The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-04
MANY HEARsES.
A Sad Reminder of Yesterdays
Fatal Explosion.

Lowell, Mass, July 3O.-A long line of
hearses moving slowly through the
streets today was a pathetic reminder
of yesterdays catastrophe at Tewks-
burg, when an explosion of tons of
nitric glycerine, dynamite and gun
powder snuffed out nearly a score of
lives, painfully injured more than
doubl that number Of persons and
scattered half a hundred buildings over
a space OF several acres. Tonight the
number of dea stand at IS may be in
creased to p at any minute by the
death of two of the victims now at st.
Johns hospital.
All day the searchers probed through
the debris for any traces Of possibly
unknown victims of the tragedy, but
nothing was brought to light which
would indicate that the number would
be greater than reported. A small bit
of cloth, later identified a. the lapel of
a coat worn by II of the victims al
ready known, and a human eye were
the only gruesome reminders unearth-
ed.
Every portion of the ruined territory
has been carefully covered. Insurance
adjustors state that the loss to their
companies will be comparatively light,
as only the loss resulting from fire will
fall upon them. This will mean that
many of the househplders, nearly all
Of them laboring men OF small means,
will lose everything they had in the
world. The official report of the Tewsk-
burg select men, which vas made pub
lie tonight, places the loss in the i'm
mediate vicinity of tie powder maya
zines at more than 800, 900, and as
the loss will fall largely upon the
householders, much hardship Will re-
suit. Already the select men have
taken steps to relieve the suffering and
in addition a numbe" of army tents
have been supplied By Adjutant Gen
eral Dalton to be used as temporary
shelters.
A relief fund started by the local pa
pers yesterday had reached the $4,000
mark tonight. After going over the
ruins his afternoon, Judge Hadley, of
the local municipal court, stated that
he would insist upon the presence of
the district attorney at the inquest
which soon will be haid.
Lowell, Mass. July 30.-No further
deaths among the injured by the mag
azine explosion Of yesterday in South
Lowell had occurred at the hospitals
where those most seriously injured
were taken. The condition of Claren-
don Goodwin, sixty years old who
was in charge of the United States
Cartridge Company's employees at
~storehouses is most critical. He is
unconscious most of the time. Mr..
Goodwin is the man who
to remedy a leakage of nitrO-glycerine,
and whose act in pouring nitric acid,
in mistake for water, on the leakage,
is thought to have caused the explos-
ion. Two of he injured who late
asst night were reported to have died,
are yet alive.
Of the dead the bodies of George
Flynn, Louis E. Richard and James
Grady, employees of the United States
Cartridge Company has not been re-
covered. 1t is thought that they were
blown to atoms.
An kno man is reported to have
been burned to death in the wreckage
OF a dwelling in spite of desperate eff
forts to rescue him.
1t is not anticipated that the death
list will exceed %.
The state officials will hold an inaui-
ry into the cause Of the explosion.
Medical Examiner Irish has begun a
poStmortem examination Of the dead
bodies.
Search for the body Of Louis Rich
ard. who was in charge Of men NOV
ing the powder. resulted in finding
small pieces of his clothing in a gar
| den bout IS yards from the magazine
| building, Indicating that the man VS.
| blown to atoms.
Foreman Goodwin. it is said during
a lucid denied that he was in
any way responsible for the disaster.