Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1882 — HORRIBLE AFFAIR. [ARTICLE]

HORRIBLE AFFAIR.

A Fireworks Factory Explodes at Chester, Pa., Killing Sixteen and Wounding Seventy Persons. Chesteb, Pa., Feb. 17. This is the blackest day in the history of our fair city. Death in its most frightful shape has laid low nearly a score of our people, and many more have been wounded. The entire city is in mourning. Following close upon the destruction of the military academy—a severe loss of itself to our community—came an alarm of fire from Jackson’s fireworks and magazine. This was in the old Porter mansion, on Second street and the river front Prof. Jackson had occupied it for the past five or six years. He employed eight or ten hands, and was running the place to its fullest capacity in order to supply his large trade. At 7:30 the alarm of fire was sounded. In five minutes after the alarm, the fire department was throwing water on the building. A terrific explosion shook the city. The noise reverberated throughout the country as far as the Jersey shore. A mass of flame’shot nigh into the air, and the fragments of the building were hurled about. A quantity of gunpowder had exploded. It was then felt that the danger was over, and the firemen approached the flames until within reaching distance without apprehension. A large crowd of citizens gathered. At the time when the citizens were sure that tolerable control had been secured and the danger was passed, another explosion, more fearful than the first, gave a terrific shock to the earth. The scene was horrible and so awful that it is impossible to describe it The crowd of firemen were scattered in all directions, many of them with their bodies mangled beyond recognition. Some were so badly torn that it was impossible to tell what part of the body the shreds of flesh were torn from. On the spectators the effect was scarcely less disastrous. Many of them were killed, many were wounded. Those who were not rushed through the city spreading the news. Almost instantly thousands of people, stricken with terror, poured from adjoining streets to the scene of the disaster. The news was quickly spread to the country, and hundreds of people came from there. The cries of women and children, who had lost husbands and f uthere in the calamity, and the wild inquiries of added to the terrible effect of the masses of bloody corpses and wounded. All the physicians in the city and the priests and Sastors were on the spot in a short time to ispose of the dead and to assist the wounded. The nearest house was about a hundred yards away. Many of the sufferers were taken there, and every other house in the vicinity was thrown open, and kindly hands ministered to the relief of the victims. Wagons were hastily transformed into ambulances, and everything that could be done was done to mitigate the horror. In a little time a runfor got abroad that the now rapidly-spreading flames were approaching another large quantity of dynamite, and a rash was made from the vicinity. After the explosion the ground was covered with victims, some killed, some seriously wcunded and some badly hurt. Dead bodies of men lay coiled on the ground while others labored in the agonies of death. A number, writhing in their blood, moaned and groaned piteously for help. Many lay insensible of their surroundings, and others, bruised and bleeding, groped their way from the scene of the terrible accident. The scene beggars description. People prayed in the open streets, and the shrieks of the dying were appalling. The fire was abandoned, and everybody in condition to do so turned attention to alleviating the distress. Houses in the vicinity of the explosion were converted into hospitals and the wounded removed thereto.' Six Men Killed by an Explosion at Atlanta, Ga. Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 17. This morning, five minutes before going to work, the boiler of the Georgia car works, located at Cartersville, four miles from Atlanta, on the Western and Atlantic railway, exploded with terrible effect, killing six men and wounding a number of others, some of whom will die, beside tearing the greater portion of the building to pieces. The killed are Lawrence Choice, Matt Bowman, Hand Hammond, David Richardson, Richard Patterson and Sam Davis, all colored. Ellis Lawe and Henry Hickson are fatally wounded, and are expected to die at any moment. Ed L. Hand, the engineer, was turning on steam at the time of the explosion, and so badly injured that he will die. C. E. Lucas, superintendent, of sleeping-car notoriety, he being the inventor of the Lucas sleeping-car, was roughly but not dangerously bandied. Five or six others were injured by broken ribs and other painful but not serious wounds. When the boiler exploded the gauge showed only eighty pounds of steam, and the men were gathered about the boiler waiting preparatory to commencing work.