The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1907-08-16
ROCKED
THE TOWN
AWFUL EXPLOSION AT
BOULDER, COLORADO.
DEPOT CAUGHT FIRE AND SPREAD
TO ADJOINING POWDER
HOUSE.

Boulder, Col, Aug. 11.-Fre origin
ating from an unknown cause in the
western end of the Colorado & South
ern freight depot Saturday morning
destroyed the depot, with a vast guam
tity of freight, in half an hour, and
spreading distance of 100 feet envel-
oped a powder house containing 1000 |
pounds of dynamite, which exploded |
with a tremendous shock, throwing
firemen and hundreds of spectators to
the ground, fatally injuring two men
and breaking the plate glass in every
business house in town, as we'll as in
hundreds of residences.
The loss is estimated at $250,000.
The Boulder police report that 100
persons were injured by the explosion
and that rs are being cared for in hos
pitfalls.
The following were fatally injured:
Roy La Favre, volunteer fireman,
Boulder; Ike o. Wilson, volunteer,
fireman, Boulder.
w hCu tuC dldl LII W do III oL lul lieu III
only small blaze was visible in the
west end of the depot. The firemen,
handicapped by low pressure, fought
bravely, in utter ignorance that half
ton of explosives was stored within
100 feet Of the burning building. No
warning was given, and when the
sheetiron shack split open and with
rear every person within radius of
100 yards was hurled to the ground.
Roy La Favre and Ike Wilson, who
we're nearest the storehouse, were
frightfully mangled. LaFavre's left
leg was blown off above the knee.
Wilson, cripple with an artificial leg,
had his right leg blown away and the
wooden limb shattered, and fragments
OF it driven into his body.
Across the street from the freight
depot big two-story brick warehouse
had great cracks driven in the walls.
and it's roof blown off.
Several shacks along the tracks oc-
cupied by squatters were reduced to
splinters.
In the business section of the city
great sheets of heavy glass, fell in
splinters on the sidewalk, following
the explosion. Not pane of glass is
left in the center of the city. Guards
of armed men were thrown about the
banks and mercantile establishments
to prevent lOoting.
Scarcely had the smoke from the ex
plosion drifted away when band Of
volunteers rushed into the powder
house and, fighting their way through
the choking mist and flames, located
several kegs of giant powder which
had failed to explode and which were
carried to a safe place.
, On a side track at the platform Of
; the burning depot stood car con
I tanning eight tons of dynamite. Des
pite the fact that cinders were falling
!, on it's roof and that little flickers O.
!, flame were apparent on its walls, {
1 switching crew backed down ant
coupled to the smoldering car, ant
while the brakeman beat out thu
;, sparks the engine hauled the car two
!. miles into the country, where it wal
= left on side track.
All the windows in the universit.
= building were blown out and the plas
ter fell from the walls and ceilings o
: the main building. Thirty cars wer'
completely destroyed with their con
tents, consisting of valuable goods.
The fact that dangerous explosive
were stored SO ear the depot an
- that few persons were aware of tn
!. fact will be made the subject of
= rigid inquiry by the city authorities
Railway officials explain that the stol
= age was only temporary, pending shiI
6 ment to the mines.
O Claims Fire Was lncendiary.
e 1--WE have proof that the fire in tn
e depot of the Colorado & Southern a
d Boulder was of incendiary origin" sal
Vice President A. D. Parker of the Co
orado & Southern. "The miscreant
may not have looked for the awful n
n suits that followed through the expl'
6 sio of the dynamite, but upon the
% heads the blame of the catastroph
n. must rest will not say whom l SUI
If pect.
a Victims Reach Five.
~ The four men arrested on suspicio
of having been implicated in startir
u the fire are still held in Jail. One mol
'e DEATH that of Albert Weeks, laundI
. employee, brings the total up to five.