Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-03-15
Three Vessels Torn TO Pieces BY
Dynamite at Baltimore.
FOUS STATES FELT SHOCK
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware
and Maryland Shaken by Earthquake
rs $40 Tons Of Dynamite Lets Go.

Mantle exploded in Lower Baltimore
Md, harbor. killing fifty-four men and
wounding as many more, many oil
them fatally.
The explosive was being transferred
from barge to the British steamer
Alum Chine, when II went of. The
men killed were members OF the crews
OF the steamer and the barge and yes
sells moored nearby.
The Alum Chine and the barge, TO
gether with the tug Atlantic and the
naval collier Jason, were either com.
pletely destroyed or very seriously
damaged.
The shock was felt as far away as
Reading, Pa, 100 miles from Balti
more. IL was recorded also at Atlantic
City People at first thought an earth
quake had occurred. A schoolhouse at
Sparrows Point. several miles from
the scene Of the explosion, was partly
destroyed and several of the school
children were hurt Baltimore itself
was shaken as II by powerful trem.
bling OF the earth. and tall buildings
in the center OF the city rocked per.
ceptibly
Scores of vessels hurried TO the
sceen OF the disaster TO give what aid
they could The explosion was sc
powerful that pieces OF steel weighing
fifty pounds were hurled through the
air for a distance Of four miles. Cases
of dynamite were thrown for a great
distance from the Alum Chine and ex
ploded as they fell. adding to the dam
age and destruction.
The Alum Chine was finishing the
loading of a cargo of high explosives
for the Panama canal. A lighter with
four railroad cars was towed to the
side OF the vessel and the work Of
completing the task OF loading was
expected in a few hours. Nearby We're
the tug Atlantic and several launches
belonging TO the ship chambers. who
were engaged In furnishing supplies
to the steamship for its across the
ocean trip.
Suddenly pun of smoke came from
the hold of the ship. One of the crew
noticed 1t and, appreciating the dan
ger of impending disaster, ran scream
ing to the deck, followed by the panic
stricken crew or as many as had time
TO escape from the lower part OF the
ship.
Right alongside OF the Alum Chine
was the launch Jerome, manned BY
ship chandler James p Goodhues Into
this boat eaped fourteen of the Brit
ish boats crew and Goodhues turned
the boy of his little craft away from
the burning ship and put of at tor
speed
The first pun of smoke was followed
by clouds OF greater volume. The men
on the lighter made every effort &c
escape. The captain OF the Atlantic
was too far from the boat to give any
assistance and too close 10 escape its
coming doom When the fleeing launch
was 200 feet from me Alum Chine the
explosion came.
There was deafening roar as hun
dreds OF tons OF explosive went off
Columns of flame shot out from every
portion of the vessel and the air was
filled with flying wreckage Pieces OF
machinery and portions Of the hull OF
the boat. weighing tons, were shot
hundreds OF fee, into the air.
Pieces OF iron and steel three fee;
long and weighing fifty pounds were
found at points on the Anne Arundel
and Baltimore county shores three
and four miles from the scene OF the
explosion.
The flying wreekage included still
unexplosled boxes OF dynamite. and II
Is believed that the falling OF these
on the decks of the Jason and the tug
Atlantic was responsible for the ter.
rible damage and loss OF life on those
vessels.
The superstructure OF the naval col,
iier Jason. nearby. was swept away
and her side was riddled by the flying
metal fragments that had been hurled
from the demolished steamer One OF
the unexploded boxes OF dynamite
hurting through the air struck a por.
tion of the upper works of the Jason
and exploded. Several men were killed
outright and thirty more who were on
the collier were frIghtfully injured
Another box of dynamite exploded
as 1t landed on the deck OF the Jug
Atlantic. The explosion was followed
by fire and three men lost their lives
there
Part al the men whose bodies were
found were steyedores; part were
members of the crew OF the Alum
Chine They were put upon the deck
OF the Lannan. which started for the
Baltimore morgue, The appearance Of
the dead was terrible. One had lost
tha fan of his head and his arms had
been wrenched from the sockets; an.
other had lost an eve and had large
hole in his head; still others were IL.
orally torn to pieces.