Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== THE LUDINGTON RECORD, Ludington, Michigan Thursday, February 23, 1882 VOL. XV. OLD SERIES, NO. 25 VOL. II NEW SERIES, NO. 40 HORRIBLE AFFAIR A Fireworks Factory Explodes At Chester, Pa., Killing Sixteen and Wounding Seventy Persons. Chester, 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 full capacity in order to sup- ply 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 reverbated throughout the country as far as the Jersey shore. A mass of flame shot high into the air, and the fragments of the building were hurled about. A quantity of gun- powder 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 gather- ed. 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 fire- men were scattered in all directions, many of them with their bodies mangled beyond recogni- tion. Some were so badly torn that it was im- possible 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 fathers in the calamity, and the wild inquiries of others, added to the terrible effect of the masses of bloody corpses and wounded. All the physicians in the city and the priests and pastors were on the spot in a short time to dispose 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 every- thing that could be done was done to mitigate the horror. In a little time a rumor got abroad that the now rapidly spreading flames were approaching another large quantity of dynamite, and a rush was made from the vicinity. After the explosion the ground was covered with victims, some killed, some seriously wounded 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 insens- ible of their surroundings, and others, bruised and bleeding, groped their way from the scene of the terrible accident. The scene beggars descrip- tion. 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 con- verted into hospitals and the wounded removed thereto. ----------------------------------------------- (from a 2nd article, same paper, the above being repeated) The families of many of the killed and wounded are in needy circumstances and relief committees are being formed. At the inquest Friday afternoon Professor Jackson testified that he was surprised on being told of the explosion, as he considered the place safe. There was no powder in the room, and the explosion must have originated from gas from the stove. Stars used for filling bomb-shells were the only things of an explosion character, and he did not believe them explosive; only a strong concussion will explode these stars. The shells are about six inches in diameter and contain about two pounds of stars. He thinks the explosion was caused by these. If the detonation had been of powder, the roof would have been blown off; but these stars must have exploded with great force, as the walls of the building have been torn down. There were probably ten pounds of these detonating stars in his manufactory that morning. ===========================================================================