The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-09-28
TOWN WRECKED BY
DYNAMITE EXPLOSION
Nearly Every House in IeliicO, Tenn
Damaged.
TWELVE DEAD IN THE RUINS
Railroad Car of Explosives Blows UP,
Wrecking the Business Section OF
the Community : Five Hundred
People Made Homeless - Property
Loss Million.

Jellico, Tenn. Especially Twelve
deaths, the injuring of scores OF other
persons and 100000 damage to pro-
perty were caused here when a car
load of dynamite standing on track
near the Southern Railway depot e&-
ploded with a report that was heard
for 20 miles. Buildings were snat-
tered in the business section OF the
town and nearly every pane OF glass
within a radius of one mile OF the
scene was broken.
Ten Tons OF Explosive Go Up.
The explosion occurred at O'Clock
A. M. The freight car, one Delong-
ing to the Pennsylvania Railroad
lines cantained $50 boxes OF 2O,0O0
pounds of high explosives consigned
to the Rand Powder Company, at
Clearfield, Tenn.
Two causes are assigned for the
explosion. One is that three persons
were shooting at mark on the car
and that bullet entered the car ana
caused the explosion. The other IS
that while the car was standing on
a side track carload of pig iron
was switched against it and that the
impact caused the explosion. Per-
sons here are divided as to the theo-
ries, some going so far as to say that
they actually saw the men firing at
the car with a rife.
Jellico is situated on the Tennes-
see-Kentucky line, about 90 miles
from Knoxville, the main business
portion of the town being on the
Tennessee line. Two lines OF rail-
road-the Southern and the Louis
Vile and Nashville Railroads-enter
it. The depot of the Southern,
which was located near the scene OF
the explosion, was wholly wrecked.
Two hotels, the Glenmorgan and the
Carmathian, were badly shattered.
the third story of the latter being
wholly destroyed. Mark Atkins, who
was asleep in room on the third
floor of the Carmathian at the time,
is one of the most seriously injured
of the entire list of injured, which
will number fully 200, counting all
who were but slightly hurt. Business
houses were badly disfigured and
stocks of goods ruined, while resi-
dences suffered severely, windows and
doors being blown out in houses as
far from the scene as one mile.
Some Total Wrecks.
Among the buildings totally de-
stroyed were the Armour Packing
Company's warehouse, the Jung Brew
ing Company's warehouse, Pinnacle
Brewing Company's warehouse, oil
tank and warehouse of Kentucky
Consumers Oil Company and the
Standard Oil Company's warehouse.
Besides the two damaged hotels the
Jellico Furniture Company's build
ing collapsed and the stock of the
Smith Dry Goods Company was prac-
tically ruined, although the building
which it occupied, the Cumberland
Opera House, the finest structure in
Jellico, escaped with little damage.
Fully 20 other firms suffered losses,
but they occupied small buildings.
Rescuers began work soon after
the explosion and medical aid was
asked of Knoxville, which sent a
dozen physicians to administer to
the wounded. Twelve of the most
seriously injured were sent to Knox
vile on the night train to hospitals
in that city.
Precaution Against Looters.
Mayor r. B. Baird issued a circu-
lar notifying the public that all per-
sons found on the streets after 8
P. M. would be arrested, unless they
were owners of buildings or stocks
of goods or agents therefor.