New-York tribune., 1910-05-09
EXPLOSION KILLS
MANY ONLOOKERS
Fifteen Dead and Fifty Injured
at Powder Plant Near
Ottawa.
SCENE LIKE BATTLEFIELD
Parlia meut Houses and Earl
Grey's Home Damaged-Coun-
try for Miles Around
Laid Waste.

of Hul1. across the Ottawa River. we're
rocked by an explosion which destroyed
The plant of the General Explosive Com
ranv Of Canada. near Hull, at S O'Clock
-o-rigf7t Fifteen persons we're killed
nd more than fifty injured. some of
-,hen7 win die. Twoscore of houses in
rrr northeastern section OF Hull were
nracked. and in this city. four miles from
IN. magazines. hundreds of plate glass
windows were shattered The country
fo- miles around was laid waste.
Rideau Hail. the official home of the
Governor Gen ra'. Earl Grey, and the
Parliament buildings which are two
miles nearer the scene Of the explosion
thsn the main section of the city, re
cazed the full force Of the blast. Two
large chin1nevs of Rideau Hall toppled
s.--e- = nd al the windows on the north
side Of the hall and the Parliament build
ings were blown out.
Rideau Hall is still occupied by Earl
Grey and his family. The whole vice
regal establishment fed panic stricken
4 the street. They were soon reassured
that there was no further danger. As
the disaster he ordered a detachment Of
troops sent across the river to help the
authorities The building in which the
main explosion occurred was built Of
-9Iid stone, the walls being two feet
thick Fragments of stones weighing up
10 half ton we're shot through the air
for a quarter OF mile, shattering the
frame dwelling houses Of workingmen.
which run to within an eighth Of mile
~ the factory.
Baseball Game in Progress.
baseball game was in progress a
short distance from the powder works
about 81 o'clock this evening. The teams
we're playing the last innings. and when
fire was seen in one Of the small build
ings Of the powder plant the crowd be
aan 10 swarm up the hill TO get better
Niaw of the blaze.
Warning Of the danger came 20 the
onlookers in two minor explosions soon
after the fire got well under way. A
shower Of sparks and fragments Of the
wrecked building fell among the spec
tators, and there was a scurryipg out
ef what was considered the danger zone.
Some men in the crowd. aware of the
tossibilities of the danger when the
main magazines were reached by the
8ames pleaded with the crowd to go
still further back. and many of them
needed the warning Others. apparently
enjoying the element of danger in the
spectacle. stood within a thousand yards
"f the burning buildings. They were
izcpt on the alert by detonations which
sent showers of burning brands in all
directions. The baseball game broke up
sno the remainder of the spectators and
tie players rushed up TO Join the crowd
At the fire.
II vas then that the main magazines
exploded. There were two stunning de-
tonations Everything within radius of
= mile and 8 half was torn and shat
tered. Giant trees were snapped of close
Ia the earth, barns and dwelling houses
we're converted into kindling wood, and
nren in Ottawa. four miles from the
scene, hundreds of plate glass windows
we're shattered 10 fragments
Scene Resembles Battlefield
The scene where the crowd from the
ball feld stood resemble a battlefield
Headless. armless and legless bodies
were living about among scores of un-
conscious forms. To the few who re-
tanned flicker of consciousness it ap-
AIRED though over 4 hundred had
been killed The strange silence which
followed the final death dealing blast
MS more terrifying than were the cries
and means which came with n return to
consciousness OF the badly injured
The terrific shock brought thousands
"i terror stricken people into the streets
O. Hull. Some thought il Was an earth
Quake, HhilC others cried out that the
comet had struck the earth. Hundreds
d ehimneys We're toppIed over and there
Ia scarcely a whole light Of glass left in
the northeastern section Of the city. The
frst oalI for aid from The hospitals and
fhe police nsr1e from the section Of the
city nearest the ma gazines There il
Vas found that fully forty small frame
dwellings hai been shattered and many
iHlsred people wers imprisoned i'm the
,''re"kage- The police and fire depart
ip@nts were Joined hy scores Of willing
H-luuteers IN the work Of rescue.
!; Was fully an hour and haIf after
tho explosion that word came into the
city Of the disaster near the powder
works. Ambulances and automobiles
acre rushed to the scene. and the fright
f-liI, injured were carried 10 tho local
hospitals until there was room for no
moro. and the others were brought across
the river to this city.
Great Cloud Of Smoke Over Hull.
IN this city. four miles from tine scene
% the explosion, the terror inspired Was
scarcely less than that at Hull The
earth trernbled buildings shook and
lUn5reds Of windows weTe shattered.
The great cloud Of smoke which mounted
IN column oyer HUI quickly indicated
the true cause Of the terrifying shock
The Ottawa hospitals are crowded.
= i'h injured, ana ii is almost certain
THAT some Of these are SO badly hurt
that the list Of fatalities will grow.
Louis Mccain. q lsborer, Was crushed
hy q falling fragment He vas taken in
an automobile, which started hIrriedly
for an Ottawa hospital II was seen
that he was diving The automobile WAS