Year: 1874

RRIpGF BLowS A HUNDRED FEET IN THE AIR


INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH THE EVENT.


70 the Editor Of The Tribune.


SIR: Yesterday morning, rather more than an
hour before sunrise, / was suddenly struck
with the idea that halt a dozen 2OO-pound Parrott
guns had been fred at short range, into chamber
window. moment before had been asleep,
dreaming OF some indifferent matter. was now
standing in the middle of the floor; there was a
ruddy glare of light in the ROOM and the echo OF
tearing stupendous roar in my ears One sioc .,
the house, it appeared to me, was blown away anu
was puzzled few moments later to hnd IL SAFE III
its place. But pane of plate glass ABOUT three ioc'
souarehad abruptly ceased to exist. The view from
tbs window was simple but impressive. mighty
column of fire had uprisen at apparent distance
of quarter of mile. 1t kindled heavy
cloud over head dull red, was dimly reflected
from the roofs of houses far and near, and
sullenly and slowly sank earthward again.
There was distant dropping noise, as Of timbers
or other heavy bodies falling to the ground. Again.
a fiery glow lifted and subsidized beyond the dark
mass of intervening houses like painting breath;
hut in few moments this also died away The morn
ing was as dark and silent it had been two MIN
utes before more dark and silent, it seemed ano'
though listened fully ten minutes, hearo no
sonpd. Yet who but the dead could have slept
tbroupb such a shocki Had the whole city been
stricken speechess by an unutterabe catastrophe


almost longed to hear uplifted fearful universal
wall of horror and despair, to be assured that men
and women were at least alive around me, and con-
scious. as 1, that great calamity had happened
The complete stiffness had most CHASTITY effect.
Presently, however,-but it was nearly quarter
of ar hour after the explosion-a dog in some
body's back yard set up timid bark. A pestilent
little cur appertaining to own household ven
tured to reply Others echoed here and there, grad
ually gaining courage, until they all united IN
general chorus In the course Of half an hour or So
having reassured themselves and one another that
the dog world still existed they condescended to re-
enter their kennels and compose themselves to
their morning nap.


There was a particularly peaceful, pale-green
streak of sky over the eastern horizon. The sum-
sublmely Indifferent to all mundane explosions,
was on his way to Was not the prettiest OF his
eruptions infinitely superior to the largest that we
could possibly manage, were We even to burst our
selves to pieces' To prove how complete his indif-
ference was be held rainy vail of clouds before
his face all day long not vouchsafng so much as
plance at our great catastrophe. Nevertheless, we
had reason to be proud Of it, The shock was heard
and felt at Gravesend, rs miles away. Windows
were broken three miles off, and within radius OF
half mile scarce pane was spared Nearer
still the entire easement was wiped clean
away; the door driven in from Its hinges
or split from top to bottom; the roof
unsated and crushed in; ; the thick wall rent apart;
the plaster shaken from the ceiling the partition
of room from room broken through; the stout iron
railing torn from it's fastenings in the garden walls,
and overthrOwn; blinds, shutters, glass; doors, fur
nture heaped together on the floor. In one instant
of time, and by the simple conclusion of air only,
full fifty handsome houses were made uninhabitab1e
wrecks. ard a thousand more defaced and shattered
to greater OF less degree In that instant what a
throb of dismay, bewilderment, and grisiy appre-
hension swept through thousands OF hearts!
Through each of those shattered easements sudden
death had thrust his ugly head and though he
might not work his will. had left an unpleasant
SAVIOR of his presence Each man, perchance thought
the calamity all his own, and realized only by de-
SIees that ii was universal.


1t was the explosion. perhaps, that brought the
rain which fell so heavily almost all day. In spite
of 1t. the streets were thronged by o'clock, and
then first did the cause of the outbreak become gen.
orally known There is an unObtrusive canal wind
ing noselessly through the heart of London, ana
finally skirting the northern boundary OF Regents
Park on its way to the country. Along this canal
silent canal boats continually glide, of aspect and
behavior the most inoffensve. 1t now appears
however that beneath their unexceptioDable hatch
ways repose such questionable commodities as gum
powder and petroleum, placed cheek by jowl. We
should rather admire their long sef-restraint than
wonder at their ultimately firing up. mystery en-
shrouds the matter inasmuch as everybody on
board the exploding boat in the next world be-
fore the sound which accompanied their departure
from this had walked up London. A spark from the
funnel of the tug-boat perhaps; perhaps tobacco
pipe lighted in an evil hour-at all events the thing
was DONE and chaos broke suddenly loose under the
guise of gunpowder explosion.


1t occurred just as the boat was passing under
meath the North Bridge-a structure OF enormous
strength buttressed by iron pillars nearly three feet
IN diameter The bridge-cut cleanly of from Its
foundations on either Handicapped hundred feet
heavenward. and descended in the form OF brick
dust chips of wood, and twisted fragments OF iron.
Somewhere beneath that pile of rubbish still reposes
the body of the steersman and captain OF the craft
The mud at the bottom of the canal, and the
massive stone edgng of its embankment were cast
up on the road, forty feet above. piece of the
boats keel described an arc through the air. and de-
ecendng upon the slated roof of house three hund-
red yards away, passed through every story to the
cellar. where il found a resting place IN
the wood-box. small, soldly-bnilt Lodge,
occupied by one of the Park-keepers
and his family stood close by the bridge. The canal
side of it was cut away, but no one was seriously
hurt. The son and heir of that family must be
good sleeper, for as he afrms, he did not hear any
noise; but happened to wake up about o'clock,
and was annoyed to find the outer wall OF his bed
room missing. But stranger case-apd there gen.
orally is such connected with accidents OF this
description-was that of Mr.. Tosh This gentleman,
II appears was chosen out of all mankind to be
watchman on the North Bridge on the fatal night.
He took I'D his position there late in 1.-THE evening,
with some eight hours of very dull work before him.
80 md fha ayr,ac