Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-18
2OONCE DIED HERE
IN ARSENAL BLAST
M Girl Victims of ] 1864 Dis
aster Buried in One Grave
at Congressional.


\ unidentified victims Of the Lake Den,
mark Naval Arsenal explosion will be
brought to Washington and buried In
q. single grave at Arlington Nattona1
Cemetery has directed attention 10 the
existence Of such a grave at Congress
sional Cemetery, holding the bodies OF
IL young women who were killed In
the fire and explosion at the arsenal
here June II, 1854.
NothAng definite could be learned at
the Navy Department last night on
plans for the interment Of the un-
identified bodies now at the scene OF
The New Jersey blasts. The check-up
still showed six persons missing, but
naval officials were unwilling TO de-
clare that the remains in their GUS
tody are those Of the persons they are
unable to locate. Informal oyertureS
have been made to the department
that In the event positive identinca'
ton never is established the bodies
should b buried in one grave at An
lington and a monument erected over
1t. The bodies Of the identified dead
have and will be buried separately in
accordance with the wishes OF the
relatives
The fire and explosion here, from
the standpoint Of the tragic deaths IT
inflicted, takes precedence over the
naval arsenal explosion. Without q
word of warning, 10 young women
3 were consumed In the fireAand blast In
one-story brick building then situ-
Washington Barracks. Eight bodies
never were identified, and these, with
six whose identity had been estab-
lished. were buried in the single grave
at the then Congressional Burying
Grounds. The following year, on the
anniversary Of the disaster. beautt-
ful monument was erected over the
grave by public contribution from the
citizens Of Washington. This monu-
ment now is In excellent condition and
ranks in beauty and solemnity with
the other outstanding tributes In the
cemetery.
Altogether, 20 women lost their
lives either being killed or burned 70
death outright or succumbing to In
5uries a short time later. The six not
buried in the common grave were i'm
TERED privately.
Star Report Quoted.
The June II, 1864, edition Of The
Z Evening Star contains the following
account of the disaster:
Eat 10 minutes Of IL o'clock today
4 terrible catastrophe occurred at the
Arsenal which cast a gloom over the
whole community and rendered sad
many heart that was buoyant q few
moments previous.
while 108 girls were at work in
the main laboratory making cart
ridges for small arms, q quantity
of fireworks, which had been placed
on the outside OF the building, be-
came ignited and piece OF fuse n.y.
z ing into one of the rooms in which
49,
set the cartridges on IRE and caused
an instantaneous explosion.
"The building In which the explo-
sion took place IL q one-story brick,
divided of into four rooms ana runs
east and west.
S-"Those. girls who were employed
IN the east rooms Of the laboratory
escaped by jumping from the win
6ows and running through the doors
y,eiI nell but those In the room
fronting on the east did not fare 80
well and 1t Is feared that nearly All
of them were killed by the explosion
burned to death.
s'The explosion did not occasion
loud report, the roof being raised
from the building about FOOT. put
the building Immediately caught nre
and was completely destroyed.
THE news Of the ACCIDENT spreaM
like wild fire, and in q few minutes
A,nareds Of anxious parents. brothers
and sisters flocked to the scene OF
tha disaster. but owing to the con-
f,sion no one was allowed to enter
or leave the grounds"
Sparks Fell in Powder.
4 later edition of The Star on that
day gave the following additional
facts: -
1.-THE cause of the explosion is sup
nosed to have been the ignition OF
some fireworks stars which had been
prepared for fireworks and We're In
a pan near the southeastern WINDOW
Of the building. Several persons VINO
were nearby at the time concurred IN
the statement that the stars look
are and in burning flew out OF the
ray, soroe of them falling in, and
catching the loose powder where the
Girls were making cartridges.
.sMaj. Stebbina, military store
keener. was in the building at the
lime with several other gentlemen
and states that after the powder on
ne benches caught, the fire spread
down rapidly, binding the girls and
setting Are TO their clothing. Many
~ them ran to the windows wrapped
in flames and on their way communi-
- as tAa Are to the dresses of others.
fortunately there were no completed
cartridges in the room, those In nand
Being ready to pinch.
mai. Stebbins was in q position
to assist the unfortunate girls IN
making their escape and to him ana
others who were near ana TO tne
soldiers and workmen VINO were
+ 4. fNf fhem
owe their lives.
made their escape from the building.
but who were quite badly burned. ran
down to the dock and were placed on
hoard Of a Government steam tug,
which was lying there at the time.
These parties were conveyed to the
sixth street wharf, from whence they
were taken by their friends.
III Scene Was Moving.
'tThe scene at the arsenal was g
heart.rendering one. Relatives and
friends of parties employed at the
, arsenal were rushing to and FRO. IN
curing anxiously after those who
were near and dear to them; while
the firemen and soldiers We're active.
ly engaged In subduing the flames
ana removing the chaTred remains Of
those who persisted In the room.
'The bodies were In such q condi-
ton that It was found necessary to
place boards under each one In order
TO remove them from the ruins. and
as they were carried out and placed
upon the ground. an excited crowd
would press forward some with an
guished feverishness to look for relas
tives and friends, and others through
motives Of curiosity, but q guard OF
the Reserve Corps was placed In q
circle around the remains, and no one
was allowed to approach them for the