Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1907-08-17
100 BADLY INJURED.
HALF A TON OF DYNAMITE Ie
NITED BY INcENDIARY FIRE.
ACCIDENT HAPPENS AT BOULRER
DEPOT DESTROYED AND FIRE.
MEN FATALLY INJURED.

6ouSOer. Colo, Aug. 12.-Fire, orig
lnaCng from an unknown cause. IN
the western end of the Colorado and
southern freight depot at 1 O'Clock
this morning, destroyed the depot with
a vast quantity of freight. in half an
hour, and spreading a distance of 100
Ieet, enVeloped a powder house con-
tanning 1000 pounds of dynamite,
which exploded with a tremendous
shock, throwing firemen and hun
dreds of spectators to the ground, ia
tally lnJuring two men and breaking
the plate glass in every business house
In the town, as we'll as in hundreds
OF residences. The loss is estimated
at $25O,OO0. The fire was reported IN
der control at $3.50 o'clock.
-Four persons are dead as a result
of the explosion of dynamite at thu
depot fire early this morning.
The Boulder police report that 100
persons wer injured by the explo-
sion, and that twenty-five are being
cared for in the hospitals
When the alarm was first turned
in, only small blaze was visible at
the west end of the depot. The fire
men, handicapped by low pressure,
fought bravely, not knowing that half
a ton of explosives were stored within
100 feet of the burning building. No
warning was given, and when the
sheet iron shack split open with dull
roar. the men manning the hose and
every person within a radius of 100
yards were hurled to the ground. La
Fave and Wilson, who were nearest
were frightfully mangled, LaFavre's
left leg was blown off above the knee.
Wilson, a cripple. with an artificial
leg, had his right leg blown away and
the wooden limb shattered and frag-
ments of it driven into his body.
Across the street from the freight
depot a big two-story brick ware
house had great cracks riven in its
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 sidewalks, fol
| lowing the explosion. Not a pane of
glass is left in the center of the city.
Guards of armed men were thrown
about the banks and mercantile estab
lishments to prevent 1ooting Scarce
~ had the eddying smoke from the ex-
plosion drifted away than a band of
volunteers rushed into the powder
house, fighting their way through the
choking mist and fame, located sever
al kegs of giant powder which had
failed to explode. and which they car
ried out in their arms to a safe place.
On a side track at the platform of the
burning depot stood car containing
eight tons of dynamite. Despite the
fact that cinders were falling on its
roof and that little flickers of flame
were apparent on its walls. a switch
ing crew backed down and COUPLED to
the smouldering car. and while the
brakemen beat out the sparks the en-
CINE pulled the car two miles into the
country where it was left on a side
| trao7y
The Boulder clubs weekly reception
had just ended, anf many men and
women were staudi~g on the sidewalk
waiting for their carrie ges. when the
explosion occurred About fifty wo
men We're blown of their weet. 4
t~'cl- houee occupied by ]. ]. McCabe
| half block from the freight nous
was totally wrecked
| All the windows in TIE TTniversity
build'ng were blown out. and the pas
| ter fell from the walls and ceilings OF
the main building. Windows in sew
eral houses on University HILL mile
and a half from the scene of the ex
plosion. were shattered.