough investigation and
make a formal report on the subject.
The admiral thought that some workmen
In the vicinity yesterday may have be IN
careless, and left a burning cigarette, or
match, which started fire that smould-
cred until nightfall, when it communi-
Gated with some powder. On the other
hand. there always is possibility, which
naval officers do not like to recognize, of
some chemical change having taken
place in the powder which resulted in
spontaneous combustion.