Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-08-14
ROCKED
THE TOWN
AWFUL EXPLOSION AT
BOULDER, COLORADO.
DEPOT CAUGHT FIRE AND SPREAD
TO ADJOINING POWDER
HOUSE.

Boulder, Col, Aug. 11.-Fire 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 quan.
tity of freight, in half an hour, and
spreading distance of 100 feet envel.
oped 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 well as in
hundreds of residences.
The loss is estimated at $25O,OOO,
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.
When the alarm was first turned in
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 a
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 a
rear every person within a radius of
100 yards was hurled to the ground
Roy La Favre and Ike Wilson, who
were 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 of.
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 a 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 safe place.
On side track at the platform Of
the burning depot stood a car con
tanning eight tons Of dynamite. Des
pite the fact that cinders were falling
on its roof and that little flickers OF
flame were apparent on its walls, a
switching crew backed down and
coupled to the smoldering car, and
while the brakeman beat out the
sparks the engine hauled the car two
miles into the country. where 1t was
left on side track.
All the windows in the university
building were blown out and the plas.
ter fell from the walls and ceilings OF
the main building. Thirty cars were
completely destroyed with their con
tents, consisting Of valuable goods.
The fact that dangerous explosives
were stored SO ear the depot, and
that few persons were aware Of the
fact. will be made the subject of q
rigid inquiry by the city authorities
Railway officials explain that the stor
age was only temporary, pending ship
ment to the mines.
Claims Fire Was lncendiary.
1--WE have proof that the fire in the
depot of the Colorado & Southern al
Boulder was of incendiary origin" said
Vice President A. D. Parker of the Col
orado & Southern. 1.-THE miscreantf
may not have looked for the awful re
suits that followed through the explo
sio of the dynamite, but upon theil
heads the blame Of the catastrophe
must rest. l will not say whom I sus
pect.
Victims Reach Five.
The four men arrested on suspicion
of having been implicated in starting
the fire are still held in Jail. One more
death, that Of Albert Weeks. laundry
employee, brings the total up to five.
Bill QuantreIi Still Lives.