The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-30
Foreman Mistakes 1t for Water
and POurs 1t on Nitroglycerin
Leaking From Can.
FOURTEEN HOUSES WRECKED.
Seven of These Catch Fire and
Some of the Occupants Perish
in Ruins Grass SWEET
From Earth Over Wide
Radius.

lSDNtiI, MASS, -'-l VIZ gun
powder magazines. situated in the very
| midst of the humble residences of fifty mill
operatives exploded to-day with i frightful
conclusion and the resultant wave OF death
cut off the lives of more than a score of
human beings and injured nearly fifty
others.
Half dozen men who were loading kegs
Of powder from one Of the magazines were
blown to pieces: four boys 200 yards away
were killed by the force of the explosion,
and fourteen frame houses within radius
of 400 yards went down as IL they had been
built of cards.
Seven of these houses Immediately caught
fire. probably from the kitchen stoves. and
were completely consumed. 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 injuries.
HEARD FIFTY MILES.
It Is estimated that seventy separate
pieces of property including those already
| mentioned. were destroyed. while the force
of the explosion wrecked windows for five
or six miles around. and its thunder could
be heard distinctly more than fifty miles
away.
to have been killed In the explosion:
George Finn, John McMasters, Louis E.
Richards James L. Grady. all employed by
the United States Cartridge Company:
James B. Sullivan. Charles Moore and Jean
Roleau. all employed by the Stanley For
warding Company: Gilbert McDermott,
Michael McDernott. Thomas Houlisan.
Joseph Houligan. William Galloway,
Robert G,o1lop-ay noIy t.
Alfred lie Brun. Mrs. Katherine Riggs, Ed
Inc Perusse. Mrs. Victoria Perusse and
Zephraim Perusse.
The nine last named were killed by the
fall Of their houses or burned to death
-Four persons are missing-two carpenters
names unknown, and John Riggs and Pat
rick Spencer.
Those fatally injured are: Amadee Bou-
LANCER. Clarendon Goodwin. both employees
of cartridge company; Mrs. Howard Bur-
kett. Miss McDermott. Eliza Galloway.
Clara Superna.
The magazines were the property of the
United States Cartridge Company of this
city. but. fortunately were situated more
than mile away from the factory itself.
HOUSES SPRING UP.
high. with a rounded roof Of corrugated
IRON They were constructed some thirty
years ago. in what was then a broad open
field on the banks of the Concord River.
In the last decade small wooden dwelling
houses have gradually sprung up in the
vicinity. crowding near and nearer with
fancied security to the two innocent-look-
ing little buildings until they almost COM
pletely surrounded them except the
river Sides the nearest house being scarce
~ 30 feet away.
One of the magazines was just within the
roadside fence. while the other was about
hundred feet behind it near the banks
of the river. Both magazines ordinarily
contained two vr three tons of gunpowder
in tin kegs. each keg being about Is
inches high and foot in diameter.
The company for some time has been
d.sirous of strengthening the floor of the
magazine nearest the the street and this
morning eight men. three of them employees
of the company. three expressmen, and two
carpenters were sent there with three large
express wagons to take out the powder and
mend the floor. Two of the wagons had
been loaded and the other was almost full
WHEN the explosion occurred.
WITNESSES STORY.
1t was long time before the actual cause
of the explosion could be ascertained. 1t
was thought at first that every one within
a radius of fifty 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 assistants. Amadee Boulanger, and this
afternoon the LITTER was seen in the hos
pital
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 which was in the magazine 1t
was discovered THAI a can of nitroglyce-in
which was stored in the magazine was leak
ing. Mr.. Goodwin picked up what he
thought was a jug Of water and began
pouring 1t onto the nitroglycerin, with the
idea of diluting 1t and washing it up.
AS soon as the fluid from the jug struck
the floor he founo that it was nitric acid.
The floor at once began to smoke and when
the men saw it they rushed from the build
ing, but had not gone ten feet when the
explosion occurred.
This magazine was, therefore, the first
to go up. followed Immediately by the gun
powder in the three wagons, and several
seconds later by the second magazine.
To those who heard the crash it seemed
as If there were two distinct explosions,
with a continuous roar between them.
There are. however, five holes in the
ground. which seems to clearly indicate five
explosions.
The entire catastrophe, however, occu-
pied the space Of scarcely five seconds, but
in that time the surrounding property was
swept as If small volcano had broken
forth in its midst. Every house within 200
yards collapsed. Trees were blown down.
the grass within hundred yards moved
as II lawn mower, while bricks from the
two magazines were hurled far across the
river and all over the neighborhood.
For Summer Complaint, Cholera Morbus
Cramps in Stomach and Bowels, get bot