The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-30

GduSG VI the G8DfOSlOU COuiQ VIC
certained.
1t was thought at first that every
one within a radius of 100 feet of the
magazine had been killed but later it
was found that Clarendon Goodwin,
the foreman of the men who were
loading the powder on the teams. had
survived, together with one of his as
sistants, Amadee Boulander, and this
afternoon the latter was seen in he
hospital He said that the men went
down to the magazine nearest the
street to fix the floor, and after the
der that was in the magazine, it was
discovered that a can of nitro glycer-
inc, which was stored in the magazine,
was leaking, and Goodwin picked up
what he thought was jug of water
and began to pour it on the nitro-gly-
cerine, with the idea of diluting it and
washing it uS.
AS soon as the fluid from the jug
struck the floor he found that it was
nitric acid. The floor at once began
to smoke, and when the men saw it.
they rushed from the building, but
had not gone ten feet when the ex-
plosion occurred.
Were Five Explosions.
This magazine was, therefore, the
first to go up, followed Immediately
and several seconds later by the sec
ond magazine.
To those who heard the crash, it
seemed as if there were two distinct
explosions, with a continuous roar be-
tween them. There are, however, FIVE
holes in the ground, which clearly in
dictate five explosions.
The entire catastrophe, however. &C.
cupied the space of scarcely five Sec
onds, but in that time the surround
ing property was swept as if a small
volcano had broken forth in it's midst.
Every house within 200 yards col
lapsed. Trees were blown down, the
grass within a hundred yards moved
as if by a lawn mower, while bricks
from the two magazines were hurled
far across the river and all over the
neighborhood.
For several minutes afterwards the
air was completely filled with smoke
and dust. Illuminated by the glare
from the already burning houses.
Rescue Work Begun.
The work Of rescue began at once.
but in many cases the flames had al
ready gained full sway over the crum-
pied ruins. and 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 did most of the.
work in caring for the wounded. Be-
fore a stream of water was started
from the engines the bodies from the
wagons were taken out and the wound
ed placed in the wagons and hurried
t. the hospital. Ambulances soon APP
peared on the scene and assisted the
firemen. and all sorts of vehicles were
pressed into the service. Nearly forty
persons. were taken to the two hospi-
tails within half an hour while many
more, whose injuries were slight, had
their wounds dressed and remained on
the scene, where they assisted in car
ing 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
catastrophe. The crowd so badly him
dered the work of caring for the
wounded that the Mayor sent out a
militia call, Three companies re-
sponded. and three hours later had
thrown a Gordon of men around the
district and had cleared the place of
every one except those Immediately en-
gagged in quenching the flames and
for victims.
Four Little Boys Killed.
Two hundred yards further down the
river from the second magazine thS
flremen suddenly came across the
bodies Of four little boys. who were
about to have a swim. A fifth mem
Der of the party was In the river
when the explosion occurred, and es-
capped without injury.
Apparently the force from this sec