South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-07-07
DYNAMITE CAPS
ALMOST UNDOING
Of WALKERTON
Thirty-two Cases in Car on
Siding Go Off, Shake Town
and Nearly Start Big Con-
FIagratiOn.

With a mighty roar a quarter Of a
carload Of dynamite caps exploded
Sunday afternoon at Walkerton.
shook the city TO its foundations from
end 10 end and then threatened il
with destruction by fire. Fire broke
out in so many places at once from
the scattered burning embers that
the safety OF the little city of 1900
was feared and the South Bend fire
department was called to the rescue.
However. before the motor trucks Of
the local company arrived. the nu-
merous blazes were under the control
OF the WaIkerton department..
Nearly every window in the city
was broken by the terrific shock.
Houses in the residence district shook
and rocked while plate glass windows
In the business houses fell out with a
crash.
The car loaded with 80 cases Of dy-
Mantle caps stood on the siding of
the C. I. and S. railway. 1t appears
q small grass fire ignited by passing
engine broke out along the right OF
way. A few bystanders noticed IL, but
paid no attention as il crept to the
car. Then someone remembered that
the car was loaded with dynamite.
II appears all fled from the scene and
permitted the fire TO reach the car.
Goes Up I'm Roar.
Suddenly IL went up in Z roar while
smoke and flames were hurled in
every direction. At the first shock
people seemed dazed and then rush
ed TO the streets TO determine the
cause OF the terrific roar and smoke.
Smoke was seen belching from near
the c., /. and s. yards and then the
report was circulated that fire had
broken in various parts of the city.
Burning boards from the car had been
hurled for several hundred yards in
every direction, starting many small
blazes.
The Walkerton fire department
rushed to the scene and when nu-
merous roofs were seen ablaze il was
feared that in a few minutes IL would
spread beyond control. At once a
long distance call was sent TO South
Bend asking for assistance Chief
Grant Immediately dispatched the
motor hose trucks from the central
station TO WalkertOn.
Wild rumOrs trickled into South
Bend during the first hour. that the
city was in flames from end TO end,
while a score of people were reported
10 have been killed in the explosion
The city was in suspense until $3.50
when the long distance operator az
Walkerton called and said the flames
were under control and that no onf
was killed.
one barn was destroyed. Tt be-
longed TO John Burbacks and stood
near the right Of way where the cal
blew up. The roofs of nine house;
were burned while numerous fences
trees and lawns were scOrchei bytht
fire that was blown in all directions
following the explosion.
1t was reported that one man sus-
tanned a broken arm from a fallins
timber. while several were slightly
burned from flying embers carried
about by a high wind.
The west end of the town which il
the principal resident district felt th'
shock most severely. Some house.
were reported TO have been nearl!
shaken from their foundations whil
not an inch of glass remained who'll
in any windows. Pedestrians on tn
down town streets narrowly MISE,
windows quivered and then crashe,
into the streets from their castings
The shock ran along through the cit,
breaking windows in the eXtrem
southern end of town.
The report and shock was hear,
within a radius of Is miles OF tn,
town. Jacob KuntZ, residing 1 3 nile
east of Walkerton. telephOned int
the city that he distinctly heard tn
roar and felt the ground tremble II
the yard of his home.