Dynamite Explosion at Baltimore
A frightful calamity occurred in Baltimore, March 7. The British ship Alum Chine lay at anchor in the Potomac River near Hawkins Point, loading 350 tons of dynamite for the Panama Canal. Fire of unknown origin broke out on the vessel while the last of the explosive was being loaded. It spread with lightning rapidity to the dynamite, and when the explosion occurred the vessel was blown into bits and sent hurtling in all directions through the air. Fifteen car-loads were exploded. Pieces of the steel sides of the Alum Chine were blown with such force that they tore their way through the armored side of the collier Jason, nearly a mile away, killing four men and injuring ten others on board. The tug Atlantic was sunk while endeavoring to rescue others. $500,000 is the estimated damage. The greatest loss is the big United States collier Jason, ready to start on its trial trip. Its sides were battered as tho it had been in a battle, and its interior was demolished.