The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-08-12
MANY KILLED IN EXPLOSION
Powder Magazines Near Lowell,
Mass, Blow Up.
AWFUL MISTAKE OF WORKMAN

he Poured Nitric Acid on Nitro -Glycerine
| and the Disaster Followed-Four Boys
in Swimming Killed by the Conclusion
| Country For Miles Around Shaken
Militia Aided Police.
Lowell, Mass. - With a crash like
thunder that follows a nearby fash of
lightning and a shock that was felt
! fifty miles away. two powder maya
zines of the United States Cartridge
Company, in Tewksbury, suburb OF
Lowell, blew up, causing the death OF
twenty-one persons and injury to more
than fifty.
Fourteen frame house In the vicinity
tumbled down as though they were
built Of cardboard. Seven of these
caught fire, probably from the kitchen
stoves. and were consumed. At least
three persons pinned in the ruins were
| burned to death, and eight others who
were fescued died later. At least fifty
; houses were badly damaged.
Early in the morning eight men. three
Of them employees Of the company,
three expressmen and two carpenters,
were sent to one of the magazines to
mend the floor. Two of the wagons
had been loaded with the powder
which had been removed to give room
to make the repairs. when at 9.O6
o'clock the explosion occurred.
Clarendon Goodwin, the foreman or
the crew that was removing the pow
der. and one of his assistants, Amadee
Boulanger, miraculously escaped, al
though they were seriously injured.
At the hospital Goodwin explained the
cause of the explosion.
He said that the men went down to
the magazine to fix the floor, and after
the teams had been loaded with the
powder which was in the magazine. 1t
was discovered that can Of nitro-gly-
cerine, which was stored in the maga-
time. was leaking.
Mr.. Goodwin picked up what he
thought was jug of water and began
pouring it on the o-glycerine with
the idea Of diluting it and washing 1t
up. As soon as the fluid from the jug
struck the floor he found that 1t was
nitric acid.
The floor ut once began. to smoke,
and when the men saw it they rushed
from the building, but had not gone ten
feet when the explosion occurred. The
magazine was therefore the first to go
up, followed Immediately by the gun.
powder IN the three wagons, and sew
eral seconds later by the second maga-
zine.
To those who heard the crash it
seemed as If there were two distinct
explosions, with continuous roar be-
tween them. There are, however, FIVE
holes in the ground. which seem to in
dicate five explosions.
The entire catastrophe, however, oc-
aupied the space of scarcely five Sec
Dnds, but in that time the surrounding
property was swept as If small vol
eano had broken forth in its midst.
Every house within 200 yards col
lapsed. Trees were blown down. the
grass within 100 yards moved as if by
lawn mower, while bricks from the
two magazines were hurled far across
the river and all over the neighborhood.
The magazines, fortunately were sit
aated more than a mile away from the
factory itself. Both magazines ordinar-
lily contained two or three tons of gun
powder In tin kegs. each keg being
about eighteen inches high and a foot
In diameter.
For several minutes after the explo-
sions the air was completely filled with
smoke and dust, illuminated by the
glare from the already burning houses.
Those who survived dragged them
selves to what seemed place Of safety.
only to be recalled by the shrieks Of
those less fortunate.
The work of rescue at once began,
but in many cases the flames had al
ready gained full sway over the
2rumbled ruins. and despite the ener-
getic efforts Of those who were not
seriously hurt. several persons were
burned to death before the debris
which covered them could be removed.
The property is situated just over the
Lowell line. In Tewksbury. but the
Lowell Fire Department at once re-
sponded and did noble work in caring
for the wounded.
Ambulances soon appeared on the
scene and assisted the firemen, and all
sorts of vehicles were pressed into the
service. Nearly two score Of persons
were conveyed to the hospitals within
half an hour. while many more who
suffered merely from slight cuts by
flying glass had their wounds bound
they also assisted in caring for the less
fortunate.
The explosion shook the city, and
within half an hour there were at least
5000 people on the scene Of the catas-
trophe. hindering the work Of caring
for the wounded so that the Acting
Mayor Of Lowell sent out call for the
militia to assist the local police. Three
companies responded and three hours
later had thrown q Gordon Of men
around the district and cleared the
place of every one except those imme-
diately engaged in quenching the
aames and searching for other victims
Of the explosion.
Two hundred yards further down the
river from the second magazine the
firemen suddenly came across the
bodies of four little boys. who were
Just about to have swim. A fifth
member of the little party was :or-
tunately in the river when the explo-
sion occurred and escaped without in
jury.
On the other side CT the magazine
Heroic Mother Succumbs to Burns.
After lowering between life and death
for three weeks Mrs. George Potts. at
4 liad rac11lt OF hnin q