Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-08-23
EXPLOSION IN
POWDER PLANT
LEVELS TOWN
Railroad Tracks Torn Up, Farm
Houses Mile Away Demolished
and Hundreds Reported
Dead at Ri9aud.
HUGE PLANT DESTROYED
Munitions Works. Employing
5000 People Wiped Out
by Three Explosions
Details Unknown.
HUGE PLANT DESTROYED


Eigaad. Que. Aag. ~. Tae great
olant here nf CARTS Il Harvey, It'd. eS-
plOStVc n.alufaC lureis. Was wrecked
today by Il Sc"'es of terrific explosions
and buried beneath the rains OF "a dozen
u sc structures that comprised the
factory are an unknowu number OF
dead.
Thousands in Plant
Sewers Thousand male and female
WORKERS employed at the plant We're in
the danger Xone for hours. An early
estimate based on first reports placed
the number of killed at ABOUT 80. but
,adicatlons We're this afternoon that
there were comparatively few casual-
ties.
A relief train arrived from Montreal
at noon bringing doctors and nurses,
but owing 10 the fierce heat from the
burning ruins of the plant they We're
unable 10 approach. No death list can
be obtained until the ruins cool.
The loss IN the vaile "f buildings and
stock Will reach we'll up INTO millions.
This first explosion was caused 10y tho
nitric acid building. Tee flames lea ped
along through the building and smother
explosion occurred. Most of the work
ers. however. are believed to have had
ample time to escaps.
Other explosions occurred every Eve
minutes or SO. shaking the surromnd-
ing country like IL series OF earthquakes.
Altogether 10 detonations We're counted.
Homes Blown to Bits.
One of the explosions. blew down a
number Of houses in dragon where
most of the workers lived, and farm
houses in the vicinity also caught fire.
provision was made by the people OF
2igaud for accommodating the home
less workers..
Ottawa. Aug. 49,. First repor.. re-
ceived here from the scene OF the pow
der explosion today at Rieaud. quebec.
state that in the neighborhood of $50
persons have been killed.
Montreal. Aug. 2o.--.A terrific ex-
plosion at tine powder pant of Curtis &
Harvey. limited. at Rigaud, quebec, to-
day is believed to have caused heavy
loss of life. Five thousand men and
women are employed at the plant which
covers an area of five square miles.
. Reports received here soon after the
explosion SAID the plant was nearly all
in flames.
From points near leigaud. 4: was
learned h a three explosions took place.
| The first at 3 o'clock was heard 30 miles
! away. 1t was followed by two others in
quick succession.
The explosion disrupted telegraph
and telephone communication With
Rigaud, making it difficult to obtain m
; formation. Traffic III the Canadian
Pacific railroads. Ottawa Montreal line
which passes close 20 the plant has been
suspended.
Trainmen who got away from The
scene of the explosion reported that 40
houses at Dragon. a little village near
tne powder plant. occupied by work
men were RACED by the force of the eX-
| plosi>n.
The whole countryside was covered
at 10 o'clock with a dense copper Olored
| smoke. a special train of doctors and
nurses left here at 1890 o'clock for the
scene Of the disaster.
500 Killed by Blast.
The officials here of Curtis q Harvey
ltd, lacked information as to the oa,ise
Of the explosion. II was said tina,
probably 900 persons were Workin ir
the section of the plant where the first
explosion tool place. 1t was believed
by the officials the other two cNDios
ions were caused by fire which spread
from the first.
Passengers on a Canadian Paclfit
railroad train which passed the scene
OF the disaster. placed the nu1abcr deat
II an the first explosion at 90.
The passengers said it was Impossible
to obtain definite figures as hundred.
rushed into the open country when Tho
first explosion occurred. and a few haG
returned when their train left fnr Mon.
treal.
The extent Of the explosion may b'
judged by the fact that tnMo iarn
houses over n mile from the plant wer.
blown down. AT noon the village o
Dragon was blazing and it looked AS l.
it would he destroyed.
o-assa..~