The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-05-09

OTTAWA, May 9.-An explosion,
which late Sunday wrecked the plant
OF the General Explosives company of
Canada. near Hull. Quebec, killed fif-
ten persons and injured fifty others.
The force of the explosion was ter
rife. The country for miles around
was laid waste, and many small build
ings in the city OF Hull. on the side
nearest the scene of the explosion,
were hattencd to the ground.
A baseball game was in progress a
short distance from the powder works
about o'clock last evening The
teams were playing the last innings,
and when fire was seen in the small
buildings OF the powder plant, the
crowd began to swarm up the hill to
get a better view of the blaze.
Warning of the danger came to the
onlookers In two minor explosions
soon after the fire got we'll under way
A shower of sparks and fragments
CT the wrecked building fell among
the spectators and there was sour
rying out OF what Nas. considered the
danger zone.
Three men in the crowd aware of
the possibility of danger when the
main magazine was reached pleaded
with the crowd to go still further back
and many of them needed the warning
The others apparently enjoying the
ement of danger in the spectacle.
ftood within 1000 yards of the burning
buildings. They We're kept on the qui
viye by the detonations which sent
showers of burning brands in all direc-
tons.
The baseball game broke up and the
remainder of the spectators and the
players rushed up to join the crowd
at the fire.
It was then that the magazine ex-
ploded.
There We're two stunning detonations.
Everything within radius of mile
and half was torn and shattered
Giant trees were snapped off close
to the earth, barns and dwelling
iouses were converted into kindling
wood, and even in Ottawa, four niles
from the scene, hundreds of plateglass
windows were broken.
The scene where the crowd from the
ball ground stood resembled a battle
held. Headless, armless and legless
bodies We're lying among scores OF
unconscious forms. To the few who
retained flicker Of consciousness.
1t appeared as though over hundred
had been killed
The silence which followed the final
death-dealing blast was more terrify-
ing than the cries and means which
came with a return to consciousness of
the badly injured
The terrific shock brought thous-
ahds of terror-stricken people to the
scene Some thought 1t was an earth
'uake, while Others cried out that the
eoiiiet had struck the earth. Hundreds
" chlmneys were toppled over and
.nere is scarcely whole light of glass
ieit III the northeastern section Of the
city.
me first call for aid from hospital
ana police came from the section OF
me city nearest the magazine. There
was found that forty small resi-
aences had teen shattered and many
injured people were imprisoned in the
wreckage.
Ambulances and automobiles were
rushed to the scene and the seriously
injured carried to tie Hull hospitals
until there was room for no more and
'nen they We're brought to Ottawa.
{ In this city, four miles from the
scene of the explosion, the terror in.
- spired was scarcely less than at Hull
ne earth trembled, buildings shook
ana hundreds of windows were shat.
eered The great clouds Of smoke
Ni,ich mounted in coiumn over Hull
qeicKly indicated the true cause Of the
terrifying shock.
Riueau Hall, the official home q,
l'ari Grey and the buildings on Parl;a.
ment Hill caught the full force OF the
eApiosion. being two mdles nearer he
powcer plant than the main section of
the city. ' 'oN'io'' =
Every window on one side Of Ridean
i'aii Was blown out and two stone