Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

AWFUL CALAMITY.

Baltimore, August 30.

Between nine and ten o'clock yesterday morning, two distinct explosions were heard in this city: accompanied by concussions, such as have been before experienced after the blowing up of powder mills. The appearance of an immense volume of smoke in the direction of the Bellona powder works, left little or no doubt of what had taken place, and excited much anxiety for the fate of the men employed in the works. To the politeness of several gentlemen who repaired to the place immediately after the explosion was heard, we are indebted for the following details:-

The house which first was blown up was the stamping mill. One of the workmen states, that he was not conscious of the explosion until he found himself lying in the mill-race hard by; neither did he know his thigh was broken until he attempted to walk. In this mill there were two others, one of whom is mortally wounded; the other escaped unhurt.

About fifty yards from the mill stood the drying room, in which six men were at work. The fire of the first explosion was violently forced into the windows of this house, containing about 60 kegs of powder. The workmen had only time to precipitate themselves into the mill-race, near the door, when this house was also destroyed, with a most awful explosion!

Adjoining this house stood the granary, containing also a large quantity of powder. In this there were three men at work, two of whom were killed, having been thrown to the distance of 80 yards. Their bodies were shockingly mangled and burnt. No traces of the third workman were discovered when our informants left there. The roof of the packing house was removed, but the powder stored in it fortunately did not take fire. As far as the injury extends the premises exhibit a scene of awful and utter desolation.

This is the fourth time since their first erection, that the Bellona powder mills have experienced this destructive calamity.

A coroner's inquest was held by James B. Stansbury, Esq. on the bodies of Joseph Kelly and Owen O'Neale, two of the workmen, killed by the explosion.

Thomas Fallin is mortally wounded.

Edward Guinnevan has a leg fractured.

William Logue is missing.

Since the above was written it is said that the two wounded men have expired, and that a coroner's inquest was held over the body of William Logue, the person stated above to be missing, by Lambert Thomas, Esq. The verdict of the jury was, that he came to his death by the blowing up of the powder mill, he being blown near four hundred yards therefrom, with the loss of his head, both legs, and one arm, &c.-about 25 years of age.

[American.