Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 April 1892 — A DAY’S DISASTERS. [ARTICLE]

A DAY’S DISASTERS.

Seven Blown To Atoms by the Explosion of a Powder Mill. Eight Women and Children Crushed to Death Near London, in a panic. SEVEN MEN BLOWN Tl/ATOMS.. The works of the Amerlpiin Powder Co., at Newark. N. J., blew up Monday afternoon, and seven men were blown to atoms. The nitro-glfcerine mill was the first to go up, and the shock of this terrible-ex-plosion caused six other buildings to be rent assnnder by their dangerous contents exploding. The report was terri-ble, and was heard In the surrounding country for many miles. Buildings in the vicinity rocked as if on a stormy -sea and in soma instances appeared as if about to topple over. The startled residents rushed from their house? andsaw a cloud of dust and smoke flying through the air near the lower part of the company’s works. In the search for the killed the searchers found pieces of flesh and bones'scattered over several acres of ground. After-several hours of work the searchers had succeeded in gathering about 150 pounds of mangled flesh and bone, which is all that remains of the dead men. The cause of theexplosion of course is not known,.

'■ » WERE IN A HURRY FOR THE TRAIN, 0 ... A terrible catastrophe took place at Hampstead Heath within four miles of London, Monday evening by which two w >men and six children were killed and thirteen other persons were seriously injured. Hampstead, which is a favorite holiday resort about five miles from London, was visited by thousands of excursionists Monday, and as the day closed there was a great rush of people to catch the trains to return home. In the rush somebody fell at the foot of a staircase of the railway station and in a moment the hundreds of persons abojje were thrown Into a heap of struggling humanltv. The police at once closed the doors and set to work to extricate the dead and injured. There are several conflicting reports as to the exact origin of the catastrophe. According to one story a door at the bottom of the staircase was suddenly closed, thus blocking the progress of the crowd. The officials decline to give any information./ W Of those killed two were women and the others were boys. It Is estimated that there were 100,000 persons at Hampstead, Monday. Trains were run every three mi antes in order to accommodate the crowd. Signs of a storm at 6p. m. caused a scamper for the station, the platforms of which were already crowded. A ticket box at the bottom of the stair case projected into the passage way, making it' comparatively narrow, and it appears that the block resulted from the crowding of the people at this point and the falling of one person, the pressure from above continuing. The •windows of the ticket box were smashed. The shouting of the itruggling mass of humanity was deafening. It was some time before the people on the platforms began to realize what had happened. The rough horse play characteiistic of bank holiday crowds was Indulged In generally, both on the platforms and on the stair case, thus hiding the alarming nature of the situation and preventing the screams of the struggling crowd from being noticed. When the, lodies of the dead and injured were carried to the platform a scene of awful excitement was enacted. Thousands rushed frantically to the platform, crossing the rails in front of a train that was fast running up, the engine giving warning*with a prolonged shriek of its whistle. The officers had jnst time to signal to the train to stop to prevent another calamity. "•

A meeting was held Monday night at, Cooper Union, New York, under the auspices of the People’s Party, when the free and unlimited coinage of silver was advocated by a number of speakers—members of trade organizations. Congressman Doan, of Ohio, is credited with an intention to launch a reform and retrenchment measure aimed at the members of Congress themselves. It is a bill that will provide that members shall, upon their arrival at the capital, present to the committee on mileage a certified copy of their expenses in reaching the capital, and that this amount, and no more, shall be allowed them as their mileage. “This Congress," says Mr. Doan, has, by a bill it has passed, reduced or sought to reduce the price of sheep and has cut the price of wool down 13 cents a pound. It has also, by a bill, sought to reduce the cost of material for the cotton-growers of the South, and now I want it to still further lessen the burdens of the people by going a step further and removing from them the excessive charges they collect in the shape of mileage. In its anxiety for economy L Congress only allows army officers 4 cents a mile for transportation and I want it to be equally as economical in their own case If 4 cents is enough for an army officer It ought to be for a member of Congress, who is also a public servant. It is time for ps to return that 40 cents we do not use and thus relieve a depleted treasury.’” The large barn on the extensive stock farm of Elisha Carr, near Charlestown/ was struck by lightning at 4 o’ctbck, Mon±= day morning, and the building, valued at 12,000, together with a stock of thoroughbred horses valued at 180,000, were consumed. Among the horses burned to death were “Kentucky Ruler,” the property of Leslie Carr, valued at $25,000, and “Jewellie,” belonging to Dr. Williams, of Utica, valued at 15,000. There was but lit tie Insurance on the barn and s|ock. The Ways and Means committee of t the House is likely to report several more tariff bills, in spite of the different tone ol conservatism which prevails among a few members. Mr. Stout, of Michigan, who introdqeedtliMJ^K^ffP n the subject ol free sugar fia has been indefatigable in hls efforts with the committee, and Mr. Whiting, who represents Michigan pn the committee, is strongly secondIng him.. Mr. Warner of New York, wht fla a member of the committee' on manir ifactures. has also taken a stand in favoi f«f free refined sugar.