The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-30
BUILDINGS BURST, DROP
Fourteen Come Crashing Down and
Seven Flash Into Flame---Six Men
Blown to Fragments---Three
are Burned to Death.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press)
Lowell, Mass, July 29.-Two small gum
powder magazines, situated in the very
midst of the humble residences of fifty
mill operatives, exploded with a frightful
icontussion and the resultant wave of
death cut off the lives of more than
score of human beings and injured nearly
fifty others.
Half dozen men who were loading
kegs OF powder from one of the maga-
zines were blown to pieces; four boys two
hundred yards away were killed by the
force of the explosion, and fourteen frame
houses within radius of four hundred
yards went down as if they had been built
of acrds. Seven of these houses imme-
dIately caught fire, probably from the
kitchen stoves, and were completely con
sumed. At least three persons were
caught in the ruins and burned to death,
while seven or eight others, who were
rescued, died subsequently OF their Ill
jurIes.
1t is estimated that seventy separate e
pieces of property, including those already
mentioned were destroyed, while the
force OF Une explosion wrecked NlHuOWS
for five or six miles around. and its
thunder could be heard distinctly more
than fifty miles away.
The following is the list of those known
to be killed:
GEORGE FINN.
JOHN MONSTERS.
LOUIS E. RICHARDS.
JAMES l.. GRADY, all employed by the
United States Cartridge Company.
JAMES B. SULLIVAN.
CHARLES MOORE.
JEAN ROLEAU, all employed by the
Stanley Forwarding Company.
GILBERT McDERMOTT, ten years.
MICHAEL McDERMOTT, aged twelve
years.
THOMAS HOUL1GAN, II years.
JOSEPH HOULIGAN, age ten years.
WILLIAM GALLOWAY.
ROBERT GALLOWAY.
ROBERT GALLOWAY. son OF above.
ALBERT LEBRUN.
MRS. CATHERINE RIGGS.
EDDIE ROGERS.
GEORGE A. M'DERMOTT, four years.
JOSEPHINE PERUSSE, IL years.
ZEPHRIAM PERUSSE.
The nine last named were killed by the
fall of their houses or burned to death.
Unknown man.
Four persons are missing, two carpen
ters, names unknown, John Riggs and
Patrick Spencer.
Those fatally injured:
Amadee Bouliger 1S years; Clarendon
Goodwin, go years, both employees of Cart |
ridge Company; Mrs Howard Burkett. |
Eliza Galloway, Clara Superna
The magazines were the property of the |
ri n;
city. but fortunately were situated more
than "a mile away from the factory itself |
They were constructed some thirty years
ago. in what was then a broad open Iield
on the banks of the Concord River. Dur
ing the last decade small wooden dwelling
houses have gradually sprung UP in the
vicinity, crowding nearer and nearer with
fancied security to the two innocent look
ing little buildings until they almost com
pletely surrounded them, except on the
river side. the nearest house being scarce
ly fifty feet away.
Both magazines ordinarily contained Two
or three tons of gun powder in tin Kegs.
The company has for some time been ces:
sirous of strengthening the floor of the
magazine nearest the street and this
morning, eight men, three of them EN-
ployes of the company, three express men
and two carpenters were sent there with
three large express teams to take out the
powder and mend the floor Two of the
teams had been loaded and the other was
almost full when at six minutes past nine
o'clock the explosion occurred.
1t was long time before the actual
cause of the explosion could be ascer
tanned.
1t was thought at first that everyone
within radius of hundred feet of the
magazine had been killed, but later it
was found that Claredon Goodwin, the
foreman of the men who were loading the
powder on the teams had survived, to-
gether wit hone of his assistants, Amadee
Boulanger, and this afternoon the latter
was seen in the hospital.
He said that the men went down to
the magazine nearest the street to fix the
floor and after the teams had been loaded
with the powder that was in the maga-
zlne, 1t was discovered that can of nitro
glycerine, which was stored in the maya
zine, was leaking Mr.. Goodwin picked |
up what he thought was jug of water
and began to pour it on the nitro glycer-