Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-10-25

the indicated, when most people wer,
either Ia doors or In bed, there was {
dull and heavy report, which caused ,
vibration over the civ. Sash ratified
pictures swsyed and in some instances
glass was broken. The recollection O.
The earthquake OF August 81, 1886
came TO many and some went into the
strees with evident apprehension or
their countenances. No one could
throw the slightest light on the sudden
disturbance. Many were positive huge
meteor had exploded over Alexandra,
others persisted In asserting IL was an
earthquake, while few advanced the
theory that thunderbolts occasionally
proceed from clear skies A large ma
Jority went to bed with their curiosity
unsolicited. People on Seminary Hill
who bad been shocked telepboned here
to ascertain the cause. No one here at
the time could give the information,
but later in the night train on the
Washington Southern Railway reached
this city and those aboard cleared up
The mystery when they stated that q
glaring light had been seen in
the vicinity OF Iddisu Head and
a loud explosion heard as The train
was winding way around the Virginia
shores. As this information was nOised
around no little apprehension was man
ifested by tue relatives and friends OF
number OF Alexandrians who work at
the proving grounds. The telegraph
and telephone service TO that point had
been rendered useless and nothing def
oite could bs ascertained until the tug
Fecumseh, which went down this
morning, had returned, and much re-
lief was experienced when it was def
nitely known that frs had preceded
the explosion and all connected with
the proving grounds had had ample
line to get to places of safety. Ihe Of
fetal dispatches sent out from the Navy
Department this afternoon were mea
gre and wanting in details They treated
the matter as one OF little consequence,
saying a magazine attached TO the
Indian Head proving grounds explod.
ed, fire having previously broken out.
No one, the dispatches state, Was hurt,
the fire having been a sufficient warn
ing for all near by to keep out of danger.
According to these dispatches there
we're successive explosions, indefinite
in number and varying 10 the force OF
5heir conclusions, beginning at 1905
and continuing at: intervals for several
minutes. The explosions were sufi-
GENTLY severe to be heard 20 miles dis
tsnt, and at Whitewater station II miles
south. At Quantco, IL miles down the
river from Indian Head and on the op
posite side, the conclusions we're suffi-
cient to rock the ground. Flames &C
companied the crashes. Passengers on
he train referred to above, heard the
reports and saw the flames. Conductor
ucLane, who took the train at Guam
leo, was on the platform at the station
Phen the explosion occurred. Accord
lng to him the first explosion came at
005 followed 5 minutes later by 8
more, heavy and distinct. Five or six
reports, ne says, came a short time after
aud the sky was brilliantly illuminated.
subsequent dispatches say the dam
,ge done to buildings and m iterial is
estimated at about $35 900. Lieutenant
oseph 5 rsus, the officer 10 charge OF
he proving ground. was ordered to
Washington to report in person as To
ne extent of the explosion. He ar
ived at the Navy department shortly
alter ii o'clock this morning and al
,nce reported to Admiral ONeil, chief
# ordnance. His official statement is
the effect that brick magazine, %
eet square and l00-feet long wooden
illing house, or magsz ne where shells
IRE filed, together with small photo
,raph house were completely destroy
ID by the explosion which start
ID in the brick magazine and
vas communicated to the wooden
me. How it originated is mystery
which will be closely investigated. Iu
he Two magazines there were 10000
pounds of smokeless powder, 5000
pounds of black powder, and an I'M
Known quantity of brown powder. A
good deal of smokeless powder was not
exploded. Besides there were fifty g.
pound shells and $50 3-pound shells to
kether with 25, 900 rounds of small arm
ammunition. With few exceptions all
these were exploded. 80 that the fusi.
iade must have been tremendous. The
building in which the explosion started
vas examined yesterday and the tenn
Derature was taken and found to be
only GA degrees, which is quite low.
The building was opened at ten
o'clock 10 the morning, inspected al
four o'clock in the afternoon and again
visited by the watchman at S:45 p. I'd.
and found to be all tight. The watch
man carried no light with him on the
last visit. The explosion occurred al
1915 O'Clock. Because of the location
of the buildings in small ravine the
effect of the explosion was local. Some
IF the windows of nearby houses were
broken, but otherwise the damage was
confined to the magazines and the pho.
togrsph gallery. A rigid investigation
mas been ordered to determine the
cause of the accident. The later dis
patches say nothing OF fire LAYING
preceded the explosion.
Passengers who arrived hore this evening
by the Glymont steamer say that lady was
knocked down by the explosion and slightly
hurt, aud that the damage al reported at
Indian Head will amount to $4,000. The
work of clearing away the debris has already
been commenced
CoNCERT.-The concert in Christ
NA,roh pariah Hall TONIGHT nromisps n