The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-08-05
TWENTY KILLED By EXPLOSION.
Two Magazines Blown Up in Lo-
well, Mass.

well, mass.
Lowell. Mass, July 29.-Two small
gunpoWder magazines, situated in the
very midst Of the humble residences
Of fifty mill operatives, exploded today
with srightful concussion, 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 we're 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 rad
;us tof four hundred yards, were blown
down as if they had been built or
cards. Seven Of these houses immedl-
ately 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 sever or eight others,
who we're rescued. died subsequently
sof their Injuries, s,
Is is estimated that seventy separate
pieces Of property, including those
Salres,dy mentioned, were destroyed,
while The force Of the explosion wreck
ed windows for FIVE or six miles
around. and its thunder could be
heard distinctly more than Gfty miles
away.
The magazines were the property Of
the United States Cartridge Company,
of this city, but, fortunately, were
situated more than q mile away from
the factory itself. They were con-
strucsed some thirty years ago, in
ghat was then a broad, open field, on
the banks Of the Concord river. Du-
ring the last decade small wooden
DWELLING houses have gradually
sprung ND in the vicinity, croWding
nearer and nearer with fancied secur-
ity to the two innocent-looklng little
buildings until they almost complete
II surrounded them, except on the rlv-
or side, the nearest house being
scarcely fifty feet away.
Both magazines ordinarily contain
ed two or three tons Of gunpowder in
tin kegs. The company has for some
time Been desirons Of strengthening
the dcor of the magazine nearest the
street and this morning eight men,
three of them employees of the COM
pany, three eypressmen and two car
penters, were sent there with three
large express teams to take out the
powder and mend the foor. Two of
the teams had been loaded and the
other was almost fall when, six min
nses past 8 O'Clock, the explosion oc-
Cured.
It was a long time before the actual
cause Of the explosion could be as
certained.
It was thought at first that everyone
within radius of a hundred feet of
the magazines had been Killed, but
later it was found that Clarendon
Goodwin, the foreman of the men
who we're loading the powder on the
teams, had survived, together with
one of his assistants, Amadee Boulan-
ger, and this afternoon the latter was
seer ii, 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 magazine, il was discovered
that can of nitro-gaycerine, which
was stored In the magazine, vas Leak
ing. MI. Goodwin picked up what he
thought was Jug Of water and began
20 ponr it on the nitro-glycerine,
with The idea of diiuting it and
Washing, it up. 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 explosion occurred.
This magazine vas, therefore, the
first to 20 up, followed Immediately
by the gunpowder in three wagons
and. several seconds later, by the sec
ond magazine.
70 those who heard the crash it
seemed as If there we're two distinct
explosions, with q continuous roar
between them. There are, however,
ive holes in the ground, which clear
ly indicate dYe explosions.
The entire catastrophe occupied the
SPACE Of i've seconds, but IN that
time the surrounding property was
swept as If small volcano had brok-
en- in its midst. Every house within
two hundred yards collapsed. Trees
were blown down, the grass within a
hundred yards moved as if by a lawn
mover, while bricks from the two
magazines were hurled far across the
riyes and ali over the neighborhood.
For several minutes afterwards the
air was completely filed with smoke
and dust, Illuminated by the glare
from the already burning houses.
Manila, July 29.-The United States
Philippine commission has been con-
ducting a long and detailed ezamina-
t;on of the heads of the various de-
nartments of the Government, forcing
On them a general policy of retrench-
naent. The commissioners have lnves-