“Shocking Explosion”

Date

9-14-1812

Newspaper

Norfolk Herald

Page and Column

Page 3, Column 2

Newspaper Location

Norfolk, Virginia

Serial Number

1006

Abstract

Report of a gunpowder mill explosion near Richmond, Virginia, on September 13, 1812. Explosion such as these often were compared to earthquakes.

Transcript

SHOCKING EXPLOSION! Yesterday afternoon between the hours of 2 and 3 o'clock, the valuable Powder Mills, with several other buildings within the same enclosure, situated about two miles from this city, belonging to Messrs. Brown, Page and Burr, were, by some fatal accident yet unknown, instantaneously blown up! By this sad catastrophe twelve persons, five white and seven black men, nearly all that were employed about the place, lost their lives....There were three distinct shocks which succeeded each other at intervals of about one second, and which shook the buildings in this city and neighborhood more violently than any of the late earthquakes. We visited the place soon after the fatal accident happened, and never in the whole course of our lives witnessed such a scene...Not a single piece of timber belonging to either of the buildings, that we could perceive, was left in its original position to mark where the houses had stood-large trees were torn up by the roots; and, indeed, everything within the circumference of 50 or 60 yards of the terrible explosion, was shattered into small fragments and scattered in various directions, to the distance of from 2 to 300 yards-the bodies of some of the unfortunate victims were found at considerable distances from the place; but most of them in a much more perfect state than could have been expected. The pecuniary loss to Messrs. B. P. and B. in powder, materials, &c. must be very considerable: But this trifling when compared with the valuable lives that have been lost.....Oh! that we could speak comfort to the poor widows and orphans who are left to bemoan the sad destiny of their nearest and dearest relatives!

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