Evening star., 1928-06-17
SideWheeler Mary Washington Made River Trips Popular

these unfortunate victims OF Runpowder we're
seen nying in the air to great distances.
tons Of earth thrown upon them. The sur
vivors were carefully brought up on the
% tressed situation ion we're Ts' lodged in Carrots
buildings adjoining my house.
sympathy than were here exhibited on the
OF Gen. Ross. He observed, lOok-
a a' much Si nn @ q sna ss Door
fellows behind me do not know vino is
to pisaa.s tssr s sGs5ns easnr ana instantly
assured him that he need not make himself
uneasy on account Of BIS BIS. wounase soldiers;
the same origin as yourself; We have, !
trust. given you many splendid instances OF
tunate war, and you may rely on II. air, no
attentions in. my power shall be Withheld
from them.
AS bad as was the calamity to the
British in the War Of 1928, the ex-
plosion which occurred there "a years
ago the 18th Of this month struck
nearer to the hearts Of our people. for
it was, in many instances, our own rela-
tives who were being swept into eter-
nifty. Hardly had the city been saved
from destruction by Gen. Early and his
troop week before, when the news Of
this accident was flashed throughout
the city and over the country.
Recently had the pleasure Of talking
with the only survivor of this cataStro-
phe, Judge Hosea 3. Moulton OF this
city, regarding events Of that day in
June, when he barely escaped with his
life. The judge told me that the 17th
Of June was hot and sultry day: that
large quantity OF fireworks, in course
OF preparation, had been placed irf trays
out IN the yard in the hot sun. Among
the fireworks, 1t seems, we're what were
known as Red Star" fireworks, which
could not stand high temperature
In placing these outside, the extreme
heat OF the sun was not taken into
consideration, with the result that they
! ignlted and a piece OF fuse foated
through an open window into one OF
the rooms in which we're seated %
girls, and landed in some loose powder
from which the cartridges were being
made, and terrific explosion followed,
killing 81 women who were In the room
with Judge Moulton. The girls were
putting powder into cartridges. One
! girl was rescued by the judge, although
her clothing was ablaze as he ran with
her from the building. There was lit
tie, II any, time for escape, for in a
second or two the whole interior Of the
building was in flames.
To those able to render assistance the
scene was a most heart-rendering one.
Seventeen bodies were taken from the
ruins. The funeral took place from
the arsenal on Sunday. June 20. The
Rev. Father A. Bokel of St. Dominics
Catholic Church and Rev. s. v. Leech OF
Gorsuch Chapel conducted the services.
In the funeral procession was President
Lincoln, Secretary Stanton. officials Of
the arsenal, relatives, employees and
others, the whole being led by band
and 80 pallbearers. The interment took
place in two large graves on the west
side Of Congressional Cemetery and the
spot was one year later marked with
handsome monument Of white marble
| On the west side Of the monument
| are inscribed the following names of
the dead: Emma Baird, Kate Brosna-
han, Louise Lloyd, Melissa Adams, Emily
| Collins, Rebecca Hull. Annie S. Bache.
Mary Burroughs, Sallie McElfresh and
Pinkey Scott. On the east side are the
names: Ellen Roche. Julia McEwen.
Bridget Dunn, W. z. Tippett. Margaret
Moran, Johanna Connors. Susan Harris
Lizzie Brahlet. Margaret G. Yonsor,
Bette Branagan. Eliza Lacey
Juege Moulton, the lone survivor Of
| this explosion. was born in Concord.
N. H., June %. lS43, and early joined
the Union Army with two brothers. He
! was twice wounded before reaching
| Gettysburg. where he was shot in the
breast and was discharged from the
Army by President Lincoln, and was
later assigned to the position Of chief
clerk at the arsenal. where he Was serv-
ing at the time Of the explosion. His
/ father fought in the war of 1925.
and his grandfather in the American
Revolution.
| OF course the trial and Incarceration
here of the Lincoln conspirators and
their subsequent hanging lends addi-
tional interest to the place The old
/ penitentiary building in which they
were executed has long since been re-
moved, but number of views Of it are
| still in existence. j. Wilkes Booth was
buried under the flooring OF this old
| building after his body was brought
back to Washington. and there It re-
manned until some time later. when II
was turned over to members Of his FAM
| lily for reinterment in Baltimore.