The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-26
INDIAN HEAD EXPLOSION
Navy Department to Make a Their
oush Investigation.


to Its Ori=in-The SmokcIess Pow.
der Factory Not Injured - Esti-
mating the Extent of the Damage.
The explosion at the United States
Naval Proving Ground, Indian Head Md.
on Wednesday night resulted in the | IS
of $500 pounds Of powder and a large
quantity CT loaded shell. No enc was in
jured. The less on ammunition and
buildings is estimated at $4,000. The
cause of the explosion is unknown. Lieut..
Joseph Strauss, in command at Indian
Head, reported to Rear Admiral O'Neil,
Department, that the explosion occurred
in the small 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. The magazine
was orened at 10 O'Clock Wednesday
morning to take out quantity If pow
der. At that time its temperature was
taken as 81 degrees, which is quite low,
the temperature in ship magazines being
as high as 30 degrees. 1t was then closed
for the day. at 4:S0 p. NJ. Waterman
made his usual rounds of inspection, and
found everything about the ma gazine in
proper order. AT $40 p. m. the watch
man again made his round and turned in
report showing everything in proper
order. At 1915 p. IN. the explosion o.
CURED without warning and without the
slightest clew as to what occasioned 1t.
There were in the magazine at the time
of the explosion 5000 pounds of black
powder, $4,000 pounds of smokeless powder,
and lot of brown powder, probably 1000
pounds. These represented various sources
for inspection, test etc. There was also
4 considerable amount of ammunition in
the adjacent building which took fire, fifty
siX-pornd shells, $40 thres-pound shells,
and 250C0 rounds Of small ammunition.
After the first explosion the fire found its
way 10 the ammunition, and this caused
the successive explosions. lasting. until af-
ter midnight Most of the powder was
destroyed, but some of the smokeless
powder lies scattered about in heaps, not
having been ignited. Many of the shei.:
and smaller projectiles are also lying
about urexploded. although showing the
effects OF heat.
The smokeless powder factory, which is
two miles from the magazine, was not in
jured nor was the railroad track, which
is close to the scene of the explosion.
The living quarters of the officers and
men are located about eco yards from the
magazine. which was built in a ravine. and
were not damaged, save for the breaking
of windows.
The shock was felt for fifty miles around
the point of disturbance and the reddcned
sky was observed by many thousands of
people scattered over a wide area of coun-
try. Because of the isolation of Indian
Head and the cutting off OF telephone COM
munication between the proving grounds
and the navy yard, accurate news of the
matter was slow in reaching Washington.
The steamer Norfolk, Captain Tulle.
passed Indian Head at O'Clock yesterday
morning. Officers OF the vessel reported
that at that hour they saw nothing I'M
usual. They were positive that the two
stacks of the smokeless powder mill were
standing. Tugs which started down the
river in the morning did not return until
late in the day. Visitors were denied
view of the scene of the explosion.
The first details of the explosion came
from Lieutenant Strauss. He reached the
navy yard On the Indian Head tug at 10
o'clock and reported to Rear Admiral
o'Neil over the telephone. He informed
filing house had blown up and that no
one had been hurt. He then went TO the
Department and made detailed report in
person to Admiral O'Neil
board of officers will be convened as
soon as possible to investigate the cause
of the explosion.
Rear Admiral O'Neil said yesterday
that the structures which were de-
stroyed would not be rebuilt An I'M
used building far from the living quar- |
ters Of men and officers will be used IS |
a magazine. The old magazine mad been |
in use for ten years. and no exflosion had |
ever occurred up to Wednesday night. |
There is an efficient fire department, at |
the grounds. but the orders to the men
were TO keep as far away from the e.;-
ploding shells as possible.
I'VE will probably never learn what
caused the explosion said Rear Admiral
O'Neil. but We will do everything LOssi-
BILE to find out. 1t is one of the most
mysterious affairs en- record. No blame
is attached to any of the officers as they
were shown to have attended to their du-
ties and to have taken every precaution
II is wonderful that there was no loss of
life"
The officers say they are puzzled as to
he cause Of the explosion. They declare
hat it could not have been spontaneous
combustion because there were no IA
orics or fibre in the magazine
Lieutenant Strauss said yesterday: THE
,eople were badly scared. There are about
fifteen women living in the vicinity and
hey were, OF course, frightened. We
ent them into the woods for the night
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FILIPINO LEADER ESCAPES IL