Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1889 — DEATH DEALING DYNAMITE. [ARTICLE]

DEATH DEALING DYNAMITE.

Terrible Explosion at Antwerp—3oo People Killed—l,ooo Injured. Axtwebp, Sept, 6.—Dynamite exploded to-day in a cartridge factory in the vicinity of the Bourse, killing many persons and doing much damage to property. Portions of the Bouflse were struck by burning fragments and set on fire, causing a panic in that building, which at the time was crowded. The explosion occurred in a workshop where old cartridges] were being taken to pieces. Men and women were actively at work breaking them up, and 25,000,000 had beenpartly broken up. The cartridge factory was situated behind the rocks upon which millions of cartridges were being loaded. It was adjacent to the petroleum stores, and two large Russian warehouses were set on fire, and the fire at once spread with remarjcable rapidity, until soon 80,000 barrels of oil were, burning. Police, gendarmes and troops assisted in the work of extinguishing the flames, while priests and Sisters of Charity looked after the injured. The city was enveloped in a dense smoke. At 7p. m. the fire was still' raging, and covered two acres. The flames would shoot up to an immense height. Amid the roar of the flames there was a continuous succession of loud reports, supposed to have been the ignition and explosion of packets of cartridges. Beyond the Russian tanks there were numerous houses burning. The shipping at the Africa and America docks was in danger. Two hours later the fire had been com municated to the shipping, and many vessels had been destroyed. At that hour it was estimated that the number of deaths would probably reach two hundred, while about five hundred persons were injured. It was then certain that the loss would be many million francs, and it was thought it would be impossible te extinguish the flames in less than twenty-four hours. Owing to the intense hpat the firemen were unable to approach the flames nearer than 100 yards. Sept, 7.— At midnight the latest estimate is that there are 300 dead and 1,000 injured. The explosions continue. At the American dooks all the ships have been saved, owing to the favorable direction of the wind. The stained window of the Cathedral are smashed, and it is feared that the steeple will collapse. The whole vicinity is strewn with debris. The dock-sheds and hydraulic cranes are greatly damaged. The soldiers of the garrison and a large number of citizens were assisting the firemen. Many are dropping from suffocation. The scenes at the hospitals are heartendering. King Leopold has sent a telegram expressing sympathy and asking for particulars. ihe explosion occurred in the Corvileian cartridge factory. This establishment had been condemned by tho Communal Council, but the Deputation Permanente had allowed work to continue, ana the people are much incensed at it. The victims are mostly factory girls. Windows three miles distant were shattered by the explosion. The fire is still raging, all efforts of the firemou, assisted by the military and popu lance, to quell it have so far proved unavailing. At noon Saturday it was estimated that the number of deaths will not exceed 160. Two hundred and fifty persons were seriously and 300 slightly iniured. The firemen and troops were worked through the entire night on hourly shifts. Many of them succumbed to the heat and smoke, and had to be conveyed to hospitals, insensible, on stretchers. All the workers had blackened faces and boro evidences of the sickening effects of the dense smoke which clogod their efforts. Work Monday was entirely confined to keeping the fire from spreading beyond the sheds and factories withir. the dry-dock. The wind still continued favorable. Six. million litres of petroleum are in flames, and the oil, it is expected, will continue tc burr, at least until Monday. At the moment of the explosio* many of the woramen jumped into the Scheldt, in their fright and were drowned A number of sailors and customs officers were killed on board ships by the flying bullets, and ships were riddled by the missiles. It is estimated that 2,000 tons of cartridges exploded. The noise was heard thirty miles away. The smoke which filled the air was greater in volume than that of a great battle. Human heads and other parts of bodies were found half a mile away from the scene of the disaster. One hundred and thirty whole corpses He in the morgues, and charred heaps of human re mains represent an unknown number of dead. Tho first officer of the Rea Star line steamer Zealand was terribly wounded on board his ship. The populance watched the flames all night. The noise of the exploding uai reis of oil and the falling of the ruins exactly resembled thq sounds of a battle. Those who have been deprived of thoir homos by firo are encamped upon tho river banks. The water-works, which cost £SO,OOO, arc three parts destroyed. The Minister of the Interior has visited the scene of the explosion. The King and Queen Lave telegraphed, expressing sympathy with tho sufferers. Subscriptions havo been opened for the relief of those rendered destitute by the disaster. rirnr mixehs perished. Edin nunan, Sept. 'Tho colliery explosion Thursday resulted in the death of fifty minors, only fourtet of the sixty-four men at work in the pit having been rescued. Tho scene of to* disaster waa Penick, a small town within ten miles of this city.