Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-10-21
ONYElSTlRDAY
lssuIi Was srstsl WIstew cIass All over Town.

ternoon about o'clock was the plow- ing up of the powder house owned by the firm of Hotchkiss & Temple ton. The powder house was situ- ated near the side of Berkeley place, a lane leading from the Long Hill road to Wolcott street, and had been doing service there for the past ten years. Although brush fire was indirectly responsible for the explos- ion, the twenty cases of dynamite would not, have gone up were 1t not for fifteen cases of powder that were also in the magazine. This powder was set of by the brush fire and the concussion which followed caused the explosion of the dynamite. s
 The shock was felt throughout the town and was of such a powerful na- ture that the people in every part of the city thought the explosion was within stones throw of where they stood. Although no one was hurt, there was much damage done, some people placing 1t as high as $5,0OO, one-fifth of which covers the loss or the hardware firm. The question which was uppermost in the minds of the people to-day was whether Hotchkiss & Templeton would be re- sponsible for all damage caused by the explosion Some people seem to, think they would,: others that they, would not.
 Charles A. Templeton, secretary and treasurer of the firm, when, speaking about the accident this morning, was not rust ready to dis cuss the question as to whether his company would be liable for the in jury done.
 We have placed the matter in the hands of men high in the legal fra ternity." he said, "and until we hear. from them we will not have much to say on that part of the affair. Still as understand it, our firm will not be held responsible.
 Not since the powder house ex- ploded in the west end about twelve years ago has there been such an ex- plosion in this city, Coming at the time 1t did yesterday, one of the busiest hours. of the day in the shop ping district, and when the children were just getting out of school, it caused intense excitement. Thou sands. of people immediately began to find out where the accident was and once the place was located the stream of people that hurried to the spot was surprising. .
 It is the general supposition that the accident was caused by a forest fire started early yesterday after noon, This fire spread as far as the store house which was situated in a hollow surrounded by numerous trees, none of which was very large. There were fifteen kegs of powder in the magazine and the heat caused the, powder: to explode. The impact from the going off of the powder set of the dynamite.
 The police believe the fire was set, and according to the story of Ralph Miller, a young man residing at 131 Orange street, the woods were set on fire. Miller says he was in the vicinity of the powder house early in the afternoon, but at that time there was no fire. Later he was passing and noticed that the brush was blazing. Running down towards the old Hotchkiss homestead he met Martin and John Bowling, who were doing work in the vicinity and who look after the Hotchkiss farm. They went up and seeing that the fire was getting close to the magazine, one of them went back and telephoned to Hotchkiss & Temple ton. While he was telephoning the explosion occurred.
 There 1t goes now," cried Dow ling.
 She's gone all right" replied MI Templeton on the other end, flor also heard it.
 Detective Colesanto and Patrolman Samuel Walsh, who were the first oi the police to arrive at the scene oi the accident, heard MT Millers story and immediately began an investiga- tion
 The explosion raised havoc with the. trees, rocks and earth in the vi. cinity. Several trees were felled by the upheayal and some of them were split almost in halves. Others were hurled some distance from their for. mer resting places, while not a few rocks of goodly size were pulled righ; out of the earth. Large holes were made in the ground and the general effect was. not unlike that caused by a small earthquake. It was desc late. piece of country after the ex plosion had done it's work.
 In addition to powder and dyna mite in the magazine there was 2 large quantity of fireworks. Not only were the pyrotechnics of the Hotchkiss & Templeton firm there sbut, many of the storekeepers oi the town had the remnants of theil Fourth of July stock stored in ths house. Fireworks were scattered 1T all directions and the old slang phrase "The woods are full of them, was very appropriate for the occa sion. sis
 Almost thousand boys and young men were around half an hour aftel the accident, and proceeded to enjoy an exhibition of fireworks that il many ways was far superior to an, seen in this city on Independenct day ss
 ni' The boys after picking up all tn, Roman candles, sky-rockets, nigge, chasers and cannon crackers thel cnu1d fnd.. would ra along and dro.