Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-10-16
NUMBER INCREASING
Full Extent of the Loss viii
Not Be Known For
Several Days.
RESULT OF EXPLOSION.

.
Fontanet, Ind, Oct. 16.-Systematic
work of recovering the dead in yester-
days explosion was begun this morn
Ing. The town is under martial law.
There were no disturbances last night
Soldiers were ordered to shoot the first
man caught looting. Though without
homes, tents have been provided by
Governor Hanley and the homeless
passed comfortable night.
The exact number of the dead will
probably not be known for several days.
The dead are being buried this morn
ing.
Property Loss Estimated.
Fontanet, Oct. 1G.-The loss to the
powder company in property damage is
estimated at $2S0,000, including 65, 900
kegs of powder stored in the magazine
which exploded. The property loss to
the town of Fontanet will exceed half
million.
Increases Number of Dead
Fontanet, Ind, Oct. 16.-Thirty-fve
persons were killed, a score or more
fatally hurt, more than 600 injured
some of them seriously-and the town
OF tontanet practically obliterated by
the explosion of the Du Pont Powder
company's mills here yesterday Everv
building i'll the town was either de
stroyed or partly wrecked, and the
force nXnlnCinn
injury to persons and damage to pro2-
erty throughout the surrounding coun-
try for miles in all directions.
Injured Two Miles Away.
Schoolhouses two miles away were
demolished and scores of children
hurt. A passenger train on the Big
-Four railroad four miles away had
every coach window broken, and
many passengers on board were in
Jured by flying glass. The cause OF
the explosion will never be known.
1t is thought probable it was due to
heat caused by friction resulting from
grit in the bearings of part of the ma.
chinery.
Where stood yesterday morning a
thriving, bustling town of 1000 souls
there is ruin and wreckage. The dead
and more seriously injured have been
taken away. Five hundred inhabitants
all more or less wounded, remain tc
gather their scattered household goods
and sleep under tents and on cots
guarded by soldiers of the state The
property loss as near as it can be esti
mated, will reach 100000
No Warming of Disaster.
Without warning the powder mills
seven in number, blew up at 9:15
They employed 200 men and of thes'
rs were at work when the first ex
plosion occurred in the press mill
In quick succession the glazing mill
the two coming mills, and the powde
magazine blew up, followed by the ca
mill. In the magazine, situated severa
hundred yards from the mills, wer
stored 10000 kegs of powder. TIL
concussion when it blew up was fel
nearly 200 miles away.
The mills went up with three dis
tiDct explosions, followed 80 minute
later by a fourth, even more seriou
than the others, when the magazin
went up.
Braves Death In Two Forms.
Immediately following the explosion
the wreckage took fire and the inhab
tants of the town who rushed to tn
rescue of the mill employees foun
themselves powerless to aid thos
burning in the ruins. They worke
frantically, in constant danger frol
possible succeeding explosions, Ill
mindful of their ruined homes.
Dead and dying were picked up an
collected. Eighteen bodies horribl
burned and mangled were carted to
protected spot to await identificatio
while the badly injured, numberir
more than so, were put on a speci
train and sent to the Terre Hau
hospitals
Scarcely one of the 1000 inhabitan
of the town but carried blood on hant
and face from his own wounds or tho
of people who had required aid.
Fleeing Employees Killed.
The powder mills were located ol
mile south of the town, and with &
first explosion the employees ran f
L - ~ lin