Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-07-30
Gunpowder Magazines Explode
With Frightful Conclusion,
Killing Over a Score.
HALF A HUNDRED ARE INJURED
Property of United States Cartridge
compsny-Windows Wrecked for
Miles Around and Houses Go Down
as If Built of Cards.


gunpowder magazines, situated in the
very midst of the humble residences
OF 80 mill operatives exploded with
frightful eoncussion and the resultant
wave of death cut off the lives of more
than score of human beings and in
jured nearly so others. Half dozen
men who were loading kegs of pow
der from one of the magazines were
blown to pieces; four boys zoo yards
away were killed by the force of the
explosion, and IA frame houses within
radius of 400 yards went down as il
they had been built of cards. Seven
of these homes 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, Will
seven or eight others, who were res
oued, died subsequently OF their in
juries.
It is estimated that 70 separate
pieces of property. including those al
ready mentioned were destroyed,
while the force of the explosion wreck
ed windows for five or six miles
around and it's thunder could be heard
distinctly more than so miles away.
Many Dwellings Near Magazines.
The magazines were the property
of the United States Cartridge com
Eany, of this city, but fortunately were
situated more than a mile away from
the factory itself. They were built of
brick about 10 feet high, with a round
ed roof Of corrugated iron They were
constructed some 30 years ago, in
what was then broad open field on
the banks of the Concord river Dur
ing the last decade small wooden
dwelling houses have gradually sprung
up in the vicinity, erowding closer
and nearer with the fancied security
TO the two innocent looking buildings
until they almost completely surround
ed them, except on the river side, the
nearest house being scarcely so feet
away.
One OF the magazines was just with
in the roadside CT fence. while the
other was about 100 feet behind it
near the banks of the river Both mag
azines ordinarily contained two or
three tons of gunpowder in tin kegs.
The company has for some time been
DESTROYS of strengthening the floor of
the magazine near the street and eight
men 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 al
most full when the explosion occurred.
Cause of Explosion.
1t was long time before the actual
cause of the explosion could be ascer-
tanned. 1t was thought at first that
every one within a radius of SO feet
of the magazines had been killed, but
later 1t was found that Clarendon
Good. the foremen of the men who
were loading the powder on the teams,
had survived, together with one of his
assistants Amadee Boulanger, and the
latter was seen in the hospital
He said that the men went down
to the magazine nearest to the street
to fix the floor and after the teams had
been loaded with the powder which
was in the magazine, it was discover
ed that a can of nitroglycerin which
was stored in the magazine was leak
ing. Mr.. Goodwin picked up What he
thought was jug of water and began
pouring onto the nitroglycerin with
the idea of diluting it and washing it
up AS soon as the fluid from the jug
struck the floor he found that 1t was
nitric acid, The floor at once began
to smoke. and when the men saw 1t
they rushed from the building, but
had not gone 10 feet when the ex.
plosion occurred
The magazine was therefore the
first to go up, followed Immediately
by the gunpowder in the three teams,
and several seconds later by the sec.
ond magazine.