The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-10-25

miles around last night, was caused by the
explosion of fifty tons OF powder IN the
magazine and filing house at the Naval
Proving Grounds, Indian Head, Nd NO
person was injured The loss is estimated
at Sc, 600, the powder destroyed being val
ued at $50, ,00O and the buildings at $4,000
The cause of the explosion is unknown,
and the officers at the proving grounds have
he theory as to the reason of 1t.
The shock was felt for fifty miles around
the point of disturbance and the Redeemed
sky was observed by many thousands of
oeople scattered over wide area of eoun-
try Because of the isolation Of Indian
Head and the cutting off of telephone COM
manication between the proving grounds
and the navy yard, accurate news OF the
matter was slow in reaching washington
Trains on the Atlantic Coast Line picked
UP passengers at Quantico ten miles from
Indian Head, and Fresstone, five miles
away, who told of the boom Of bursting
shells following the first explosion. and OF
fire scenes. but they brought no details
They had had no communication with the
Maryland side of the river. which is sew
erai miles wide, off Indian Head
The steamer Norfolk, Captain Tulle,
passed Indian Head at o'clock his morn
ing Officers of the vessel reported that
at that hour they saw nothing unusual.
They were positive that the two stacks OF
the smokeless powder mill were standing
Tugs which started down the river TINS
morning did not return until late IN the
day. Visitors here denied a view OF the
scene of the explosion.
The first detail Of the explosion came
from Lieut. Joseph Strauss, in command
at the proving ground. He reached the
NAVY Yard on the Indian Head tug at 10
o'clock and reported TO Rear Admiral
O'Neil, Chief of the Bureau Of Ordnance,
NAVY Department, over the telephone. He
informed the department that the maga-
zine and filling house had blown up and
that no one had been hurt He then went
to the department and made a detailed re
port in person to Admiral O'Neil-
board of officers will be convened as
soon as possible to investigate the cause
Of the explosion.
IN his report Lieutenant Strauss says
that the magazine, stone building about
twenty-five feet square. was considered
one Of the safest in the country 1t was
opened at 10 o'clock yesterday morning
and a small quantity of powder was taken
out for testing purposes. Before being
closed the temnerature was taken and
found to be only 64 degrees, which is con-
sidered very low, as the temperature of
many gazines averages 90 degrees. The
doors were then secured for the day At
4:3O clock in the afternoon the watchman
made his usual examination and reported
everything safe. At S:45 P. m. he made
his second round and again reported
everything well. He carried no light.
Blown Out OF the Ground.
At 1915 o'clock there came a terrific
explosion, and the ma agazine was blown
out OF the ground. The explosion set fire
to the flIing-house. a frame structure,
about 100 feet away, and small photo
graph house, about 600 feet distant The
flames spread rapidly around The filing
house which contained fifty pounds of
six-pound shells, $50 pounds of three
pound shells. and %, 600 pounds Of smaller
ammunition. These at once began to eX-
plode, and for more than an hour the air
was filled with flying fragments of shell.
Only few Of the shells failed to explode
The magazine contained three kinds of
powder supplied by a score of factories so
that it is impossible to tell which ignited
first. There were in the vault S,O0G pounds
of black powder, 10000 pounds OF smoke
less powder. and 1000 pounds OF brown
powder. Some OF the smokeless powder
WAS found scattered around the ground un-
exploded.
7ba cr7Dt-G1aSc
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 500 yards from the
magazine and were not damaged. save for
the breaking OF windows.
Tie officers say they are puzzled as to
the cause OF the explosion. They declare
that it could not have been spontaneous
combustion becatse there were no ia
brics or fiber in the magazine.
Lieutenant Strauss said today: '.The
people were badly scared. There are about
fifteen women living in the vicinity and
they were, OF course, frightened We
sent them into the woods for lhe night"
Rear Admiral o'Neil said today that
lHS StIuCluTSS NOuiU not De REBUILT An
unused building far from the living quar-
ters of men and officers will be used as
a magazine. The old magazine had been
in use for ten years, and no explosion had
ever occurred up to lest night.
There is an efficient fire department at
the grounds, but the orders to the men
were to keep as far away from the ex-
plodiug shells as possible
I'VE viii probably never learn what
PAUSED the explosion" said Rear Admiral
O'Neil, but we will do everything possi-
bic to find out. It is one Of the most
mysterious affairs on 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"
Lieutenant Strauss returned to Indian
Head this afternoon, and tests will be
resumed as soon as fresh supply of pow
der shall have been secured.
i party of newspaper men left the city.
early this morning, going first to Quanti-
Lumber down ngain-oId prices