The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-04-19
Windows Blown Out and
Houses Rocked By Force
of Explosion-Busines
Houses Burned
BLAZING COTTON is
f. THROWN 800 FEET TO
LAND ON HOTEL ROOF
Home of Joe Richardson Is
Totally Wrecked But Oc-
cupants Escape-JOhn
Slay Slightly Injured

Jasper, April 1S.-(Special.) Fire
of unknown origin caused a loss esti-
mated at between $4,000 and $500
here this morning about o'clock The
entire city was shocked by an explo-
sion of dynamite in the warehouse of
the Crawford Mercantile company.
Bales of cotton all ablaze were hurled
through the air for hundreds of feet; !;
plate glass in practically all the
stores in the business district was
shattered; windows were broken half
a mile distant from the scene of the
explosion. Residents living in the
vicinity of the explosion sustained but
slight injuries, although in some in
stances the houses they occupied were
severely damaged.
The warehouse of Phillips & Smalley,
it is thought. was the first to catch fire,
although the cause of the blaze has
not been determined. The Crawford Mer-
camille company was next to go and it
was followed by the Hamilton Whole
sale Grocery company. The last named
building was of brick and when the ex
plosion occurred brick were hurled hun
dreds of feet into the air Blazing bales
of cotton from the warehouse We're
hurled through the air and one bale
all ablaze, landed on the roof of the
Southern hotel, 800 feet away from the
scene of the explosion.
John Slay, who lives across the street
from the business houses, was awak-
ened by the dropping of brick and mis-
cellaneous articles through his roof
but escaped with slight injuries. His
wife and three small children were un-
iljure6. Even the bed in which some
members of the family were sleeping
Was blown to bits, but its occupants
escaped. Joe Richardson's home was to-
tally wrecked but the occupants were
uninjure6.
Houses half a mile from the scene of
the explosion We're rocked and windows
blown out. The chimney OF the Presby-
terian church, six blocks distant was
shaken down. Several windows were
shaken from the courthouse and many
minor injuries to business houses sus-
Practically every merchant in the
business district had carpenters at work
today making temporary repairs on
their windows, the plate glass of which
was destroyed by the force OF the ex-
plosion.
j. FL. Crawford, president of the Gram
ford Mercantile company, stated this
morning that his warehouse contained
very small amount of dynamite He
said the dynamite was kept in his mag
azine which is located out of the dangef.
zone and which was unaffected by the
explosion There was but few stick
left in the store Saturday night, this
amount having been left over from the
saturday sales. Mr.. Crawford says a
very strict account is kept on the dyna-
mite sold. 1t was stated that a barrel
of gasoline was in one of the buildings.
but this could not be confirmed
The estimate of loss is as follows
one brick store, $1,000, one wood
building, $1,000; stock in warehouses
$1,000; one wood building. $1,000; plate
glass loss $3.50; Hamilton Grocery
companys stock, $500; Phillips &
stanley's stock, $4,000, and innumer-
able windows in residences and busi-
ness houses to a total loss of about $50.
600 The city lost mules and wagons 70
the amount of about 1920. The insur-
ance carried was hardly sufficient to-
cover 20 per cent of the loss.