The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-16

pital the city ambulance was struck by street car and wrecked. No one was
 injured, but it is feared the shock will be fatal to the explosion victims who were in the ambulance.
 Citizens today subscribed more than 5000 to the relief fund and the city coun- oil in special session tonight appropriated 5000 to be expended in relieving suffering.
 Assistant Superintendent Nash of the 
 immediately following the explosions the wreckage took fire and the inhabi- tants of the town who rushed to the rescue of the mill employees found themselves powerless to aid those burning in the ruins. They worked frantically, in constant danger from possible succeeding explosions.
 Dead and dying were picked up and collected. Eighteen bodies horribly burned and mangled were carted to protected spot to await identification while the badly injured, numbering upwards of fifty, were put on special train and taken to Terre Haute for hospital accommodations. Scarcely one of the 1000 inhabitants of the town but carried blood on hands and face from his own wounds or those of people who had required aid. The mills were located one mile south of the town. With the first explosion the employees ran for safety, but most of them were killed or wounded by the quick-fol lowing explosions in the other mills. When the heat from the burning mills exploded the giant powder magazine ninety minutes later, destroying the town by the concussion, many of those engaged in relief work were badly injured and several killed. Superin- tendent Monahan of the plant was killed while sitting in his office, and his wife and sister-i law were killed in their home some distance away. That the death list is not far greater is due to the fact that the people of the town had left their houses at the explosion and were not in them when the explosion of the 40 GOO kegs of powder in the magazine hurled their homes to pieces and scattered their househould goods into heaps of debris.
 Business Blocks LeveIed.
 Among the buildings totally de- stroyed in the town were the Metho- dist and Christian churches. two school buildings, the depot all husi ness blocks, including zrptafge block just completed, large warehouse and 500 homes. In many of them the fronts were blown away, while in others the
 
 blown out or they were left a confused mass of wreckage.
 A Big Four railroad freight train on the switch leading to the mills was partially destroyed by the explosion and the wrecKage caught fire. En- gineer Charles Wells was badly burned and received a fracture of the. right leg.
 Three school buildings were destroyed at Fontanet and Coal Bluff. two miles away, all filled with school children. and every one of those was more or less injured by the collapse of the buildings. A four-room school build ing was torn to pieces at Fontanet and not one of the two hundred children escaped unhurt. None was fatally in- jured. A two-room school building at Coal Bluff was turned over and collapsed. The teacher and ninety pupils were more or less injured. The force of the explosion destroyed all the telephone connections at outside towns and communication was made with diff feuty when aid was summoned. Terre Haute and Brazil sent physicians and nurses with supplies in carriages and automobiles across the country while special trains were made up and rnu on the Big Four road for the care of the injured. Governor Hanley at In- dianapolis ordered the Terre Haute company of the State National gourd here to patrol the ruined district and protect life and property.
 The governor himself arrived this evening about the time the soldiers reached here. He brought with him TOO cots and one hundred tents for the use of the homeless.
 Another Explosion Recalled.
 On January 28, this year, nearly nine months ago, in the western part of the same county in which Fontanet is located. yigo occurred the terrible catastrophe at Sanford, Ind, when a car of powder exploded and blew up an entire passenger train killing 20 persons and iniuring half hundred others. Although thorough investigation was made at the time by the railroads and state authorities no definite railroad and state authorities no disaster. Among the theories advanced at the time was one that a comet had powder. causing the explosion 10 ignite by concussion Witnesses declared they saw a bill of fire descend from the sky just before the car exploded at Sanford
 Company B. Indiana National Guard, comprising 40 men. immediately upon reaching here tonight reported to Sheriff Horsley. who placed the men around the most, damaged sections of the city. The soldiers will act under orders from the sheriff. unless Governor Hanley sees fit to declare martial law, in which case state military officer will be placed In control. The company is in full equip ment Ball cartridges were provided for each soldier, although it is not expected any footing will be attempt1-. the state authorities thought It best 10 be ready fa,. anv ep1arUanpN