The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-09
Havoc Is Wrought by
Explosion in Cana
dian Plant.
DAMAGE EXTENDS
FOR MANY MILES
Scene Resembles Battlefield
Headlcss, Armless and Legless
Bodies Lying Scattered About.
Terror Stricken P pie
Thought Comet H d
Struck the Earth.

Ounwn. Ont, Mny S.--in explosion
which, late this afternoon, wrecked
the plant of the General Explosives
COmpnny, of Cnnndn, sltnnfcd mlie
from, Iimii. Qucl,cc, and four miles from
this city, Killed fifteen pcrxns aud In
jured nifty others. 'rhe fRcc OF the
explosion wa. terrific. The conntr.
for miles around WIS inid "nste and
mnny small dwellings, in the city Of
Hull. IN tile Side ncurcSt the scene Of
the expiSsion, were fnttencd to the
ground.
baseball game was in progress
short distance from the powder works,
whena fire was seen in one OF the
small buildings Of the powder plant.
ana the crowd began to swarm up the
hill TO get a better view OF the blaze.
Warming Of the lsneer came TO the on
lockers N two minor explosions soon
after the fire got we'll under way a
shower of sparks and fragments OF
tile wrecked building fell among the
spectators. and tberc' was scurrying
out of what was considered the danger
zone.
Some men In tho crowd. aware of
tho possibilities OF the danger whon
tho main magazine was reached, plead
cd with the crowd TO go still farther
back. and many OF them needed the
warning.
Two stunning Explosions.
The baseball game broke up and
the remainder of the spectators and
SSc players rushed up 10 Join the crowd
az the fire 1t was then that the main
magazine exploded. There ere two
stunning detonatiars.
Evcrytiling within mile and a half
was torn and shattered. Clan, trees
were snapped or close to the earth
barns and dwelling houses We're con-
verted into kindling-woo and even
in Ottawa. four miles from the scene,
hundreds of plate-giass windows were
broken.
The scene. where the crowd from
the ball field stood. resembled a bat
tleneld. Headless. armless and leg
less bodies were lying about among
score OF unconscious forms. To the
few who retained a flicker of con-
sciousncss. ii appeared as though more
than hundred had been killed.
The terrific shock brought thousands
of terror-stricken people into the
streets of Hull. eome thought 1t was
an earthquake. while others cried out
that the comet had struck the earth.
rho FIRST call for aid from the hos
pitals and the police came from the
xcction of the territory nearest the
magazines. There 1t was found that
fully forty frame dwellings had been
shattered, and many Injured people
were imprisoned in the wreckage The
police and fire depa rtments were join
ed by scores OF volunteers In the work
fof rescue.
1t was fully an hour and half after
the explosion that word came into the
city of the disaster near the powder
works Ambulanccs and automobiles
were rushed to the scene, and the
frlghtfully injured were carried to the
local hospitals until there was room
for no more. and then they were
brought across the river to this city.
At 10 o'clock tonight, police es-
innate placed the number OF dead at
fifteen, and tho injured at fifty
Earth Trcmhles.
In this city, four miles from the
scene OF the explosion, the terror
inspired was scarcely less than that
at Hull The earth trembled. build
were shattered The great cloud OF
smoke, which mounted in a column
over Hull, quickly indicated the true
cause of the terrifying shock.
Rideau Hall, the Official home of
Earl Grey, and the buildings on Par
liament Hill caught tho full force OF
the explosion. being two miles nearer
the powder plant than the main sec
tion of tho city. Every window on
ono side of RideaG Hall was blown out,
and the two great stone chinneys top
pied over on the roof of the building
Tho Parliament buildings were also
badly damaged,
Rideau Hall is still occupied by Ear
Grey and his family. The whole
vice-regal establishment fled panic
stricken to tho street. They were
soon reassured that there was no fur
ther danger. AS soon as Earl Grey
learned tho extent of the disaster he
ordered a detachment of troops sent
across the river to help the authori-
ties.
In home lust north of the works
two sisters named Carrier, eighteen
and nineteen,years of age. wefe killed
while sitting at the supper table, John
Blanchheld was Sitting with his wife
In the door; of his home when a 5frag-
mont of rock snuffed out his life, but
left her unharmed.