| Show POWDER MAGAZINES EXPLODED FORTY YEARS AGO i I Four Persons Killed and i Many Injured History Recalled S Forty years ago today April 5 1876 Salt Lake City experienced experienced the tile worst explosion in its in-its its history Four persons were wee killed instantly and more than a score others were Injured The pr property property prop prop- perty p- p erty loss including every window in inthe inthe inthe the business district ran well weB up into the thousands The explosion was felt feltin feltin feltin in every part of the city and as far south as Sandy and Draper Those killed were Charles Ri Richardson Richard Richard- ardson ard- ard son Frank Hill Mrs Mary alary Jane Van and James H. H the latter hatter lattera a boy Z 3 years old Richardson and Hill were responsible for the explosion in in which they were blown to pieces The explosion occurred on Arsenal mil hill now known as Capitol hill hm about b ut yards north of where the tho capitol now stands There were WE're four separate explosions Women fainted men were knocked down In the streets while teams ran wildly up and down the principal streets Many thought that the day of judgment had come corne and fell feB to their knees kneE's In Inthe the streets and prayed for deliverance Boulders and small rocks were thrown for miles injuring many as they fell Four magazines were situated on Arsenal Arcenal hill They were owned by the Hazard DuPont California and the Oriental Powder companies The magazines contained over ovel forty tons of ot blasting powder Hunters Cause Explosion Richardson and Hill were In the vicinity vicin vicin- ity hunting It is thought they use used l the door of one of ot the magazine as a target and thus set off orf the powder A deafening roar was heard a few minutes minutes min mm- utes after 5 o'clock in the afternoon It was followed a second later by a greater great great- er roar and then two others that were not as great as the first two Clouds of black smoke were seen ascending from Arsenal hill bill and crowds hurried to the Itc scene ne Mrs Van who lived more than half halt a mile to the west of where the magazines had been was struck by a flying rock and instantly killed the boy lived nearly a half mile to the southeast of the them magazines and also was struck by a rock and killed Idled in in- in stanty At least five e other persons person were seriously injured while more than thana a score were more or less less injured At an Inquest held hele the following day dy before Joseph E. E Taylor then acting coroner coroner the blame was fixed on Richardson Richardson Richardson Rich Rich- ardson and Hill The explosion had at t least one good effect Vigorous Vigorous' protest was filed flEd gg against hi t thi th the e erection of or any more wel w- w tier fler el magazines proximity to the city When new newsmagazines were built they were vere a short hort distance north of the warm yere springs A few years Ears Inter la later Inter In- In In- In ter another protest w was s made and the magazines magazines' were ordered moved They were next built buit at a point a short distance distance distance dis dis- tance north of Becks Beck's hot springs where they remained until a few years ago when following two explosions in inthe inthe inthe the vicinity they were ere ordered moved to toa toa toa a point far tar to the northwest of their old location |
