The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-07-30

Clarendon Goodwin, the foreman of the
men VINO were loading the powder on the
teams. had survived. together with one
OF MS assistants, Amadee Boulanger, anil
this afternoon the latter was seen at the
hospital
Was Nitric Acid.
He said that the men went down to the
magazine nearest the street to fix the
iioor and after the teams had been load
Ell with the powder which was in the
magazine II was discovered that a can
or niIo-Elycerine which was stored in
me magazine was leaking Mr. Goodwin
picked up what he thought was Jug of
water and began pouring il onto the
nj tro-glycerine with the idea Of diluting
fluid from the Jug struck the floor he
round that IL 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.
Thls magazine. therefore, was the first
10 go up. followed by the gunpowder in
the three teams. and some seconds later
bv the second magazine.
To those who heard the crash 1t seemed
rs III there were two distinct explosions
with continuous roar between them.
There are. however. five holes in the
ground. which seems to clearly indicate
five explosions.
TIE entire catastrophe. however. hard
" occupied the space of five seconds,
out in that time the surrounding prop
ertv was swept as II a small volcano
had broken forth in its midst Every
house within 200 wards COLLAPSED. Trees
were blown down. the grass within 100
cards moved as If bv a lawn mower.
while bricks from the two magazines
were hurled far across the river and all
over the netghborhOod.
For several minutes afterwards the air
was completely filled with smoke and
dust illuminated by the glare from the
already burning houses.
Work of Rescue.
The work of rescue was at once begun.
but IN many cases the flames had al
reaqy gained full sway over the crum-
hled ruins. and several persons were
burned 10 death before the debris which
covered them could be removed
Ihe DTODcTtv is situated lust over the
lowell line in Tewkesbury. but the Low
ell fire department did noble work in
caring for the wounded. Before a stream
OF water was started from the engines
tho corDses were taken out and the bod
les were placed In the wagons and hur-
ried TO the hospital. AmbuIances soon
appeared on the scene and assisted the
ilremen. and all sorts Of vehicles were
pressed into service. Nearly forty per
within hair an hour. while many more
whose injuries were slight had their
wounds dressed and remained on the
scene. where they assisted i'm caring for
the less fortunate.
The explosion shook the CITY. and
within half an hour there were at least
trouhe. The crowd 50 badly hindered the
work of caring for the wounded that the
mavOr sent out a militia call. Three
companies responded and three hours
later had thrown a Gordon Of men around
the district and cleared the place Of ev-
erv one except those Immediately en-
Caegd in OuenChing the flames and
searching for victims
Two hundred wards further down the
river from the second magazine the fire
men suddenly came across the bodies of
four little boys who were about to have
q swim. A fifth member of the party
was IN the river when the explosion &C
Little Boys Killed
Apparently the force from this second
MAGAZINE was expended in two directions.
north and south. On the north Il com
nletelY demolished the house of William
RIGGS. about fifty yards away almost
burSing Mrs Riggs and badly injuring
nor little son. Mrs. Riggs died before
being taken to the hospital
on the other side of the maya zine was a
grove of trees. through which the explo-
sion tore path fifty feet wide for a dis
lance OF nearly 300 yards. The four little
bows were caught i'm its path and three
were instantly killed. the body of one
OF them being frightfully mutilated the
fourth was alive when he was discov-
cred by the police and firemen, but did
not long survive
Most of the property destroyed con-
sisted of small buildings constructed of
wood and at a comparatively small cost
The property loss. therefore. will not be
heavy.
The selectmen Of the town Of Tewkes-
bury believe that $4,000 will cover the
entire loss