Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-07-30
Mistaken for Watv. causes
An Explosion
VICTIMS BY THE SCORE
An Accident Near Lowell, nass.which
Moved Down the Grass and Moved
Men Like Grass, Laying Waste the
Surrounding Neighborhood

Lowell, Mass, July 29.-Two small
gunpowder magazines situated in the
very midst OF the humble residences OF
fifty mill operatives exploded today
with frightful Conclusion and the re-
suitant wave Of death cut off the lives
and injured nearly fifty others. Half a
dozen men who were loading kegs OF
powder from one of the magazines
were blown TO pieces. four boys 20d
yards away were killed by the force OF
the explosion, and fourteen frame
houses within 4 radius of 400 yards
We're destroyed as if they had been
built OF cards. Seven of these houses
Immediately caught fire. probably from
the kitchen stoves, and We're complete
ly consumed. AT least three persons
were caught in the ruins and burne,.
to death, while seven or eight others
who were rescued died subsequently of
their injuries
1t is estimated that seventy separate
pieces OF property. including those al
ready mentioned, were destroyed, while
the force of the explosion wrecked
windows for five or six miles around
and the thunder could be heard dis
tinctly more than fifty miles away
The magazines were the property of
the United States Cartridge company
Of this city, but fortunately they were
situated more than d mile away from
the factory itself. They were built O;
brick, about ten feet high, with a
rounded roof of corrugated iron. They
were constructed some thirty years
ago when that section was a broad
io16 tla ha,
During the last decade small wooden
dwelling houses have gradually sprung
up in the vicinity, crowding nearer ana
nearer with fancied security to the in
nocent locking little buildings until
they almost completely surrounded
them except on the river side. the
nearest house being scarcely fifty feet
away. One of the magazines was just
;NRithin the roadside fence, w.c,:e the
other was about one hundred feet be-
hind it near the banks of the river
Both magazines ordinarily contained
two O" three tons OF gunpowder in tin
kegs, each keg being about eighteen
inches high ard a foot in diameter. The
company for some time has been de-
si:ous of strengthening the floor OF
the magazine nearest the street, and
this morning eight men, three of them
employees of the company. three ex-
pressmen and two carpenters. wera
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 almost full
| when Clarendon Goodwin, the foreman
| Of the men who were loading the
powder, picked up what he thought
| was a jug of water and began pouring
| it. onto d leaking can of nitro -glycerine.
with the idea of diluting it. AZ 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 as
soon as the men saw it they rushed
from the building, but had not gone
ten feet when the explosion occurred.
| This magazine was the first to go up.
| followed, Immediately by the gunpow-
der in the three wagons and several
seconds later by the second magazine.
To those who heard the crash it
seemed as if there were two distinct
explosions, with a continuous roar be-
tween them. There are. however. five
holes in the ground. which clearly in
| dicate five explosions. The entire ca
tastrophe, however, occupied the space
| of scarcely five seconds, but in that
| time the surrounding properly was
| smashed as ii a small cyclone had
broken forth in its midst. Every house
within 200 yeards collapsed. Trees
were blown down, the grass within 100
yards was moved as if by lawn NOW
er, and bricks from the two maga-
| zines We're hurled far across the river
and all ever the neighborhood. Good
win is among the survivors, though
! seriously injured.