The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-30
Frightful Explosion In a
Powder Magazine.
NEARLY FIFTY
PERSONS INJURED
Force Of the Blast Was Sim.
ply Terrific.
HOUSES WENT DOWN
AS If MADE OF CARDS
Half Dozen Men Were Lltterally
Blown to Pieces and Four Boys
Two Hundred Yards Away
Were Killed by Sheer
Force Of the Con-
cussion.
(By Associated Prcss.)

(By Associated Press.)
LOWELL, MASS, July 2s.-Two sma1i
gunpowder magazines, situated in the
very midst Of the humble residences OF
fifty mill operatives, exploded to-day with
a frIghtful concussion, and the resultant
wave Of death cut off the lives OF moro
than score Of human beings and injured
nearly fifty others. Half a dozen mon
who were loading kegs of powder from
enc of the magazines were blown to &
pieces four boys. two hundred yards
away, were killed by the force OF the ex-
In a radius of four hundred yards went
down as If they had been built Of cards
Seven Of these houses imIn nedia tely 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 subsequent
.ly Of their injuries.
1T Is estimated that seventy separate
pieces OF property, including those already
nentioned Were destroyed, while ithe
force of the explosion wrecked WINDOWS
for five or six miles around, and its thun-
der could be heard distinctly more tnan
flfty QlleS away. 554t
THE DEAD.
The following is the list Of those known
to be killed: Yrs S f
GEORGE FINN. 55s
JOHN MINISTERS.
LOUIS e. RICHARDS
JAMES L. GRADY, all employed by
the United States Cartridge Company.
JAMES B. SULLIVAN.
. CHARLES MOORE. E!s
JEAN RoLEAU. all employed by the
Stanley Forwarding Company.
GILBERT sM'DERMOTT. ten years.
THOMAS HOUn1GAN. eleven years.
JOSEPH HOULIGAN. ten years.
WILLIAM GALLOWAY.
ROBERT GALLOWAY.
ROBERT GALLOWAY. son OF above.
ALBERT LIE BRUN.
MRS. CATHERINE RIGGS.
EDDIE ROGERS. ys
GEORGE "A, AI'DERMOTT. four years
JOSEPHINE PERUSSE, eleven years.
MRS. VICTORIA PERUSSE.
zEPHRIANI PERUssE.
The nine last named were killed by tho
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: M
Amadal Boua ger. eighteen years.
ClarenQQn GOODWIN, Sixty years. DOL1l =
employees Of the Cartridge Company.
Mrs. Howard Burkett.
Miss McDermott
Eliza Galloway.
Clara Superna.
HOUSES AROUND MAGAZINES.
The magazines were the property Of the
United States Cartridge Company. OF
this city, but fortunately were situated
moro than n mile away from the factory
itself. They We're constructed some thirty
years ago in what was then a broad, open
field on the banks of the Concord River.
During the last decade small wooden
dwelling houses have gradually sprung up
In the vicinity crowding nearer and near.
er. with fanced security, to the two inno-
cent-'okng little buildings. until they al
most completely surrounded them, except
on the river side, the nearest house being
scarcely fifty feet away,
Both magazines ordinarily contained
two or three tons of gunpowder in tin
kegs. The company has for some time
been desirous of strengthening the floor
or the magazine nearest the street, and
this morning eight men. three OF them
employees of the company. three express
men and two carpenters We're sent there
with three large express trains 10 take
out the powder and mend the floor. TWO
of the teams had been loaded and the
other was almost full, when. at six min
utes past o'clock. the explosion oc-
CURED.
1t was long time before the actual
cause OF the explosion could be ascer-
tanned,
A SURVIVORS STATEMENT.
1t was thought at first that every one
within radius OF a hundred feet of the
magazine had been killed, but later It
was found that clarendon Goodwin, the
foreman of the men who We're loading tha
powder on the teams, had survived, to-
gether with one of his assistants. Anladee
Roulanger and this afternoon the latter
was seen in the hospital He said 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 magazine, II was dis
covered that can of nttro-Slycerine
which was stored In the magazine was
lcaking Mr. Goodwin picked up what he
thought was a jug OF water and began
10 pour It on the nitro -glycerlne, with the
idea of diluting 1t and washing II up As
soon as the f,uid from the Jug struck the
floor ha found 1t was nitric acid, The hoor
at once began to smoke. and when the
men saw II they rushed from the build-
Ing, but had not gone ten feet whsni faa
explosion occurred.
This magazine was. therefore, the hrst
10 go up. followed Immediately by the
e,;npowtier in the three teams, and sew
eral seconds later by the second mana
zine.
To those who heard the crash 1t seemed
as II there were two distinct explosions.
with continuous roar between them.
There are, however, Ave holes 70 the